‘MFR,’ a researcher-founded startup from DGIST (President Kook Yang), and ‘Tia,’ a student-founded startup, were selected for Samsung Electronics C-Lab Outside Daegu on the 23rd.
Samsung Electronics selected five innovative local startups in healthcare, robotics, and materials/components sectors through recommendations from the Daegu Center for Creative Economy and Innovation and expert evaluations. Among them, two are DGIST-founded startups, MFR and Tia.
C-Lab Outside is an external startup incubation program run by Samsung Electronics, aiming to discover and nurture outstanding startups to revitalize the startup ecosystem and local economy.
The selected startups will receive up to 100 million KRW in business support funds and customized consulting from Samsung Electronics employees tailored to each stage of company growth. They will also have opportunities to collaborate with Samsung Electronics and its affiliates, participate in domestic and international IT exhibitions such as CES, and receive support for domestic and overseas market expansion.
Among the selected startups, MFR was founded in June 2021 by researcher Seung-Yeol Lee from the Intelligent Robotics Research Division. MFR manufactures modular specialized service robots to ensure safety and efficient operations at construction sites, which are considered high-risk industries.
MFR’s methodology for a ‘multi-purpose construction robot platform’ to address construction industry challenges such as the Serious Accidents Punishment Act and workforce imbalance due to population decline was validated by winning the grand prize (Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Award) at the 2021 Smart Construction Startup Idea Contest. To date, MFR has secured about 2 billion KRW in sales contracts, attracted 2.35 billion KRW in investments, and is jointly developing multiple construction robots with Samsung C&T to build a safer construction ecosystem.
Seung-Yeol Lee, CEO of MFR, said, “With the technology accumulated over the past 20 years dedicated to field robot R&D including construction, we will create an industrial environment free from suffering caused by serious accidents.”
Tia is a student startup founded in June 2022 by Jinyoung Park, a doctoral student in the Department of Energy Engineering.
They are currently developing a high-efficiency catalytic filter to reduce fine dust. The team possesses technology that can remove fine dust emitted from factory exhaust gases without replacing the filter.
Tia’s cylindrical titanium oxide manufacturing technology realizes a catalyst structure open at both ends, increasing air permeability and enabling permanent use without byproducts.
Tia is recognized as a next-generation eco-friendly company, having won three ministerial awards including the Minister of Science and ICT Award in 2022.
Jinyoung Park, CEO of Tia, expressed determination, saying, “Through this selection for Samsung Electronics C-Lab Outside Daegu, we will become DGIST’s first unicorn through collaboration with Samsung Electronics.”
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