Incheon Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Chan-dae) announced that participating companies in the “I-Startup Unicorn Dream” program, which is being implemented in cooperation with global big tech companies, are achieving a series of results in expanding into overseas markets.
The “I-Startup Unicorn Dream” program connects Incheon startups with the technological and business expertise of five global big tech companies—Microsoft, Amazon Web Services (AWS), IBM, Siemens, and Ansys. The program provides step-by-step support for global commercialization through customized technical support and expert consulting for each company. Recently, several participating Incheon startups have achieved tangible commercialization results, including strengthened technological competitiveness, overseas expansion, and business contracts.
Sheco, a marine pollution response robot company, has completed deliveries and reached agreements in three countries, including Taiwan, through collaboration with Siemens. The company is also preparing demonstrations for more than 10,000 facilities in the United States and has established a follow-up business pipeline following its registration as a vendor with Saudi Aramco. By leveraging a Siemens-based artificial intelligence (AI) design system, Sheco has improved its ability to meet requirements across different countries. At the same time, digital twin-based virtual verification has helped reduce the risks and costs associated with overseas demonstrations.
Greener Lab, a smart farming and tree management company, has upgraded its operational infrastructure for overseas expansion using Amazon Web Services technology. The company uses AWS-based technology to operate equipment at overseas sites without personnel stationed locally. It has also established a continuous learning system using SageMaker and entered the Coffee Belt market, expanding the number of farms targeted for its business in Kenya from one to three. Greener Lab has also conducted proof-of-concept (PoC) projects with companies in Japan and India, securing letters of intent (LOIs), while expanding domestic and overseas commercialization opportunities by signing tree management contracts with major resort operators and other large companies in Korea.
iCaptain, a safety solutions company supported by Microsoft, is enhancing a solution that applies AI, digital twins, and Microsoft SaaS technology to school environments to improve the efficiency of safety evacuation and training, as well as facility and student management. The company currently has one related patent application pending.
The GPC, which recently acquired two intellectual property rights from Samsung Electronics, has filed applications for two patents based on the transferred IP. The company is currently in discussions with the goal of completing a supply contract with a banking-sector company in August. It is also pursuing cooperation with overseas AI content production companies while simultaneously exploring investment from strategic investors (SIs) and conducting investor relations (IR) activities to attract initial investment.
The head of the Incheon Industrial and Startup Policy Division stated, “These achievements are particularly meaningful examples of how collaboration with global big tech companies is further strengthening the technological capabilities of Incheon startups and translating them into tangible commercialization results, including overseas contracts,” adding, “We will provide close, company-specific support so that participating companies can establish references in global markets and take the next step toward becoming unicorn companies.”
