AI Synthetic Data Startup CNAI Combines Free Culture with Rational Decision-Making in Corporate Work Style
Quantum Standard Technology Startup SDT Recruits Former Samsung Electronics Vice President as Advisor to Lead Quality Management
As the "investment winter" for startups becomes a reality, companies are accelerating their efforts to find self-help measures. There is growing concern that if investments dry up, the free corporate culture and the innovation based on it could be disrupted. In particular, cases of actively adopting the DNA of large corporations to establish a solid growth foundation are noticeable. In the past, large corporations learned the innovative culture of startups, but now startups are preparing to overcome the harsh winter by embracing the strategies and know-how of large corporations to survive in the market.
AI startup CNAI has recently gained attention by successfully carrying out projects with numerous domestic medical institutions, major financial institutions, and large corporations, citing the corporate culture of startups harmoniously integrated with large corporation DNA as a competitive advantage. Founded in 2019 by CEO Wonseop Lee, a former software developer at Samsung Electronics, the company currently employs about 50 young talents. More than 60% of team leaders and above come from large corporations such as Samsung and SK. They quickly transplanted the know-how acquired at large corporations?from working methods to building work processes, data collection, and analysis?into the startup organization.
The "30-minute meeting culture" is a representative example of adopting large corporation work methods. CNAI convenes meetings only for decision-making and tries to finish them within 30 minutes. Pre-sharing meeting agendas, deriving action items after meetings, and setting clear responsibilities and deadlines were chosen to enable the fast execution that startups pursue. Additionally, they supplemented this with rational decision-making processes and clear execution plans typical of large corporations. The 'Culture Day' program operated for employees is also an example of adopting a large corporation program.
Jang Sangcheon, head of HR at CNAI, said, "In most cases, startups are environments where a few experienced people and many inexperienced people work together, so establishing a corporate culture where they learn from each other and grow together is important." He added, "Members from large corporations cite the sense of achievement from performance, which is hard to experience in large organizations, and the satisfaction felt in nurturing young members as the biggest attractions of startups."
SDT, a startup dealing with industrial digital transformation (DX) solutions and quantum standard technology, recently obtained the international certification 'ISO 9001' for quality management systems. This certification confirms that the company meets the regulations and complies with relevant laws and regulatory requirements to provide industrial solutions that integrate equipment and infrastructure used in frontline industrial sites. While essential for smooth transactions with domestic and international large corporations, it is no easy task for startups with limited experience and resources to establish the quality management system required by ISO 9001. To solve this, SDT recruited former Vice President Doopyo Yoon, who has over 34 years of hands-on experience in quality management at Samsung Electronics, as an advisor. They separated the quality management team directly under the advisor and succeeded in obtaining ISO 9001 certification by introducing a quality management system comparable to that of large corporations.
There are also startups that transplant the DNA of global large corporations. I’m Web, a shopping mall solution company, hired Donghwi Lee, former Google Chief Technology Officer (CTO), this year to strengthen the competitiveness of its development organization. This is to enhance business capabilities not only for the established domestic service but also for global services in Taiwan, North America, and other regions. I’m Web has begun securing development personnel such as data engineers, backend engineers, and database (DB) administrators centered around this CTO.
An industry insider said, "Experience in global large corporations focusing on growth potential is being transplanted into startup culture, leading to service stabilization and business expansion." He added, "As preparing a revenue base and growth strategy during the investment winter becomes an essential condition for maintaining the startup innovation ecosystem, the demand for personnel with such capabilities will continue."
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