KT Corp launches K-PATH 2026, partnering with 16 AI startups on joint projects

KT Corp has selected 16 promising AI startups to pursue joint commercialization efforts centered on real customer projects.

KT said Thursday it had finalized participants in its open innovation program K-PATH 2026 and would move forward with business collaboration with the selected AI startups.

K-PATH is an open innovation program designed to develop AI-capable startups into partners for KT's AX business and to explore commercialization opportunities through joint projects. KT has been recruiting participants through the K-PATH 2026 open call since June.

A total of 193 companies applied. KT narrowed the field to 16 through document screening and presentation evaluations, assessing each applicant on technological competitiveness, applicability to industrial settings, commercialization potential and collaboration synergy.

The seven fields covered by the final selections are enterprise AI and AI agents, physical AI and robotics, data for AI, AI trust and security, AI infrastructure and models, industry-specific vertical AI, and AI ESG.

Among the selected companies are Cyonic AI, which develops enterprise generative AI platforms; Algorithm Labs, focused on industry-applicable AI agents; Sky Intelligence, a synthetic data technology firm for robot training; Private AI, specializing in AI guardrails and privacy technology; TEN Inc., which handles GPU resource management and AI infrastructure optimization; and CFlat AI, a provider of multilingual AI customer service solutions.

The program goes beyond simply validating startup technology — it is designed to connect participants to actual customer proposals and project execution. Projects that demonstrate results will be expanded into mid- to long-term joint ventures, moving beyond one-off collaborations toward sustained commercialization.

KT will link the selected companies with relevant business units to pursue customer project-driven collaboration. Joint tasks under review include validating an ontology-based data analysis solution; co-demonstrating an AI digital twin for public-sector applications covering disaster response, safety, fire departments and national security; spreading smart factory and AI-based manufacturing innovation through KT's manufacturing customer network; and jointly developing an AI kiosk to support lifestyle education and convenient ordering and payment services for elderly users.

Starting in September, KT will work with the startups to identify "quick-win" tasks — projects capable of delivering results in a short time. The company plans to build a cooperation framework leading to actual commercialization through joint customer proposals and project execution, with proven initiatives developed into mid- to long-term joint ventures.

At the K-PATH 2026 event on Oct. 20, KT will unveil collaboration outcomes and commercialization cases between the selected companies and its business units. Next year, the company plans to pursue a second round of cooperation that includes research and development projects, further expanding joint commercialization and technology collaboration.

"K-PATH is an AX collaboration platform designed to help generate results with real customers and in real markets," said Park Sang-won, executive vice president and head of KT's AX Business Division. "We will combine KT's industry-specific AX experience with the innovative technologies of startups to create business outcomes that customers can feel, and contribute to the growth of the domestic AX ecosystem."