Slush 2022: A Look at Korea’s Emerging Tech Scene

At the recent Slush 2022 conference in Helsinki, Korean startups shone brightly on the global stage. Attendees had the opportunity to learn about the latest innovations and trends coming out of the Korean startup ecosystem.

From AI and blockchain to healthcare and fintech, Korean startups showcased their cutting-edge technologies and solutions. With a strong presence at the conference, Korean startups solidified their position as leaders in the global startup community. It was a successful event for Korean startups, who left the conference with new partnerships, investment opportunities, and greater recognition of their talents on the international stage.

20 Korean startups pitched at K-Startup Demo day

A.Virtual – Air-based sterilization solution for medical devices.

• 2020, Gwangju
• Medtech & Pharma, Cleantech
• CEO: Dylan Kim

A.Virtul team overcame critical issues of existing medical device sterilizers and had 20 contacts right after they launched their flagship model, “Medical A-WEAR”, with dental clinics in Korea. Dentists and medical staff need a medical device steriliser that is not harmful to humans and with simple methods. A Virtual’s technology eliminates pathogens and viruses attached to surfaces with only air-based disinfection solutions, and they have developed various items based on capacity.

AimbeLAB – feed the world.

• 2020, Seongnam City
• Agri-tech
• CEO: Byungsoo Go

Aimbelab provides a comprehensive livestock feed management data solution called “Myfeed”. Based on their AI feed measuring IoT device, feed monitoring smartphone application and web ERP, their solution enhances the feed monitoring, managing, ordering, logistics, inventory, delivery, and data utilization processes for livestock farms and feed companies.

Bottless – non-plastic sustainable airless package for cosmetics and detergent.

• 2020, Daejeon
• Cleantech
• CEO: Chiwon Yi

Bottless is a non-plastic sustainable airless packaging for cosmetics and detergent. It uses a natural rubber ballon and paper box instead of a plastic bottle. They don’t use any plastic bottles. Every part of Bottless takes 6 months to 30 months to decompose. While plastic bottle takes 500 years,

Coconut Silo – an AI deep tech company from Hyundai.

• 2020, Seoul
• Mobility, Logistics, AI, Big Data, SaaS
• CEO: Seungyong Kim

Coconut Silo – an AI digital logistics platform. They accelerate the logistics value chain via the advanced freight logistics platform CocoTruck, which connects all types of players in the logistics market into a single place. Coconut Silo enriches the ecosystem by providing a SaaS platform for B2B users to manage their resources easier and to become a greener company.

Dr.Clobo – healthcare camera and telehealth consultation platform.

• 2020, Seoul
• Health & Wellbeing
• CEO: Hyunmin Yu

Dr.Clobo provides a healthcare camera that can take detailed pictures of the mouth, ears and nose, and based on this, non-face-to-face medical consultation and health management. Beyond this, they plan a coaching service to form a long-term relationship with a doctor and manage health.

CRT Lab – create your Brand identity in 3 days

• 2020, Anyang city
• Analytics
• CEO: Yong Jae Kim

CRT Lab matches designers and designs to match corporate orientation as a result of analysis of corporate orientation – automatically matching corporate logos using platforms and AI. Additionally, it generates corporate branding reports.

DDIBS – an online market research platform.

• 2020, Seoul
• Market research
• CEO: Judy Jeong

DDIBS is the next-generation market research platform that helps sellers successfully expand their business globally. The platform provides customer behaviour data at the pre-sales stage to help sellers prepare to win the competitive e-commerce market for their export destination using machine learning and dynamic pricing algorithms.

inDJ – AI system that analyzes situational and emotional data to recommend lifestyle information.

• 2019, Gwangju
• Music, Arts & Entertainment
• CEO: Wooju Jung

inDJ is a music streaming radio application that uses AI to recommend music based on the user’s emotions and situation. Also, inDJ’s AI can analyse the music by its instrument and lyrics and understand the sentiment of the music.

Furthermore, using the user’s emotions and situational data inDJ can cooperate with other businesses such as AI vehicles and health care services etc. Planning to create a global K-Pop community to use the potential of K-Pop to target the global market.

Kevit – H/W infrastructure along with reliable S/W charging monitoring SaaS platform

• 2019, Seoul
• Mobility
• CEO: Darren Oh

EV charging solution offers reliable S/W monitoring SaaS platform, comfortable and easy-to-use mobile apps, and management systems for installation, call centre, and billing.

Kevit has almost 2000 chargers with ten thousand active Kevit app users.

LBStech – a social venture company that strives to construct a barrier-free city led by a walkway data platform.

• 2017, Seoul
• Smart City
• CEO: Siwan Lee

LBStech collects and refines walkway data which includes obstacle and accessibility information.

Refined walkway data is used for going out of delivery robots and safely walking PWDs. Also, LBStech puts the data into their walkway navigation services as well. Through its platform and service, it will construct a barrier-free smart city which is everywhere accessible to everyone.

Kooky bridges the gap between fans and artists.

• 2020m Seoul
• Media
• CEO: Hami Kim

Kooky is a social media platform that helps artists do what they love while generating revenue and boosting fan engagement. Drawing on their knowledge of the K-Pop industry, they’re building a fairer monetization system that brings content and fan communities to one place.

