Seoul City Supports Research on Water Industry Innovation Technologies... 'Muljaesaeng Center' Testbed Opens

Pre-Startup Entrepreneurs, Startups, and SMEs 'Water Industry Innovative Technology R&D Pilot Project Contest'
Up to 300 Million KRW per Project, Total Support of 1.5 Billion KRW

Ko In-seok, Director of Seoul Institute of Technology (left), Choi Jin-seok, Director of Seoul Water Circulation Safety Bureau (center), and Park Sang-don, Chairman of Seoul Water Reuse Facilities Corporation, are taking a commemorative photo after signing the agreement on the 31st of last month.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on the 3rd that it will launch the 'Water Industry Innovation Technology R&D Pilot Project Contest' targeting prospective entrepreneurs, startups, and small and medium-sized enterprises in the water recycling sector located in Seoul.

The goal is to discover and develop customized innovative technologies applicable to Seoul's water recycling centers, such as improving discharged water quality, enhancing energy efficiency, and reducing odors, and to systematically foster the water industry, which has rapidly emerged as a future strategic industry of the 21st century.

Seoul will support selected companies with up to 300 million KRW per project, totaling 1.5 billion KRW, and will provide a three-dimensional support system for R&D activities by opening four water recycling centers?Jungnang, Nanji, Seonam, and Tancheon?as testbeds where companies can directly test technologies or products at the prototype stage.

The global water industry has grown to a scale of 800 trillion KRW (as of 2019), increasing at an average annual rate of 4.2% due to the worldwide expansion of water demand. Often compared to oil, known as Black Gold, water is called Blue Gold in the 21st century and is attracting attention as a new growth industry of the future.

Nevertheless, the domestic water industry has a small number of businesses, many of which are small-scale, and lacks sufficient R&D support. In Seoul, the annual electricity bill for the four water recycling centers operated by the city amounts to 60 billion KRW (21% of total operating costs), making the development of innovative technologies for energy saving, resource recovery, and improvement of discharged water quality urgent. Addressing sewage odor, which causes inconvenience to residents, is also a challenge.

The contest fields are broadly divided into two categories: R&D planning projects and demonstration projects. The R&D planning project supports basic idea experiments for technology development, such as product blueprint design and establishment of technical theories. Selected companies will receive research funding, with up to 100 million KRW supported per company.

The demonstration project helps test technologies or products at the prototype stage. It provides pilot installation sites (spaces) that replicate water recycling processes at about one-tenth scale under conditions similar to actual operation, as well as demonstration costs. Support of up to 300 million KRW per company is available. Joint or temporary office spaces will also be rented if necessary.

The contest tasks are divided into designated and free categories. Designated contests focus on technologies for improving discharged water quality at water recycling centers, enhancing energy efficiency within the centers, and reducing odors within the centers. Free contests accept ideas related to operational improvements of water recycling centers or demonstration projects freely.

The application period is until the 23rd. Applications can be submitted through the Seoul Technology Research Institute's New Technology Submission Office website. Eligibility includes prospective entrepreneurs, startups, and small and medium-sized enterprises in the water recycling sector located in Seoul. Applications from research institutes or branches located in Seoul are also accepted.

Through this R&D pilot project, which is being implemented for the first time this year, Seoul plans to establish research and demonstration project plans and expand the support period to up to three years from next year to ensure complete and sufficient technology development. The contest fields will also be expanded to cover all areas of the water industry.

Meanwhile, on May 31 (Monday), Seoul signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Seoul Technology Research Institute (Director Ko In-seok) and the Seoul Water Recycling Facilities Corporation (Chairman Park Sang-don). Various support projects related to the contest will be promoted to enable private companies to conduct specialized and effective research on new technologies in the water industry sector.

Choi Jin-seok, Director of the Seoul Water Circulation Safety Bureau, said, “Through this R&D pilot project, we will respond to companies' demands to utilize Seoul's water recycling facilities as R&D and testbeds and promote customized technology development needed on-site. We expect this to be a stepping stone for nurturing the domestic water industry and securing technological competitiveness.”