[E-Daily Reporter Lee So-Hyun ] Cafe24 Corp.(042000)is hosting a hands-on competition where aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners can build their own online stores and sell actual products for three months to validate their business potential. This approach goes beyond simply evaluating ideas to assess growth potential based on actual sales and customer feedback.

Cafe24 Corp. announced on the 22nd that it will host the “2nd Cafe24 PRO Scale-Up Challenge” for college students, aspiring entrepreneurs, small business owners, and existing business owners nationwide. The total support package, including prize money, grants, and solutions, is worth 60 million won, and applications will be accepted until November 27.

Participants will use Cafe24 Corp.’s premium service, “Cafe24 PRO,” to build their own D2C (Direct-to-Consumer) online stores and sell products directly.

Cafe24 Corp. will provide participants with an additional three months of free access to Cafe24 PRO. Including the standard three-month free trial offered to first-time users, participants can use the service for up to six months at no cost.

Two Tracks Tailored for Aspiring and Existing Entrepreneurs

The competition is divided into two tracks—‘Starter’ and ‘Growth’—based on the stage of the business.

The Starter Track is intended for college students and aspiring entrepreneurs. Participants can enter without a business registration, and they do not need to have an online store at the time of application. After registration and before the preliminary screening, participants must set up their online store, list products, and configure payment settings.

The “Growth” track is for small business owners and existing entrepreneurs, evaluating the process and results of expanding their existing businesses with a focus on their own online stores. Judging will focus on how much the business has grown during the competition period relative to its current scale, so even early-stage entrepreneurs can participate.

Participants who have simultaneously built global online stores—such as English- or Japanese-language sites—will receive bonus points during both the preliminary and final rounds of judging.

30 Teams Advance to Finals; 3 Months of Actual Sales

Cafe24 Corp. will conduct preliminary judging in late November based on the setup of the company’s online store, product listings, and payment configurations, and will announce the 30 teams advancing to the finals on December 1.

Teams advancing to the finals will participate in a “real-world scale-up” program for approximately three months, from December through February of next year. During this period, they will enhance their online stores and sell products directly to verify the business’s growth potential through actual sales and customer feedback. Finalists will also receive a subscription to the review marketing solution “ReviewAid All-in-One.”

Once the hands-on operation phase concludes, a total of six winning teams will be selected through track-specific evaluations. The Daesang winners in the Starter and Growth tracks will each receive a prize of 10 million won, and Grand Excellence and Excellence Awards will also be presented. Finalists who do not win an award will also receive separate scale-up grants.

Lee Jae-seok, CEO of Cafe24 Corp., stated, “We’ve entered an era where anyone can quickly bring their ideas to life using AI, but for a good idea to become a successful business, it ultimately requires a process of engaging with customers in the market and continuously refining the concept.” He added, “We hope this challenge will serve as a starting point for participants to bring the ideas in their heads to the world and grow them into their own businesses.”