From R&D Planning to Technology Transfer... What Research Management Companies Do [Paek Jongmin's Deep Tech]

Supporting research and commercialization of strategic technologies such as semiconductors and AI

"The Research Industry: Supporting 3 Mega and 7 Seed Projects"

Ministry of Science and ICT designates six outstanding specialized research business operators

There are services that support research and development (R&D). They help plan which technologies to develop, find organizations to conduct research with, and connect companies that can put the results to use. This is the research management industry.

Gu Hyeokchae, First Vice Minister of the Ministry of Science and ICT (third from left), poses for a commemorative photo with award recipients, including Yoon Hongkwon, a partner at Technovation Partners, after presenting commendations to people recognized for their contributions to the research industry on the 28th of last month. Photo by Research Industry Association.

The International Research Industry Convention 2026, held on October 28 and 29 at the Suwon Convention Center in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, brought researchers together with research industry companies.

This year's theme was "The Research Industry: Supporting 3 Mega and 7 Seed Projects." The event focused on expanding opportunities for researchers and suppliers of equipment and services to work together in key strategic fields the government aims to foster, including semiconductors, physical artificial intelligence (AI), and AI data centers.

The research industry is divided into four fields: contract research, research management, research equipment, and research materials. Contract research companies conduct R&D themselves or undertake it on behalf of clients. Businesses that meet certain requirements, including having specialized personnel, and register with the government in these fields are classified as specialized research business operators. The government evaluates them based on factors such as their R&D capabilities and services tailored to researchers' needs, and designates outstanding operators.

Research management work includes settling research expenses, managing schedules, planning projects, and conducting technology and market research. For example, if a manufacturing company wants to use AI to reduce defective products, it must first examine which processes to apply it to and whether data is available for training. It must also decide whether to develop the technology itself or obtain it externally, and which organization to work with for on-site testing.

Research management companies investigate these conditions and develop specific research projects and implementation plans. After development is complete, they also find companies that need the technology. They assess companies' requirements for performance and cost, then help transfer the technology or suggest directions for follow-up development.

AI can also be used in research management to find papers and patents and summarize materials. Before using the results of such research, experts need to assess the reliability of the materials and the conditions for applying them in the field.

The European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) said in a report last year that expanding the use of AI in scientific research requires teams that combine expertise in AI, computer science, and engineering with expertise in individual research fields.

Gu Hyeokchae, First Vice Minister of Science and ICT, said, "With this event as an opportunity, we will support collaboration between researchers and companies so that it leads to tangible results, and build a research industry ecosystem in which demand and supply reinforce each other by incorporating voices from the field."

In this connection, the Ministry of Science and ICT designated six companies as outstanding specialized research business operators in September: three in contract research, one in research management, and two in research equipment and materials. The designation is valid for three years from the date of the announcement. Specialized research business operators, including Technovation Partners, the only company designated in the research management field, received their certificates at the opening ceremony on October 28. The company also received a Minister of Science and ICT Commendation for its contributions to promoting the research industry.

Hyeon Jaeho, CEO of Technovation Partners, said, "For 20 years, we have been innovating how we innovate. We will change that approach once again to meet the needs of the AI era."

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