4 Major Science and Technology Institutes Compete in Startup Battle... This Year's UNIST-Hosted Joint Startup Competition

KAIST Wins Grand Prize, UNIST’s ‘TMB’ Receives Excellence Award

The winners of the 2022 Institute of Science and Technology Joint Startup Competition are standing in front of the camera.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] What is the result of the fierce competition among domestic science and technology institutes, the cradle of science and technology talent, under the title of ‘startup’?

The ‘2022 Science and Technology Institutes Joint Startup Competition,’ jointly hosted by four science and technology institutes?UNIST, KAIST, DGIST, and GIST?concluded its two-day schedule on the 27th and 28th of last month at the Lahan Hotel in Ulsan.

The grand prize, the Minister of Science and Technology Award, was claimed by KAIST. KAIST’s ‘Unitech3DP’ took the top spot and received a prize of 5 million KRW. Their item was ‘low-cost metal 3D printing’ using first and second heat sources.

The excellence award went to UNIST’s ‘TMB.’ TMB, which presented a ‘blood purification filter for infectious disease treatment,’ was recognized for its technology effective in improving survival rates of sepsis patients and preventing multiple organ failure.

Together with the grand prize team, they gained a SAFE investment priority right worth 100 million KRW from Mirae Science and Technology Holdings Co., Ltd., and an opportunity for recommendation to the TIPS program.

The encouragement awards were given to DGIST’s ‘LMNTIC Biotech’ and KAIST’s ‘Bookend.’ LMNTIC Biotech challenged with a next-generation life research and diagnostic platform using micro magnetic pattern chips.

Bookend showcased a D2C direct-to-consumer publishing company and platform utilizing a cloud-based book editor, competing in their capabilities.

Students participating in the event conducted IR presentations and investment meetings between startup companies and major domestic investors through the ‘1:1 Investment Networking Day’ program.

Participants included eight representative teams from the four major science and technology institutes and well-known venture capital firms such as Kakao Ventures, Bluepoint Partners, Fast Ventures, and IPS Ventures.

Kwon Soon-yong, Director of Industry-Academic Cooperation at UNIST, said, “The technological level of the startup companies representing the science and technology institutes was remarkable,” and encouraged, “I hope this was an opportunity for growth through healthy competition and that they will develop further to become entrepreneurs contributing to the world.”

Sponsored by the Ministry of Science and ICT, this competition aims to encourage student startup companies affiliated with the four major science and technology institutes and to promote a culture of laboratory startups by fostering cooperation with various innovative entities.