"Local brands meet nationwide supporters"... Wadiz recruiting participants for 'neighborhood crowdfunding'

"Local brands meet nationwide supporters"... Wadiz recruiting participants for 'neighborhood crowdfunding'

- Expanding local brand discovery... More than 50% of participating companies expected to be non-capital area small business owners
- Supporting actual benefits through free advertising, showcase events, coupons, and training to create crowdfunding results
- Neighborhood crowdfunding, over 4 years supporting growth of about 1,300 small business owners and 270,000 supporter participation

Wadiz (CEO Shin Hye-sung, www.wadiz.kr) is conducting the 2nd recruitment for the '2026 Neighborhood Crowdfunding Support Project.' The initiative aims to support local products and brands to meet a wider market and customers through crowdfunding.

'Neighborhood Crowdfunding Support Project' is a program that supports sales growth of local small business owners in partnership with the Small Business Market Promotion Agency. Wadiz has been operating this project for 4 years since 2023, and so far, approximately 207 billion won in crowdfunding has been achieved with about 270,000 supporters participating in projects run by approximately 1,300 local small business owners.

Through this 2nd recruitment, Wadiz plans to select more than 250 additional companies, supporting a total of 530 or more local small business owners this year. In particular, more than 50% of the 2nd batch of participating companies will be selected from non-capital regions, expanding growth opportunities for region-based brands.

Selected companies will receive benefits including △free app push advertising support △participation in the local small brand showcase 'Sobok Market' △exclusive Sobok Market coupons △crowdfunding practical strategy training. Wadiz will bear the full cost of Sobok Market coupon discounts, and training will be conducted online.

Small business owners who are currently running a funding project on Wadiz or can close their project by September 20 can apply, and aspiring makers who have not yet started a project can also participate. Applications are due by 3 PM on June 22. Wadiz will comprehensively review crowdfunding suitability, product appeal, and growth potential to make final selections, and will announce results individually on June 29.

Kim Choi-chul, CEO of Wadiz Impact, said, "So that good local products and brands can meet customers in a wider market beyond capital-centered distribution channels, Wadiz has been expanding crowdfunding-based growth opportunities for 4 years" and "We will continue to discover local small business owners and strengthen practical support so that it leads from product verification to initial customer acquisition, actual sales, and business expansion."

Meanwhile, Wadiz recently held a 'Crowdfunding Southeast Regional Briefing' at the Busan Chamber of Commerce for about 200 prospective and early-stage startups in the Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam regions, expanding touchpoints with local communities. Starting with the southeast region, Wadiz plans to expand regional cooperation to establish a foundation for local small business owners to validate ideas through crowdfunding and enter the market.

For business applications and more details, visit the Support Project tab on the Wadiz MakerCenter (https://makercenter.wadiz.kr/).