Outstanding public technology and research capability Open to special zone companies
The Seo-gu Innopolis in Incheon has declared itself an “innovation cluster” for environmental science in Korea.
On July 14, the Incheon Metropolitan City Government, together with Incheon National University (INU)and the Incheon Housing and City Development Corporation, hosted a “Vision Proclamation Ceremony for the Seo-gu Innopolis in Incheon” at INU’s campus in Songdo (auditorium).
▲ The R&D Innopolis(hereinafter referred to as “Innopolis”) initiative is based upon a whole new model for research and development zones that involves establishing small-scale, high-density technology hubs equipped to commercialize new technology. Each Innopolis is led by institutions with relevant core technologies and sufficient capacity for innovation. Earlier in June, the Ministry of Science and ICT designated and announced the Seo-gu area of Incheon as an Innopolis specializing in the environmental field. In the photo, Incheon Metropolitan City Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok is declaring the vision for Seo-gu’s Innopolis going forward at the “Vision Proclamation Ceremony for the Seo-gu Innopolis in Incheon” at INU on July 14.
The R&D Innopolis(hereinafter referred to as “Innopolis”) initiative is based upon a whole new model for research and development zones that involves establishing small-scale, high-density technology hubs equipped to commercialize new technology. Each Innopolis is led by institutions with relevant core technologies and sufficient capacity for innovation. Earlier in June, the Ministry of Science and ICT designated and announced the Seo-gu area of Incheon as an Innopolis specializing in the environmental field.
The Seo-gu Innopolis project in Incheon is aimed at establishing a new hub to address environmental pollution and create technology capable of managing the environment with information and communication technology (ICT). INU will be featured as the core technology institution, and to support the commercialization of technologies developed at the Seo-gu Innopolis and to serve as a production base, a new comprehensive environmental research complex, environmental industry research complex, and Geomdan 2 general industrial complex (development pending) has also been included in the scope of the project. The ultimate objective of the Seo-gu Innopolis is to open the outstanding public technology and research capabilities at INU and other public research institutes in the environmental field across Incheon to companies in the Innopolis and support the entire process of commercializing new environmental technology.
Accordingly, the City hosted a Vision Declaration Ceremony to share its commitment to growing the environmental industry with the general public. At the Ceremony, it declared the vision behind the Seo-gu Innopolis project, and communicated its determination to take the lead in developing environmental technology backed by information and communication technology (ICT).
▲ The Seo-gu Innopolis project in Incheon is aimed at establishing a new hub to address environmental pollution and create technology capable of managing the environment with information and communication technology (ICT). INU will be featured as the core technology institution, and to support the commercialization of technologies developed at the Seo-gu Innopolis and to serve as a production base, a new comprehensive environmental research complex, environmental industry research complex, and Geomdan 2 general industrial complex(development pending) has also been included in the scope of the project.
Starting with a welcome address by Park Jong-tae, President of INU, which will serve as the core technology institution for the Seo-gu Innopolis, the audience was shown an introductory video showing successful cases of student start-ups, progress reports followed by a report on the Innopolis project, a presentation on the vision behind the Innopolis project, a signing ceremony for an agreement to develop specialized fields at the Innopolis, and other proceedings.
The core vision of the Seo-gu Innopolis in Incheon is to grow into a new hub addressing environmental pollution and also create technology capable of managing the environment with information and communication technology (ICT). By doing so, the city of Incheon will look to take a giant leap forward as an innovation cluster for environmental science in Korea.
Based on this vision, the Seo-gu Innopolis plans to nurture three specialized fields - measuring and treating environmental pollution using fine dust measuring technology or advanced water purifying technology; recycling waste plastics and developing eco-friendly alternative materials with bio-plastic technology, etc.; managing the environment with artificial intelligence, applying environmental information monitoring technology, and distributing robotics technology to recover resources - to lead the way in developing and innovating environmental technologies and products engineered to solve environmental challenges going forward.
Following the vision declaration part of the ceremony, INU, BGF Eco bio, and the Korea Conformity Laboratories signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on creating an industrial ecosystem in the above-mentioned specialized fields and on practicing environmental, social, and transparent governance (ESG).
With this new MoU in place, the three institutions will cooperate closely with industry stakeholders, academia, and research institutes to build the right industrial ecosystem, including an infrastructure necessary for the development of eco-friendly alternative material technology, relevant R&D initiatives, technology transfer, commercialization of technology/products, and support for start-ups.
