Seoul, South Korea – October 29, 2026 – KARA WORKS, a South Korean artificial intelligence company specializing in child-focused multimodal AI and enterprise platform solutions, today announced that it will showcase its flagship child development platform, OnKiz, and its embedded AI analysis module at Web Summit Lisbon 2026 in Lisbon, Portugal, driving global fundraising and establishing pilot partnerships across European early childhood education markets.
A New Chapter in Child Development Analytics
Founded in 2022 following extensive operational experience in metaverse-based XR playgrounds and in-person childcare services dating back to 2019, KARA WORKS was established to translate real-world child interactions into scalable AI technology. Operating its headquarters and corporate R&D center in Seoul, with a technical workforce in which 72% specialize in AI research and software engineering, the company has operated entirely on its proprietary technology and self-sustaining financial strength for over four years.
Unlike conventional child development applications that depend on subjective parental questionnaires or manual checklist logs, OnKiz extracts objective developmental data from natural daily routines. From a 30-second everyday video captured by a parent or educator on a standard smartphone, the platform’s multimodal AI simultaneously analyzes speech patterns, physical mobility, facial expressions, and social interactions. The platform focuses on understanding individual potential and offering tailored parenting coaching rather than assigning arbitrary diagnostic scores or competitive ranks.
Core Features and Privacy-by-Design Architecture of OnKiz
At Web Summit Lisbon 2026, KARA WORKS will present the OnKiz consumer application alongside its modular enterprise API/SDK designed for seamless integration into third-party learning management systems (LMS) and childcare platforms:
• Multimodal Behavioral Segmentation: Proprietary computer vision, speech recognition, and natural language processing models isolate meaningful behavioral moments from unstructured 30-second video clips.
• OnKiz Behavioral Indicators (OBI): A comprehensive developmental taxonomy comprising 2,000 proprietary behavioral indicators that map observable actions across eight core intelligence dimensions, including linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, and musical competencies.
• Tailored Development & Play Coaching: The system converts identified behavioral strengths into continuous growth logs and curated educational play activities matched to each child’s emerging talents.
• Automated Educator Workload Reduction: The platform streamlines observation logging for early childhood educators, targeting a 40% reduction in manual record-keeping administrative burden.
• Privacy-Centric Architecture: Engineered from inception for compliance with stringent frameworks such as the GDPR and the EU AI Act, OnKiz collects no biometric identifiers. Faces and background surroundings are de-identified immediately upon video upload. The technology is supported by one registered patent and two pending patent applications.
Demonstrated Commercial Traction and Institutional Validation
OnKiz is undergoing large-scale field validation across 28 member daycare centers under an official Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Korea Federation of Childcare Centers, covering 1,600 children. The company was selected for the Seoul Business Agency’s (SBA) Seoul R&D Program for AI Commercialization, advancing CCTV-based behavioral analytics alongside the Sangji University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation. Furthermore, OnKiz has been selected for commercial integration into dedicated Montessori educational tablets, while maintaining over 90% accuracy across all internal performance metrics, including child speech recognition.
As an officially recognized supplier under South Korean national technology voucher programs—including AX, AI, Data, Smart Service, and SME Innovation vouchers—KARA WORKS has delivered over 41 enterprise projects valued at KRW 1.4 billion, including an open-innovation AI validation with Hyundai Ezwel in 2025 and KRW 1 billion in cumulative government R&D projects. The company’s accolades include the Grand Prize at the 2025 Investment IR Competition from the Seoul Regional Office of SMEs and Startups, a Ministerial Award at the Data Voucher Awards, and the Grand Prize at Web Award Korea. KARA WORKS is participating in Web Summit Lisbon 2026 as a selected representative enterprise sponsored by the Seoul Business Agency.
“Early childhood development insights should be grounded in objective behavioral reality rather than retrospective checklists and manual paperwork,” said Joy Kim, CEO of KARA WORKS. “OnKiz demonstrates that a brief 30-second video clip can yield profound developmental insights while maintaining uncompromising data privacy through immediate de-identification. Web Summit Lisbon 2026 serves as our launchpad to introduce OnKiz to European childcare operators, educational publishers, and venture investors who share our vision of supportive, evidence-based child development.”
European Market Expansion and Strategic Road Ahead
KARA WORKS has established a phased global expansion strategy targeting the United Kingdom as its primary European entry point, followed by the Netherlands and the broader European Union. The company aims to address chronic nursery staff shortages across Europe by aligning OnKiz with established national curricula, specifically the UK’s Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) digital record framework.
During Web Summit Lisbon 2026, KARA WORKS will run live product demonstrations and hold strategic discussions with European early childhood education chains, childcare app providers, research institutions, and international investors to initiate its first global funding round. Following the conference, the company plans to secure pilot partnerships with UK childcare chains in the first half of 2027, conduct localized European child data validation in the second half of 2027, and scale distribution across EU early childhood platforms by 2028.
About KARA WORKS
Founded in 2022, KARA WORKS is a South Korean artificial intelligence company developing specialized child-focused AI solutions and enterprise platforms. Its flagship service, OnKiz, leverages multimodal AI and 2,000 proprietary developmental indicators to provide objective growth records, talent identification, and parenting coaching from short everyday videos. Designed with a strict privacy-first architecture, KARA WORKS delivers trusted AI solutions for families, educational institutions, and enterprise clients.
Press Contact
Kang Kyung-hwa
Director, Business Management Department
KARA WORKS
Email: kang@karainc.co.kr / info@karainc.co.kr
Phone: +82-10-5148-3888 / +82-10-7111-6711
Website: www.karaworks.ai
Filed in . Read more about AI (Artificial Intelligence), Education, Korea, Korean Startups, Web Summit and Web Summit 2026.