770 Billion Won Technology Exports and KOSDAQ Listings... Deep Tech Companies Achieve Success in Succession

R&D Special Zone Outcomes Exchange
Government to Strengthen the Deep Tech Startup Ecosystem

Technology exports worth 770 billion won, KOSDAQ listings, and CES Innovation Awards—deep tech companies nurtured in R&D Special Zones are achieving remarkable milestones one after another. Notable examples include Sovagen’s large-scale technology export for its treatment for intractable epilepsy, the KOSDAQ listing of Xbryk, an industrial AI laser company, and the CES Innovation Awards won by Linsol, an AI-based drone detection company, and Eight Tech, a resource-circulation robotics firm.

On July 13, the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Innopolis Foundation held the ‘2026 Deep Tech Outcomes Exchange’ at Hotel ICC in Daejeon to share the commercialization achievements of deep tech companies that have grown within R&D Special Zones and to announce strategies for revitalizing startups.

Sovagen Treatment for Intractable Epilepsy. Provided by the Ministry of Science and ICT

The event was attended by over 200 participants, including Koo Hyuk-chae, First Vice Minister of Science and ICT, Jeong Hee-kwon, President of the Innopolis Foundation, as well as representatives from universities, government-funded research institutes, investment organizations, and deep tech companies.

The R&D Special Zone serves as a national innovation hub that supports startups and technology commercialization based on public technologies from universities and government-funded research institutes. Since its designation in 2005, the number of resident companies has grown from 687 to 15,671, and sales have surged from 2.56 trillion won to 85.9 trillion won—an increase of more than 33 times. The number of KOSDAQ-listed companies has also expanded from 11 to 248.

From Public Technology Startups to Global Expansion

During the event, growth stories of leading deep tech companies fostered by the R&D Special Zone were introduced.

Sovagen, a KAIST spin-off, developed a treatment for intractable epilepsy and last year signed a technology export contract worth 770 billion won with Italian pharmaceutical company Angelini Pharma. Xbryk entered the KOSDAQ this year based on its industrial AI laser solutions, while Linsol received a CES Innovation Award for the world’s first precision acoustic-based illegal drone detection technology. Eight Tech also earned a CES Innovation Award for its AI-powered resource circulation sorting robot, gaining recognition for its competitiveness in the global market.

All-in-One Laser for Simultaneous Welding and Quality Inspection by Xbryk. Provided by the Ministry of Science and ICT

In addition, 35 companies in advanced bio, AI, semiconductors, and aerospace—including Celiase, which is developing a retinal regeneration treatment; Narnia Labs, an AI manufacturing design platform company; and RX, which has developed a next-generation nuclear power plant design automation platform—showcased their technologies and products, engaging in investment pitches and partnership consultations.

During the keynote presentation, the Ministry of Science and ICT also revealed the direction of its ‘Deep Tech Startup Activation Strategy.’ The plan aims to reduce the startup burden on researchers, expand technology demonstration infrastructure, and foster deep tech-focused investment and incubation organizations to strengthen an ecosystem where public technology leads to startups, investment, and global expansion. Detailed strategies will be announced following discussions with relevant ministries.

Koo Hyuk-chae, First Vice Minister of Science and ICT, stated, “This outcomes exchange event is an opportunity to review the technology commercialization achievements of the R&D Special Zone and to explore the direction of deep tech innovation. We will continue to expand our support so that deep tech startups and technology commercialization can drive regional and national growth.”

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