Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) Industry-University Cooperation received the Minister of SMEs and Startups Award in recognition of its contributions to revitalizing the regional economy by fostering youth and promising startup companies and for expanding its role as a startup-centered university in the Honam region. The award ceremony was held on June 21, 2022, at the Lahan Hotel, Jeonju, during the 2022 Jeonbuk Small Business Conference.

This Minister of SMEs and Startups Commendation recognizes JBNU's contributions to strengthening startup competitiveness through the development of university startup infrastructure and its selection as the 2022 Best Institution for Industry–University Collaboration Startup Support.

The JBNU Startup Support Center has contributed to revitalizing industry–university collaboration in the field of startup support by implementing startup support programs, beginning with the establishment of a startup incubation center in 2006 and including the Startup Leading University program, the Laboratory‑Specialized Startup Leading University program, and the Innopolis Campus.

Built on a professional incubation system that supports company growth, the Startup Incubation Center has been recognized for outstanding performance in multi-year operational evaluations. The center's achievements include the excellence of the laboratory‑specialized Startup Leading University program, which provides a technology commercialization strategy base for faculty and researchers, and strong results in identifying and nurturing prospective entrepreneurs and early-stage startup companies. These accomplishments led to its designation as a startup-centered university for the Honam region and have been credited with making a significant contribution to local industrial development through the promotion of startup activity.

In particular, as a startup-centered university the institution provides support focused on the Honam region to identify and cultivate youth startup companies within the area through stage-specific commercialization support programs such as the Pre-Startup Package, the Early-Stage Startup Package, and the Startup Leap Package.

조기환, Vice-President of Industry-University Cooperation, and 권대규, Director of the Startup Support Center, said, "At JBNU we are striving to nurture unicorn companies and foster a startup ecosystem by concentrating and integrating the university's startup infrastructure on an industry–university–research infrastructure that enables youth-centered startup companies to grow," adding, "We will take the lead in building youth startup clusters focused on regional new industries."