VC Selected as Lead Organization for Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy AI Project

Participation in the AI Applied Product Rapid Commercialization Support Project
Targeting the World’s First On-Device AI Running Watch
Consortium with KAIST and Seoul National University Aims for Overseas Expansion

VC, the operator of the golf IT brand Voice Caddie, has been selected as the lead organization for the AI Applied Product Rapid Commercialization Support Project, which is supported by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and overseen by the Korea Evaluation Institute of Industrial Technology (KEIT).

On June 18, VC announced that it is officially launching its project to commercialize an on-device AI-based smart running watch and to establish a national running data infrastructure. Based on a top-tier industry-academic consortium in Korea, the company plans to commercialize the world’s first AI running watch equipped with unique features and accelerate its entry into the global smart wearable market.

Juno Kim, CEO of VC. Provided by VC

The domestic smart watch and running watch market is estimated to be worth approximately 800 billion won as of 2025. Annual growth of over 12% is projected through 2030. The global smart fitness wearable market is also expected to grow from about 60 trillion won in 2025 to exceed 120 trillion won by 2030. The demand for AI-based personalized coaching is rapidly increasing, especially in advanced markets such as the United States, Japan, and Europe.

The core of this project is the 'on-device AI running coaching' technology, in which all computations are performed directly on the device without passing through a server. The built-in AI chip (NPU) instantly processes users’ biometric signals—such as running posture and heart rate—as well as fatigue, delivering real-time coaching. This approach fundamentally eliminates the risk of personal biometric data leakage. The watch also features AI-based injury prevention coaching, analyzing a runner’s training load and recovery metrics to detect potential injuries in advance. To maximize the technical completeness of this solution, VC has formed a consortium with KAIST and the Sports Medicine Laboratory at Seoul National University.

During a short period of 20 months, a total of 6.3 billion won will be intensively invested in the project, including 4.4 billion won in government funding. In addition to developing the device, VC will concurrently build a high-precision database (DB) of major running courses nationwide. The company will systematize distance, elevation, surface conditions, and congestion for each course, connect this data to a national running platform, and provide runners with optimal course information.

VC is a company that has sold over 1 million units of its golf watch Voice Caddie, achieving a domestic market share of 70% and holding the No.1 position. The company possesses unrivaled hardware execution capabilities, covering everything from product design to mass production, certification, and distribution. By leveraging its global distribution network already established in the United States and Japan, VC plans to quickly expand into overseas markets. Its goal is to achieve cumulative sales of 48 billion won by 2030.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.