과학기술 기반 농식품 벤처창업 촉진 방안

Abstract

우리 농업은 노동집약적, 토지집약적, 자본집약적인 전통적 방식에서 벗어나 기술집약적 농업으로 한 단계 성장을 이루어야 할 시점에 직면하였다. 국내총생산에서 농업이 차지하는 비중의 지속적인 감소와 농촌인구의 노령화, 시장개방 등과 같은 농업이 직면한 어려움 속에서 생존하기 위한 대비책을 마련해야 하는 기로에 서 있다.

최근 농식품 벤처가 농업의 미래성장산업화와 청년 일자리 창출을 위한 동력으로 부상하고 있다. 최근 첨단기술을 기반으로 한 농식품 분야 투자 가치에 대한 긍정적 인식의 확산은 농식품 벤처 활성화의 새로운 기회로 작용하고 있으며, 현재의 농식품 생산, 유통, 소비 부문에 과학기술이 접목된 농식품 부문 벤처기업 창업지원 및 육성 정책으로 농업을 한 단계 성장 가능하게 할 필요가 있다.

이 연구는 농식품 벤처창업 활성화 방안 도출을 위하여 농식품 벤처기업의 현황과 애로사항을 살펴보고, 농식품 벤처창업 지원기관들의 네트워크 분석, 농식품모태펀드 현황분석, 해외 농업 벤처 관련 정책 조사 등을 통해 농식품 벤처창업의 현안 이슈를 파악하고 개선 방안을 강구하고자 하였다.

Background of Research ○ With the continuous sluggish growth of agriculture and the fast aging of the rural population, agricultural venture enterprises have received attention as an engine for the future growth industrialization of agriculture and job creation for young people. ○ Despite technology development and the consensus on promoting agricultural venture companies, capital investment in farming has been stagnant, and the number of the new certification of agri-food venture companies has been on the decline, showing a gap between the changing reality in rural areas and industrial growth. ○ Awareness of the support project for the establishment of agri-food venture enterprises is low compared to other departments’ business start-up support projects due to the lack of promotion and an insufficient implementation system. And the uniqueness of agriculture is not considered in the pan-departmental support project related to the establishment of venture enterprises. Accordingly, it is needed to seek support plans suitable for the characteristics of the agricultural sector with low competitiveness in the current industrial structure compared to its future growth potential. ○ To promote the establishment of technology-based venture businesses for the future growth industrialization of agriculture and job creation in the agricultural industry, this study identifies the implementation status and problems of the government’s systems and policies regarding agri-food venture companies, surveys and analyzes the present state of the companies and success factors and difficulties in their founding, and proposes policy plans to boost setting up agri-food venture businesses based on science and technology.

Method of Research ○ We carried out a survey to examine the overall state, operation status, and problems in the establishment of agri-food venture enterprises and general agri-food companies, and then conducted quantitative analysis of success factors in agri-food venture enterprises and success factors in business start-up by using instrumental regression analysis based on the survey data. ○ Through the survey for institutions supporting agri-food venture business start-up, we analyzed a network for supporting the establishment of agri-food venture enterprises, each institution’s current roles and roles to be strengthened, and the network’s strengths and weaknesses. ○ We investigated the operation method and present state of the MIFAFF Fund of Funds through a literature review and in-depth interviews with people in charge. ○ We commissioned research on the Korean government’s systems and policies for supporting the establishment of agri-food venture enterprises and Japan’s current status and policy of agricultural venture companies.

Diagnosis of the Present State of Agri-food Venture Enterprises ○ In 2015, the average sales of agri-food venture enterprises were KRW 5.18 billion. As of 2014, the average sales of agri-food venture enterprises account for 63% of general venture companies’ sales, and their average operating income ratio is 74% compared to general venture companies. That is, the scale of sales is smaller but the ratio of operating income to sales is somewhat higher compared to general venture companies. ○ It is analyzed that agri-food venture enterprises’ scale of labor bigger than their size of sales or operating income leads to small sales/operating income per capita, and the higher percentage of their temporary workers compared to general venture companies results in the low stability of labor management. ○ Agri-food venture enterprises evaluated the quality and technology competitiveness of their products high. However, they have obtained less industry property right except for trademark rights compared to general venture companies, and the proportion of agri-food venture enterprises without overseas patents or international standards is higher compared with general venture companies. - Technology commercialization ranked third in the most necessary education field at present. Therefore, it is needed to commercialize agri-food venture enterprises’ technologies, and connect them to industrial property right. - The number of researchers in agri-food venture enterprises is smaller, and the percentage of researchers in the total workers is lower compared to general venture companies. Accordingly, it is required to strengthen agri-food venture enterprises’ own investment in research and development. ○ The biggest difficulty in agri-food venture enterprises’ management was the development of overseas markets, and their interest in the entry into export markets is high. Nevertheless, the proportion of agri-food venture enterprises with overseas patents or international standards is 40%, lower than 51% of general venture companies, indicating the insufficient technology and preparation for export. ○ Support policies should be diversified beyond the existing support policy centered on funds. - Agri-food venture enterprises responded that their biggest difficulty in the planning stage before business start-up and the business start-up stage was raising funds for business start-up. In the in-depth interviews with people in charge at business start-up support institutions, many of them said that most venture enterprises demand funding, but the ability to plan items and cooperation with other institutions are actually necessary. - In fact, although most venture enterprises were provided consulting and support concerning funds, marketing, promotion, and distribution in the planning stage before business start-up and the business start-up stage, their satisfaction was high with support for ideas, technology-based business start-up, and technology development (in the planning stage before business start-up) and education and support for a warranty (in the business start-up stage).

