"Coupang Eats Food Photos Enhanced by AI"... D.Lab Signs Supply Contract

Generative AI Startup DREP
Supplies 'DREP Art' to Coupang Eats
"Reduces Product Photography Time and Costs"

Startup Draph announced on the 12th that it has signed a contract with Coupang to supply its artificial intelligence (AI) image generation service, 'Draph Art.'

Draph is an AI specialized company founded last year by three AI experts from Seoul National University and KAIST after leaving Samsung Electronics. Based on its own AI and machine learning models, it developed the image generation service Draph Art, targeting the online commerce market.

The left side shows the original port wine image, and the right side shows the image generated by DrapArt. (Photo by Drap)

Draph Art allows users to input the desired concept and atmosphere of product photos, and the AI newly creates backgrounds, lighting, shadows, and even generates new faces for the models in the photos.

Previously, Draph conducted a pilot service for 531 companies including Hyundai Department Store, CJ Olive Young, Naver, CJ ENM, 11st, and Cafe24, successfully generating a total of 23,343 product photos.

By utilizing Draph Art, it is expected that the commerce industry, which launches numerous products, can reduce the time and cost required for product photography and retouching, which have become fixed cost factors.

In this contract, Draph will supply the service with additional customizations specialized for food images tailored to the characteristics of Coupang Eats. This contract is the second significant B2B supply agreement following the one with 'Charancha,' a subsidiary of Deutsche Automobil Group, in March.

Joo-wan Lee, CEO of Draph, said, "It is highly meaningful that our AI image generation service developed with our own technology has been recognized by customers," adding, "We plan to launch a public service that anyone can use in the future, and we want to help the commerce industry facing difficulties in product photo production."

Meanwhile, Draph received about 1 billion KRW in pre-seed investment from KB Investment and others just one month after its founding. It was selected for TIPS in June last year and received an excellence award at the Ministry of Science and ICT's 'K-Global Startup Competition' in December, recognizing its growth potential.