Published : Oct. 29, 2017 - 16:16
South Korea’s tobacco maker KT&G recently launched a camp for young people looking to launch startups, providing them with consultation and education programs as part of the company’s youth support project.
KT&G kick-started the “SangSang Startup Camp” on Oct. 16 with 45 participants, selected through a competitive application process, who will undergo 14 weeks of education including coaching from business mentors and introduction of business systems that they can use when starting their own business. The entire program is offered free of charge as one of the company’s corporate social responsibility projects.
KT&G chief of sustainability management headquarters Lee Sang-hak (front, fifth from left) and participants pose for a photo to mark the start of the “SangSang Startup Camp” program in Chuncheon, Gangwon province, on Oct. 16. (KT&G)
A team will be chosen at the end of the program, based on their performance, to receive up to 30 million won along with opportunities to research overseas cases and financial support for office space.
The company said it planned to support young entrepreneurs to help solve social problems on a business level. To solve youth unemployment, KT&G will spend some 3 billion won until next year on support measures.
For this KT&G has signed an agreement last month with the Social Sustainability Bank and Underdogs to start the fund.
Aside from the latest project, KT&G has been holding “SangSang Career Camp” for university students to help them identify which careers they are most suited to since August of 2014, and “SangSang Closet” offering a free-of-charge clothes rental service for job seekers who need suits for interviews.