[Life Chapter 3 Companies] Healthcare Company 'Gil-on' Based on 'Walking Data'

Analysis of Walking Data, Providing Fall Accident Risk Information
CEO Kim Nam-seon, Former Samsung Electronics Engineer

[Asia Economy Reporter Eunju Lee] "There is actually quite a lot of personal health information contained in how one walks." Kim Nam-seon, CEO of GilOn (age 55), responded this way to a reporter's question, "Why did you focus specifically on gait data?" According to him, doctors can somewhat assess geriatric diseases through a patient's walking pattern. Patients with musculoskeletal disorders exhibit walking patterns slightly different from normal gait, such as walking with a slight sideways tilt. A gait that has lost balance is a warning sign of a disease that cannot be ignored.

However, this is somewhat in the realm of 'intuition.' It is a human judgment formed through accumulated experience as doctors care for patients. The gait-based healthcare startup GilOn believes that this 'intuition' can be scientifically quantified. They aim to develop algorithmic solutions that analyze accumulated gait data to provide services that protect the health of more elderly people.

On the 31st, we met CEO Kim Nam-seon at GilOn, located in the TLI Building in Jungwon-gu, Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. He explained that they are enhancing users' health through a more convenient "smart insole" than wearable devices like the Apple Watch. The smart insole, developed in a form similar to an insole, can simply be placed inside the shoe, making it more convenient than any wearable service. Currently, they provide a service that helps prepare for fall accident risks. When the smart insole is placed inside the shoe and the user moves, it quickly detects sudden accidents and immediately shares the information with caregivers. This helps prevent greater risks in advance.

GilOn was established in 2019 and has only three years of experience, but it is accelerating research by collaborating with major domestic hospitals such as Bundang Seoul National University Hospital to develop solutions. They also supply smart insoles and other products to the sports brand Prospecs.

CEO Kim is a leader with an engineering background, having earned a master's degree in electronic engineering from Yonsei University and started his career at Samsung Electronics' Network Business Division. This is why he confidently says, "I have devoted and continue to devote a long time to technology advancement." He joined Samsung Electronics in 1993 but left in 2000 after about eight years. Afterwards, he founded a startup with voice recognition technology. He takes pride in that achievement. He said, "We were the first to supply the voice dial service used in Samsung Anycall phones," adding, "At that time, the IT bubble was booming, and demand for engineers was high, so I could jump into a new business without much hesitation."

Although the small startup achieved results such as integrating voice dial technology into Samsung, the success did not last long. This was due to the shift to the smartphone era, which they could not keep up with. Later, CEO Kim joined TLI, a mid-sized listed company manufacturing electronic integrated circuits for memory. He led a team developing rehabilitation solution services for patients there, and when the team spun off as a subsidiary, he naturally became the CEO. However, the major shareholder has since changed. Currently, GilOn's major shareholder is Solgo Biomedical, a medical device manufacturer.

He sees the strength of the service in its 'everyday nature.' GilOn's service, which can be worn inside shoes like an insole, blends into daily life, allowing users to access it comfortably. No matter how good the technology is, if it is inconvenient, few will use it. He emphasized, "No separate device is needed, and there is no need to wear multiple bulky wearable devices." However, CEO Kim explained the company's vision by saying, "We aim for more than just gait." He believes they should move toward analyzing and providing more bodily signals. For this reason, they are focusing on developing new services through cooperation with similar companies. He said, "If we provide solutions that analyze more health signals through collaboration, we can create better services and become a global company."

- Why do you focus on gait?

▲ By analyzing walking habits, it is possible to predict various geriatric diseases early. Changes in stride length, balance between both feet, and the pressure applied when stepping can help detect dementia or Parkinson's disease early. Gait contains a lot of information about personal health. For example, healthy people mostly walk by touching the ground first with their toes. However, those with musculoskeletal disorders may take shuffling steps or walk with a bent posture, showing changes in their gait. GilOn focused on the possibility of preventing various diseases early by analyzing walking habits through products that can be easily worn in daily life. However, the products developed by GilOn are not medical diagnostic devices. They create solutions that assist diagnosis.

- Is the core of your current service gait habit diagnosis and analysis?

▲ Not exactly. That is the vision GilOn pursues. Currently, they are in the stage of accumulating analyzable data through service advancement. The service GilOn currently provides to individuals is a 'fall prevention' solution for the elderly. The core is detecting abnormal gait in the elderly through hardware called 'smart insole' installed inside shoes. It connects to an app so that children or caregivers can immediately check. It is linked with Google Maps so caregivers can monitor the 'possibility of falls' in the elderly.

- Do you also have B2B business?

▲ We supply GilOn's smart insoles and solutions to the sports brand Prospecs. We signed an additional supply contract last October. We plan to provide upgraded fall detection solutions together in the future. While hardware advancement is important, we believe there are limits. That is why we focus on providing integrated analysis solutions. We have also signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with major hospitals to develop solutions that continuously monitor fall and gait information of inpatients. We supply research models to Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, Sinchon Severance Hospital, and Bundang Seoul National University Hospital.

- Do you focus only on accumulating and analyzing gait data?

▲ Although gait data can predict geriatric diseases, it may not be sufficient alone. The market itself is not yet formed. We are pioneering a previously nonexistent market, and it is not easy to persuade internally and externally about possible services and visions based on gait data. Therefore, active collaboration is necessary. We are developing services that utilize 'multi-modal signals' (exchanging information through various interfaces including visual and auditory) by cooperating with similar companies. In other words, we are developing solutions that integrate and analyze various health information sent by the body, not just gait data. We are collaborating with two to three companies. We have built partnerships so that our solutions and those of other companies can be combined and serviced.

- I am also curious about your story. What made you enter the startup world?

▲ Strictly speaking, I became CEO through a spin-off process rather than founding the company. GilOn spun off from TLI, a mid-sized company manufacturing electronic integrated circuits for memory, three years ago in 2019. At that time, I was leading a team developing rehabilitation solution services for patients within TLI. I am an engineer by background. When the company spun off in 2019, I naturally became the CEO. However, the major shareholder has since changed. Currently, our major shareholder is Solgo Biomedical.

- What is GilOn's goal?

▲ Our long-term goal is to establish ourselves as a digital healthcare solution company. We dream of becoming a global leader in silver care. Currently, we focus only on gait signals, but we aim to become a global company providing solutions that comprehensively analyze various biometric signals. Our short-term goal is to surpass the break-even point (BEP) this year, the fourth year since our launch, after three years of deficits. To achieve this, we plan active overseas promotions this year. We are also progressing partnerships with several companies.