A Positive Correlation Between Venture Enterprises’ Technology and Operating Income ○ The result of an analysis of agri-food venture enterprises’ success factors shows that an agri-food venture enterprise’s operating income has a positive correlation with its technology (industrial property right), and increases if it is more active in support funds for a warranty, education, and training. Cooperation with small and medium-sized venture enterprises or large companies also enhances venture enterprises’ operating income. ○ The operating income of agri-food venture enterprises in the initial stage of founding is much affected by technology. And the longer the years of operation and the more the number of workers, the higher the operating income. Therefore, it is analyzed that companies in the initial phase of founding are more influenced by the economy of scale. Analysis of a Network of Institutions Supporting the Establishment of Agri-food Venture Enterprises ○ According to social network analysis, support institutions in the ecosystem of agri-food venture business start-up have been networked centered on the Foundation of Agri. Tech. Commercialization & Transfer, the central and local governments, and agri-food venture and business start-up support centers. - The Foundation of Agri. Tech. Commercialization & Transfer shows the highest closeness centrality and connection strength with other institutions, followed by the central and local governments and agri-food venture and business start-up support centers. Accordingly, it is analyzed that other institutions in the ecosystem of agri-food venture business start-up mainly request these three institutions to provide information or resources. - In addition to the three institutions, institutes for bioindustry play an important role of arbitration in information flows and exchange among institutions in the business start-up ecosystem.

Strengths and Weaknesses and Performance Diagnosis of the Infrastructure for Supporting the Establishment of Agri-food Venture Enterprises ○ The results of analyzing strengths and weaknesses of the system for supporting agri-food venture business start-up are as follows: both support institutions and venture enterprises point out “consulting support” and “support for ideas and technology-based business start-up” as the system’s strengths, and “export support” as its weakness. ○ The comparative analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the support system and the importance level of reinforcement shows that support institutions and venture enterprises agree on the need for improving “financial support.” However, while support institutions think that “technology development,” “marketing, promotion, and distribution,” and “facilities, equipment, and working funds” should be improved urgently, venture enterprises think that the fields of support for “export,” “certification,” and “education” need improvement, rather than the above areas. ○ The support institutions in the ecosystem of the establishment of agri-food venture companies are mostly well aware of each institution’s current roles. - The internal and external evaluation shows the following major roles: the Foundation of Agri. Tech. Commercialization & Transfer supports ideas and technology-based business start-up; institutes for bioindustry supports the production of test products; the Agricultural Policy Insurance & Finance Service and Business Incubators provide financial support; and agri-food venture and business start-up support centers support cooperation activities with other institutions. -Nonetheless, perceptions of the present roles of Sixth Industry Support Centers and the central and local governments differ internally and externally. Also, internal and external assessment mostly shows differences in opinions on each institution’s roles to be strengthened. Therefore, to improve the ecosystem of the establishment of agri-food venture companies, it is necessary to coordinate each institution’s future roles among the institutions.

Strategies and Plans to Promote the Founding of Agri-food Venture Companies ○ First, it is needed to enhance agri-food venture enterprises’ science and technology capabilities by strengthening R&D. - It is required to strengthen support for R&D funds targeting venture businesses newly established. - It is necessary to support the commercialization of agricultural technologies and technology-based business start-up by setting up a tentatively named “Technology Commercialization Support Center.” - R&D governance should be improved to continuously invest in agricultural R&D and expand R&D outcomes. ○ Second, it is needed to establish a network for supporting the founding of venture businesses to improve their efficiency and performance. - Based on the mutual understanding among support institutions in the system for supporting the founding of agri-food venture enterprises, establishing and coordinating each institution’s roles can enhance the efficiency and performance of the project for supporting venture business start-up. - It is required to found institutions such as institutes for bioindustry that connect the central government and the provinces. - To increase the efficiency of venture business management, it is necessary to build a system for sharing each institution’s information and support history by venture company, and to regularly survey the current status of agri-food venture enterprises. ○ Third, it is needed to construct a funding system customized to each level and growth stage of venture companies. - Funding should be customized to each venture enterprise’s level and growth phase. - To promote angel investment, benchmarking the Angel Investment Support Center (Angel Investment Mart) is necessary. ○ Fourth, it is required to train agri-food experts and specialists in education on agri-food venture business start-up. ○ Fifth, it is needed to create an atmosphere that encourages entrepreneurship and business start-up. - The establishment of venture companies can be induced by stages. Support can be provided to start as a social enterprise relatively easy to found, and then to develop into a technology-based venture company by developing technologies needed in the operation of the enterprise. - Support policy is necessary for risk management in case of business closure. - The central government should boost business start-up through incentive systems including tax benefits rather than individual support projects, and create a social atmosphere friendly to business start-up and venture companies that encourages investment in new venture enterprises.

Researchers: Park Jiyun, Kim Yeonjung and Choi Jinyong Research Period: 2016. 1. ∼ 2016. 10. E-mail address: jiyunpark@krei.re.kr