Kooky runs on transparency. They use premium content sales, commissions, and partnerships with major media companies worldwide to give you the most control over how your money helps your favourite stars.

As K-Pop expands, Kooky’s platform will expand with it to help artists in any genre diversify their audience and monetize their engagement.

Mediaiplus recommends the best clinical trial partner to pharmaceutical companies with massive digital-transformed databases.

• 2019, Seongnam City
• Health & Wellbeing
• CEO: Jihee Jung

Mediaiplus created a matching service between pharmaceutical companies and clinical trial partners (CROs). Within the existing system, companies had to find their partners on the website or by a personal connection. This was a waste of time and money to conduct the clinical trial. However, as the Mediaiplus platform collects information from CROs, it is efficient for companies to get recommendations to find the exact CRO who can fulfil the request.

Mobilio – Autonomous delivery, AI big data analysis service.

• 2020, Seongnam City
• Mobility
• CEO: Jinsik Lee

Mobilio produces autonomous delivery roboQ – an autonomous robot that provides “last mile” delivery services. Autonomous vehicles rely on sensors, actuators, complex algorithms, machine learning systems, and powerful processors to execute software.

Additionally, there is a prevention system for heavy vehicles – in loading areas where there is a frequent influx of trucks, forklifts and other vehicles, their system “safevision” can be installed to recognize risky proximity between workers and vehicles and activate warnings.

Next Meta – incorporating cognitive skills with meta technology.

• 2021, Seoul
• Education
• CEO: Jinkyo Choi

Nextmeta provides an interactive, mobile-first, personalized learning experience. They convert traditional 40-60 min-long education videos into a series of short-form interactive content using their dynamic learning modules.

Teachers use the mobile interactive contents builder to create a lesson, and students then learn actively using an app, together with a metaverse campus with avatars. Then Nextmedia recommends the best learning type tailored for each student’s cognitive learning habits.

Paprika Data Lab helps online form creators.

• 2021, Seoul
• Enterprise Software
• CEO: Yuvin Kim, Youngbum Kim

Walla – affordable research SaaS for small teams. Paprika Data Lab develops Walla to help online form creators create user-friendly forms, distribute rewards, find respondents, and analyze data.

Customers focus on the data they acquire, not the time-consuming process.

Rebuilder AI – rebuild your world. Create a 3D model with an AI solution very quickly and easily.

• 2021, Seoul
• AI/Software
• CEO: Jeonghyeon Kim

Rebuilder AI solution mainly consists of advanced object recognition and automated post-processing technology. The solution can scan transparent or shiny products that are still unscannable by LiDar. Reducing the complexity of the existing 3D process facilitates sellers to create and utilize products in 3D without additional post-processing. Their technology has the strength to produce optimized 3D models with a small capacity of 3MB in less than 3 minutes.

Rolling Seeds – an intuitive UX play based edutainment platform for children and families.

• 2020, Seoul
• Education
• CEO: Kevin S.H. Cho

Rolling Seeds is the PLAY platform connecting families globally. The play UX platform is as simple as dropping a coin into a box, which makes new topics interesting, and gathers children and families to play and learn together. New content is constantly updated via the iOS or Android app, developer’s SDK will also be available for all global content developers to participate in making new content to share.

Rudder – a “hinge” for friends group.

• 2021, London
• Social Media & Messaging
• CEO: Brian Bae

Everyone knows Tinder is not an ideal place to make real friends. However, Rudder authentically connects the students to become friends through pre-drinking/party matching. Students can host their parties and apply to other uni parties. By drinking and partying together, they can make friends. In addition, their alcohol group buying model provides the cheapest alcohol to the parties as they know the exact number of drinks consumed every night.

SicPama – order together and split the bill at the table. Save labour costs & know your customer.

• 2021, Daegu
• Food Tech & Fintech
• CEO: Jung Suh

Order together with your friends and family with no help from servers. You scan a QR code on the table with your friends. While browsing the menu, it shows in real-time which menu items your friends are interested in. When it’s time to pay, you all can individually choose 4 different ways to split the bills: “pay mine only”, “let’s spin the wheel”, and “split it evenly”. Restaurants increase up-selling with the help of knowing customers’ previous visits and their last orders with feedback.

Sunny SIde Up – the sunniest company on Earth for all animals.

• 2020, Seoul
• Medical (Companion Animal)
• CEO: Avril Han

Sunny Side Up – AI app to diagnose animal skin conditions / customized skincare ointment for animals. The company helps consumers save time and money by providing direct access to the vet’s diagnosis and advice for their pets/animals through an AI-driven App.

A consumer can make more informed decisions about the next step towards treatment, for instance, whether to pay a visit to a vet or apply their customized “animark skincare ointment”, which depends on the animalìs skin conditions. The ointment is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice.

Korea Institute of Startup & Entrepreneurship Development (KISED) prepared the 20 selected startups for the European tech event.

KISED organized online and offline mentoring programs with local experts for the startups for four months from July to help them improve their English pitching abilities and verify the market suitability of products and services.

In the next article you will discover the three winners of K-STARTUP Demo Day and what they think about Slush 2022, and their next steps.