3 March 2026, Seoul – UNDP Seoul Policy Centre (Director Anne Juepner) and the Hyundai Motor Chung Mong-Koo Foundation (Chairman Moosung Chung) are launching ‘Global ImpactPreneur’ to select and accelerate impact start-ups across the Asia-Pacific. Organized with implementation support from Impact Square (CEO Hyun-myung Doh), the programme officially launched in March 2026 with the goal of identifying and nurturing innovative entrepreneurs contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and strengthening the Asia-Pacific impact ecosystem.

※ ImpactPreneur: A compound term began to be used in the impact ecosystem since the 2010s by the Harvard Business Review (HBR) and Stanford Social Innovation Review (SSIR), referring to entrepreneurs who generate both social and environmental impact alongside financial value.

Global ImpactPreneur is a global acceleration programme designed to support the growth of start-ups in the Asia-Pacific region that possess solutions contributing to the SDGs through social and environmental problem-solving. The programme specifically targets start-ups addressing structural challenges through artificial intelligence (AI) or innovative technologies. By fostering ‘ImpactPreneurs’ who strive for social and environmental value beyond profit, the initiative is designed to help innovators expand their capabilities on the global stage for a sustainable future.

The programme is distinguished by its integrated support model, which combines the accumulated experience and expertise of a UN agency, a public-interest foundation, and an impact business specialist institution. Since 2017, the UNDP Seoul Policy Centre has identified and nurtured youth entrepreneurs contributing to the SDGs in the Republic of Korea and across the Asia-Pacific through the Youth Co:Lab Korea programme. In January this year, it published the report ‘State of the Ecosystem for Youth Social Entrepreneurship in the Republic of Korea’ report, contributing to the development of the impact start-up ecosystem in Korea and the wider Asia-Pacific region.

The Hyundai Motor Chung Mong-Koo Foundation has fostered an enabling environment for entrepreneurs who tackle social challenges grounded in entrepreneurship, notably through initiatives such as the ‘H-OnDream Start-up Ground.’ Impact Square, the accelerator, supports the impact-driven global expansion of start-ups in Korea and abroad based on its experience in accelerating impact start-ups in Southeast Asia.

Eligible participants include Asia-Pacific-based companies, including those from the Republic of Korea, that meet the following criteria: ▲ possess solutions addressing social challenges, including those aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) ▲ verifiable models beyond the idea stage (prototype, pilot, or PoC) ▲ early-stage start-ups incorporated within the past five years.

Following the screening process, 20 selected start-ups will receive tailored mentorship from regional experts (including Anders Soh, Director of Temasek Foundation; Soren Petersen, COO of Mana Impact; and Patricia Chu, Co-Founder/Director of Mana Impact), impact measurement and IR coaching, and networking opportunities with global investors and peers. The intensive acceleration process will be conducted primarily online to provide personalized guidance regardless of geographical constraints. At the Demo Day held in Seoul in July, participants will pitch their businesses to venture capitalists, impact investors, and development actors, including CVC Capital Partners, one of Europe’s largest private equity firms, as well as philanthropists and UNDP representatives. Outstanding teams will receive award grants and opportunities for follow-on programmes and investment reviews.

Anne Juepner, Director of the UNDP Seoul Policy Centre, stated, “By supporting start-ups that contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals, we are helping youth become leaders in achieving the SDGs. Supporting impact start-ups in developing countries is significant as it empowers them to become active contributors to the SDGs. As the digital and AI divide widens between countries, we will continue to facilitate exchange between the Republic of Korea and Asia-Pacific nations to ensure innovative solutions are widely disseminated and make a substantial contribution to the SDGs.”

Chung Moosung, Chairman of the Hyundai Motor Chung Mong-Koo Foundation, added, “Since 2012, the Foundation has led the way in nurturing domestic impact entrepreneurs and expanding the ecosystem. Through the launch of ‘Global ImpactPreneur,’ we will work closely with UNDP and Impact Square to support global impact entrepreneurs in solving global social issues.”

Doh Hyun-myung, CEO of Impact Square, remarked, “Based on our experience as Korea’s first impact business specialist, we will contribute to spreading social value creation models across the Asia-Pacific.”

Global ImpactPreneur will accept applications from 3 March to 3 April. Following a document review, 20 teams will be selected to participate in the full acceleration programme. Further details can be found on the official website (https://globalimpactpreneur-2026.notion.site/).

About UNDP Seoul Policy Centre

UNDP Seoul Policy Centre is a facilitator of innovative development cooperation to catalyse the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Through its SDG Partnerships programme and other South-South and Triangular Cooperation initiatives, the Centre supports countries by sharing innovative, tested-and-proven practices and policy tools on strategic development issues globally. Learn more at undp.org/policy-centre/seoul or follow at @UNDPSPC.

Hyundai Motor Chung Mong-Koo Foundation (https://www.hyundai-cmkfoundation.org/)

The Hyundai Motor Chung Mong-Koo Foundation is a social innovation foundation that contributes to nurturing creative future talent and building a sustainable social innovation ecosystem, grounded in the entrepreneurship and philanthropic philosophy of its founder and Honorary Chairman, Mong-Koo Chung. Since its establishment in 2007, the Foundation has worked to address social challenges through innovation and bold initiatives in the fields of culture, welfare, healthcare, and education, and continues to implement diverse programmes to enhance the sustainability and advancement of the broader ecosystem.

Impact Square (www.impactsquare.com)

Impact Square (CEO Doh Hyun-myung) is an impact business–focused accelerator and impact investment firm established in 2010. Guided by its mission to “enable more people to engage with impact businesses,” the company supports a virtuous cycle between social value and business competitiveness through impact acceleration, corporate ESG consulting, and impact investment.