[DTx Era⑥] Interview with Jeong Taemyung, CEO of Hipoti&Co.
"Happy to use what I learned to heal children"
Hipoti&Co. without ranks or regulations... Background of winning 2 CES awards
Beyond Achilles, next year's 'Attnkare' FDA clinical trial challenge
Jung Taemyung, CEO of Hipoti&TC, will reach retirement age from his professorship (Department of Software, Sungkyunkwan University) next year. He has researched computer engineering and information and communication technology for over 40 years since his undergraduate days, and during that time, countless students have passed through his hands and grown into pillars of the domestic IT industry. As an authority in the field of information and communication, how did he come to dive into the development of digital therapeutics (DTx)? CEO Jung smiled broadly and said, "I founded Hipoti&TC in April 2020 and started developing DTx, and many things are good." From his words, "I can apply the technology I learned, and I have a great interest in children, so I can also heal them. Every day is enjoyable, so I settled down," one can feel his genuine passion for DTx development.
No Job Titles, No Relative Evaluation, No Regulations
There are three things that Hipoti&TC does not have. First, there are no job titles. All employees are researchers. There are team leaders for each division, but they act as mediators rather than leaders. Their role is to coordinate opinions and consult within the organization, not as superiors in a vertical structure. Also, there is no relative evaluation. Employees write their own self-assessments, and there are no restrictions on working hours. Lastly, there are no regulations. Employees can freely take vacations, and commuting is flexible. Lunch breaks last two hours?one hour to eat and one hour to rest and play. This reflects CEO Jung’s philosophy. He said, "I want to work more freely and be recognized as a person," and added, "I believe this approach is acceptable."
The free atmosphere naturally attracted excellent talent to Hipoti&TC. Currently, there are 45 employees, most of whom are researchers. Along with CEO Jung’s former students who have completed their master’s and doctoral degrees, talented individuals from prestigious overseas universities are also happily dedicated to their work. In addition, leading medical professionals from Samsung Seoul Hospital, Bundang Seoul National University Hospital, Boramae Medical Center, and Ewha Mokdong Hospital are collaborating on DTx development. With outstanding talent, results have naturally followed. Winning two awards at CES 2022 is a prime example. CEO Jung said, "At first, we participated in CES just for the experience, but then we decided to challenge ourselves, and it led to good results."
Kim Yong-moon, head of the Korea Institute of Startup & Entrepreneurship Development (third from the left), Jeong Tae-myeong, CEO (fourth from the left), and other officials are taking a commemorative photo with Hipoti&C, an innovative startup. [Photo by Korea Institute of Startup & Entrepreneurship Development]
No Compromise on Technology and Innovation... "ADHD DTx Surpassing Akili"
Even as he pursues a free atmosphere, there is one area where he does not compromise: technological capability and innovation. CEO Jung emphasized that their product, ‘AttnKare,’ has a clear advantage compared to ‘EndeavorRx,’ an ADHD DTx by Akili Interactive, which has FDA approval in the United States. He explained, "EndeavorRx can only confirm inattention among ADHD symptoms, whereas AttnKare can diagnose even aggression. For treatment, EndeavorRx only offers adventure games, but we have various therapies including adventure, training, and playing." They plan to push forward with full-scale FDA clinical trials next year.
CEO Jung is challenging the development of more diverse DTx beyond ADHD. Currently, they are working on ‘BlueKare,’ which targets depression, and a service that monitors foot conditions with sensors attached to insoles and analyzes and predicts diabetic foot using artificial intelligence. CEO Jung stated, "I want to give back to society more than just making money," and revealed, "We decided to allocate 20% of our sales to these diseases."
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