What Is the SME Innovation Voucher Program?
The SME Innovation Voucher Program, run by South Korea's Ministry of SMEs and Startups, bundles consulting, technical support, marketing, and commercialization services into a single voucher that companies can redeem based on their growth stage. The program offers four tracks — General, Carbon-Neutral, Serious Accident Prevention, and Recovery Consulting — and among these, the Carbon-Neutral track has drawn growing attention as demand for ESG transition support surges.
Companies selected under the Carbon-Neutral track receive a voucher worth up to KRW 50 million, which they can use with any pre-registered and verified consulting provider of their choice. Because the required co-payment ratio is relatively low, the program significantly lowers the entry barrier for SMEs that find carbon-neutral transition too costly to tackle on their own budget.
Scope of Consulting Under the Carbon-Neutral Track
The Carbon-Neutral track goes beyond generic environmental messaging — it centers on quantitative, data-driven reduction strategy. Key areas of support include:
Notably, the resulting consulting deliverables can be reused as pre-diagnostic materials when applying for follow-on programs such as carbon-neutral facility investment support (from the Ministry of Environment or Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy) or K-ESG supply chain due diligence support. This makes the voucher not just a one-off subsidy, but a strategic entry point into a longer chain of ESG-related government programs.
Application Process and Key Considerations
The Innovation Voucher program follows a process somewhat different from typical government support programs.
Before applying, companies should carefully verify the following:
Consulting Support from KITIM
KITIM (Korea Institute of Technology Innovation Management) supports the entire process for the Innovation Voucher Carbon-Neutral track — from application strategy development to GHG emissions calculation, reduction roadmap design, and business plan preparation. If setting the right reduction targets for your company or navigating duplicate-benefit restrictions feels overwhelming, consult with KITIM's experts to design a carbon-neutral strategy that actually works for your business.