Daegu City is currently accepting applications for the '2025 Daegu Small and Medium Business Awards' until August 8th, aiming to recognize and honor outstanding small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that have contributed to regional economic development and job creation. Initiated in 1996, the 'Daegu Small and Medium Business Awards' has so far celebrated over 180 companies, establishing itself as a significant event that boosts the morale and pride of local businesses.

Eligibility for the Small and Medium Business Awards 

The '2025 Daegu Small and Medium Business Awards' is open to SMEs that have their headquarters and business establishments (including factories for manufacturing industries) in Daegu and have been operating for at least three years. The primary targets for recruitment are companies that have demonstrated outstanding performance in areas such as technology development, sales growth, and job creation. This reflects Daegu City's commitment to prioritizing companies that achieve both innovation and employment, rather than just simple growth in scale.

Specifically, eligible companies include:

Technology-innovative companies that lead the market with unique technological capabilities in their respective fields.
Companies with excellent growth potential that have achieved steady sales growth even amidst challenging economic conditions.
Model job creation companies that have contributed to regional economic revitalization by providing high-quality jobs to local youth and women with career breaks.
 
Rigorous Selection Process and Exceptional Benefits 

Daegu City plans to select a total of six outstanding companies through a strict and fair screening process. The evaluation process consists of four stages: document screening, financial evaluation, on-site inspection, and final deliberation by the judging committee. The document screening reviews the basic qualifications of the company and the reliability of submitted materials, while the financial evaluation comprehensively analyzes the company's soundness and growth potential. The on-site inspection is a crucial step that directly verifies the company's actual operational status, technological capabilities, and working environment, which may not be fully evident from submitted documents alone. Finally, a judging committee composed of experts from various fields will integrate all evaluation results to select a total of six companies, including one grand prize winner.

Award-winning companies will receive various exceptional benefits from Daegu City. Key benefits include:

Preferential support for Daegu City's SME fostering funds (for 2 years)
Priority support for overseas market development delegations and exhibitions/fairs (for 2 years)
Deferral of local tax audits (for 3 years)
In addition, awardees can receive practical assistance such as extra points when applying for various city-related SME support programs and media promotion support. The preferential support for SME fostering funds is expected to enable companies to secure liquidity and expand investment, while priority support for overseas market development and exhibitions will be a significant opportunity for companies aspiring to enter the global market. The deferral of local tax audits effectively reduces administrative burdens, allowing companies to focus more on their business activities.

Application Method and Expected Outcomes 

Applications for the '2025 Daegu Small and Medium Business Awards' can be submitted through economic departments in each district/county where the businesses are located, economic organizations such as the Daegu Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Daegu Headquarters of the Korea Federation of SMEs, and corporate support organizations like Daegu Technopark and the Daegu Digital Industry Promotion Agency. This demonstrates Daegu City's effort to increase participation by providing various accessible channels for companies to apply.

Through the '2025 Daegu Small and Medium Business Awards,' Daegu City aims to boost the morale of SMEs, which are the core of the regional economy, and to create a foundation for innovative companies to grow further. Park Ki-hwan, Director-General of Daegu City's Economic Bureau, emphasized, "SMEs are strong pillars responsible for the regional economy and employment. We hope that many companies will show interest and apply, leading to the discovery of excellent SMEs that will drive the regional economy."

The awards ceremony is scheduled to take place at the '2025 Daegu SME Conference' in November. This event will not only celebrate and commend the efforts of the award-winning companies but also serve as a forum for local SMEs to gather, communicate, and foster camaraderie. Daegu City plans to continue its unwavering support for the growth of SMEs and lead in establishing a virtuous cycle structure for the regional economy.

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