As Korea recalibrates its startup policy toward deeper integration between capital, technology development, and overseas expansion, the role of intermediary institutions is drawing sharper scrutiny. The selection of FuturePlay as TIPS Operator of the Year 2025 highlights how execution capability, not funding volume alone, now defines policy effectiveness in Korea’s venture ecosystem.
FuturePlay Selected as TIPS Operator of the Year 2025
On December 19, FuturePlay announced that it had been selected as an outstanding operator of the TIPS program for 2025 and received a ministerial commendation from the Ministry of SMEs and Startups.
The recognition was formally presented at the TIPS Performance Sharing Conference held on December 18 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Jongno, Seoul. The ministry cited FuturePlay’s operational track record and its structured linkage between private investment, government-backed R&D, and global expansion support.
Since its designation as a second-round TIPS operator in 2014, FuturePlay has spent 11 years running multiple TIPS tracks, including standard TIPS, Deep Tech TIPS, and Scale-up TIPS.
Why This Matters: TIPS Enters a Policy Transition Phase
TIPS has long served as Korea’s flagship public–private startup funding mechanism, pairing private investors with matched government R&D and commercialization support. What has changed now is the emphasis on continuity across stages.
In 2025, FuturePlay was additionally selected as a “global specialized operator,” a designation intended to strengthen support for startups preparing for overseas market entry. This reflects a broader policy shift toward ensuring that R&D-backed startups do not stall at domestic validation.
Looking ahead to 2026, when the TIPS program is scheduled for a comprehensive restructuring, operators with recommendation authority across all tracks are positioned to play a larger coordinating role. FuturePlay confirmed plans to expand customized R&D support aligned with company maturity, sector focus, and growth objectives.
FuturePlay: Linking Deep Tech to Global Markets
FuturePlay CEO Kwon Oh-hyung framed the award as recognition of long-term execution rather than short-term outcomes.
The CEO stated,
“This ministerial commendation reflects recognition of FuturePlay’s continued efforts to foster the growth of the deep tech ecosystem. In 2026, based on our secured recommendation authority across all TIPS tracks, we will actively support the global expansion of domestic technology companies.”
The ministry’s evaluation focused on how effectively FuturePlay connected early investment decisions with follow-on R&D funding and international scaling pathways.
FuturePlay’s Win Signals a Shift in Korea’s Startup Policy Execution
For global founders and investors watching Korea, this development signals a tightening feedback loop inside the startup policy framework. The emphasis is shifting toward operators that can manage transitions between capital, public funding, and market expansion, rather than treating each stage as a standalone process.
FuturePlay’s recent establishment of a dedicated Growth Finance Team further reflects this direction. The team integrates government programs, policy finance, and commercial lending based on portfolio companies’ financial profiles and growth stages. This approach addresses a common gap in Korea’s ecosystem, where startups often secure R&D grants but struggle with sustained financing after technical validation.
At a system level, the recognition underscores how Korea is refining its public–private funding architecture ahead of the 2026 TIPS overhaul. Operators capable of spanning general, deep tech, scale-up, and global tracks are becoming central nodes in policy execution.
A Signal Ahead of the 2026 TIPS Restructuring
FuturePlay’s selection as TIPS Operator of the Year is less about a single institution and more about policy direction. Korea is signaling that startup success will be judged by connected outcomes: investment discipline, R&D effectiveness, and credible global entry.
As the TIPS program prepares for structural reform in 2026, the role of operators that can translate public funding into market-facing growth will only expand. For founders and global partners, this shift clarifies where execution power is consolidating inside Korea’s startup ecosystem.
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