Amazon Global Selling Korea announced on the 10th that it will operate the "Amazon Accelerator 2026" program to support the entry of K-beauty brands into the U.S. market. This year's program has been strengthened from last year, featuring an expanded range of support through a new partnership with the Seoul Economic Promotion Agency (SBA). Selected brands will benefit from five key incentives: advertising support valued at 5 million won, influencer seeding with 300 accounts, specialized training for sales success on Amazon, opportunities for exposure through Amazon Originals content, pitching opportunities to major venture capitalists, and personalized support from Amazon managers.

Shin Hwa-sook, representative of Amazon Global Selling Korea, stated that as the global growth of K-beauty persists, the potential for more Korean brands to thrive on Amazon is substantial. The Amazon Accelerator not only serves as a support program but aims to be a stepping stone that assists brands throughout the entire process, from product readiness to global sales.

K-beauty is emerging as one of the fastest-growing categories in Amazon's U.S. store. Notably, during the "Big Spring Sale" in March 2026, sales of K-beauty products from Korean sellers doubled compared to the previous year, with brands like Mediheal, Anua, Biodermis, and Equalberry making significant sales gains.

The Amazon Accelerator 2026 program will select 20 participating brands through a review process, which will engage participants in educational courses and offline meetup programs to enhance their global sales capabilities. Of these, seven brands will advance to the finals, with the evaluation session featuring judges from notable domestic venture capital firms such as Signite, IMM Investment, and Ian & Partners to identify the top three brands.

Participating brands will receive tiered benefits from Amazon and the Seoul Economic Promotion Agency. Initially, all 20 brands will take part in eight educational sessions covering listing optimization, advertising, and account management, along with two offline meetups and networking events with successful sellers and venture capitalists. They will also receive a voucher for advertising worth 5 million won, and networking opportunities at the 'Try Everything' event, one of the largest startup gatherings in Korea. The seven brands that reach the finals will have the chance to participate in live pitching sessions targeting venture capitalists and will feature in Amazon’s "Next Seller" series.

The final three winning brands will gain access to six months of one-on-one consulting from the Amazon Global Selling team, complemented by influencer seeding support for up to 300 accounts.

Kim Hyun-woo, representative of the Seoul Economic Promotion Agency, emphasized that while Seoul hosts thousands of innovative beauty brands, many lack the infrastructure to reach global consumers independently. Through collaboration with Amazon, these emerging brands can access a structured pathway to global markets, integrating public resources with Amazon's global network to drive innovation and export success for domestic companies.

Amazon Global Selling began the Amazon Accelerator program to discover and support promising domestic brands aiming for the U.S. market by 2025. Last year, over 200 brands participated, with Binubo securing the top prize.

Lee Bae-seok, representative of Binubo, noted, "Although we had only a three-member team, winning instantly garnered trust from investors and partners. We applied the knowledge from the Amazon U.S. market training to our operations, and with ongoing support from Amazon, we were able to establish local partnerships. Within seven months of entering the U.S. market, we achieved a remarkable 300% month-on-month growth and experienced a virtuous cycle where new opportunities led to further opportunities."

Applications for the Accelerator program are open until June 28. Further details can be found on the Accelerator's official website.