[Edaily Reporter Shin Ha-yeon ] The Korea Exchange (KRX) announced on the 12th that it has selected 18 KOSDAQ-listed companies with innovative growth potential and market dominance as the “2026 KOSDAQ Rising Stars.” Ten of the 22 companies selected last year were re-selected, while eight new companies— TSE CO.,Ltd(131290), WONTECH(336570), and Nara Space Technology Inc.—were added to the list.

The KOSDAQ Rising Star program is an initiative the exchange has operated annually since 2009 to support the mid- to long-term growth of promising KOSDAQ-listed companies and revitalize the KOSDAQ market.

The program targets KOSDAQ-listed companies whose flagship products hold significant market dominance in the global market, those that have secured a high domestic market share in innovative industries, or those that have achieved sustained revenue growth in innovative industries and are highly likely to grow into global companies.

The selection process involved quantitative evaluations—including financial criteria—and qualitative assessments, such as interviews with chief executive officers (CEOs), followed by deliberation by a selection committee composed of internal and external experts. This year, companies possessing innovative technologies in future growth industries—such as telecommunications equipment, medical devices, and satellites—were newly included.

The eight newly selected companies are: △TSE CO.,Ltd. △SUNIC SYSTEM Co., Ltd. △WONTECH △MECARO.CO.,LTD. △Sena Technologies Co., Ltd. △Curiosis Inc. △Nara Space Technology Inc. △RaonSecure Co., Ltd.

Among the existing Rising Star companies, 10 firms—including △ST Pharm Co., Ltd. △SEMCNS Co., Ltd. △Lunit Inc. △SFA Nexel, △Neosem Inc. △NEXTBIOMEDICAL CO., LTD. △T&L Co., LTD. △EMRO., Incorporated △TRUEN Co., Ltd.—were re-selected.

Meanwhile, three companies—L&C BIO, VITZROCELL Co., Ltd., and KoMiCo Ltd.—which had been selected for the KOSDAQ Rising Star program five or more times as of last year, were inducted into the “KOSDAQ Rising Star Hall of Fame” on the exchange’s website.

Selected companies will receive benefits including a one-year exemption from annual fees and listing fees, as well as support for holding investor relations (IR) events and the publication of corporate analysis reports. They are also eligible for preferential interest rates through INDUSTRIALBANKOFKOREA and Shinhan Bank.

The exchange explained, “The KOSDAQ Rising Star program is designed to identify and nurture companies with outstanding technological capabilities and growth potential; it is not intended to recommend specific investment opportunities.”