The Gwangju-Jeonnam Venture Business Association recently co-hosted a K-IP venture business meetup day at the Briv Gwangju by Lotte Hotel with the anchor project team of Nambu University, the association announced Sunday.
The event drew more than 60 participants, including heads of major policy and financial institutions — Yun Bong-sik, director of the AI demonstration center at Nambu University's anchor project team; Kim Ma-seong, a section chief at the Gwangju-Jeonnam Regional Office of Small and Medium Venture Business; Kim Tae-ju, head of the Honam regional headquarters of the Korea Technology Finance Corporation; Jeong Yeon-uk, head of the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency's Gwangju regional headquarters; Park Seung-min, head of the Gwangju branch of the Korea Invention Promotion Association; Lee Seong-u, head of the Gwangju startup branch of the Korea Credit Guarantee Fund; and Kim Jae-cheol, head of the Southwest Investment Finance Center at Korea Development Bank — as well as local venture entrepreneurs.
The meetup featured IR presentations by four companies — including promising startups from the Gwangju and South Jeolla Province region leading their markets on the strength of distinctive IP technology, as well as firms from Seoul, Busan and other cities planning to establish branch offices or relocate their headquarters to the area. A six-party industry-academia-research MOU was also signed at the event.
The first company, Team PH7 (CEO Lee Chang-yeop), develops and operates a differentiated vision-recognition AI technology and data-based healthcare collection platform, along with the offline boutique fitness brand "FIST X" and the exercise prescription engine "DMS X." The company recently completed the establishment of a Gwangju branch office and is actively pursuing franchising and global expansion on the back of its AI healthcare data assets.
The second company, Smart Media Company (CEO Moon Jeong-su), is a climate-tech convergence firm offering the "Purivision" solution, which combines an air purifier with digital signage. It holds design patents and remote indoor air quality control technology. The company has drawn attention as the first venture business to relocate its headquarters to the newly launched Jeonnam-Gwangju integrated special city, having moved simultaneously with the city's inauguration on July 1 from the Greater Seoul metropolitan area.
The third company, Faint Korea (CEO Seong Ryong), is a biotech venture that develops biodegradable stents, microneedles, bone hemostatic agents and other medical biomaterials using low-temperature Sol-Gel synthesis technology. Previously designated a G-Unicorn and a Global IP Star Company, it is expanding collaboration with large corporations and university hospitals in step with the region's push to build a broad-area integrated medical belt.
The fourth company, BidOne (CEO Kim Dong-min), provides workflow automation solutions powered by its own content AI engine. It has launched the fashion-specialized "CELAI," the webtoon and animation AI "TOONAI," and the advertising production AI "CLIPAI," and is continuing to expand into video and physical AI solutions. The company also plans to relocate its headquarters to the region.
Through the MOU signed that day, the association, universities and companies agreed to cooperate on: joint projects to advance co-development among local K-IP patent-holding small and medium venture businesses; building infrastructure for technology exchange, information sharing and investment activation; supporting participating companies in establishing headquarters, branch offices or new corporations in the region; and creating jobs through global market development and local talent cultivation.
In his opening remarks, Chairman Kim Hyun-su said the meetup "was a meaningful occasion for companies relocating their headquarters from the greater metropolitan area and promising local IP ventures to come together and confirm the technological competitiveness of the broad-area integrated economic zone." He added that the association would "actively leverage its overseas networks spanning the Americas, China, India and Indonesia to provide ongoing opportunities for exports and investment attraction."
sij@heraldcorp.com
