Ubergizmo was a media partner of Made in Korea 2019 (MIK), a tradeshow with chapters worldwide, whose goal is to help the world discover Korean startups and innovators.
The Season 1 edition was held at EL Tower, just near the Seoul Gangnam area. This year’s location was even better than last one, and we had a product pitch marathon with many companies.
We’ve seen some that indeed picked our interest, such as the LaMeditech laser lancing “HandyRay” device that can draw a drop of blood with a laser, without contact or needles. While it still does punch a hole, the diameter is smaller which reduces the damage to the skin when compared to a needle. The lack of contact and the spike in temperature using the laser should drastically reduce the risks of infection.
A company called BCD ENC showed us their 360-degree 8K camera that comes with a powerful image stabilization system. It uses an array of cameras but has an integrated stitching algorithm that works almost flawlessly, and only experts would spot small seams. When we tried it, the resolution was impressive, which makes the experience that much more immersive. It is for professionals, so it does require a huge drone. We selected this product as a “Top 2” at the show.
Various objects made of… Coffee grounds
Coffee Cube is a startup that tackles the enormous amount of waste that is generated by the Coffee industry. With used coffee grounds, they can make very sturdy bricks or tiles (or even toys) that can be used for light construction purposes. The tiles can be coated with an organic and bio-degradable surface to make it water-resistant. Some coffee shops have used this product for their interior decoration. When disposed of, the bricks decompose, like regular coffee grounds.
When it comes to pets in Korea, things can quickly slide into the ultra-cute with the Pepe Pet Dry Room. Once the dog inside, it is possible to have a safe & quick dry thanks to PTC heaters (Positive temperature coefficient), a technology used in airplanes for its fire safety. Amusingly, PePe comes from “Pet and Person.”
However, there are also unexpected electronics, such as this portable Alexa Smart Speaker from Infotron. For heavy Alexa-assistant users, it solves the problem of having to equip your home with a bunch of speakers, by having one around your neck at all times! Honestly, I didn’t know there was a demand for this, but for people who like the idea, it does work.
We talked to a lot more companies, but these are the ones that we wanted to share this time. Here’s the list, along with some links to Aving.net, the official site of MIK if you want to see company/product summaries.
- Mirint: AI-powered diagnostic devices
- Humatech: Consumer air-quality detector
- Dataking Inc: VR stations for public spaces
- 10PEOPLE: IoT for pets well-being
- Better Life: Radon detection and mitigation technologies
- UONE SOLUTECH: Video security solutions with Black Fence System to shut down cameras in some areas
- CONTEC: Satellite imagery data processing and analysis platform
- Atoz Software: Tech fishing gears
- Foxtronv: Hair cosmetic products
We also spotted other companies we didn’t have time to talk to, because the need for translation makes things a bit more time-consuming than the regular tech pitch back in the USA.
- Power Silicon: IoT semiconductor company
- Strong Friend: Fitness training products and app
- Victoria Production Co, Ltd.: AR for events and exhibitions
- KOLSCO: Eco-friendly materials development
- EidWare: Training Software for dementia patients
- Suhyun Tech: Hearing-loss prevention by using earphones that filter certain sounds
- Consider C: Sports software
- MaCurator Co, Ltd: Behavioral retail customers analysis
- MO Green: Indoor greenhouse technology
- Innopresso: Touch-sensing technology
That was certainly a busy day! If you’re interested by what’s happening in the South Korean innovation scene, keep an eye out for MIK Season 2 and register to the Ubergizmo notifications with the Orange button below.