Visit to Allen Brain Science Institute and Others, Observing Cases of Advanced Industry and Digital Integration
Pohang Focuses on Regional Industry Strengths and Technological Changes to Lead Digital Advanced Industry
Pohang City visited Seattle, USA, an IT and digital startup hub known as the "Second Silicon Valley," to observe cases of advanced industry and digital integration.
On the 12th, the Pohang City delegation visiting Seattle, USA toured the Allen Institute for Brain Science and benchmarked ways to integrate it into Pohang city administration.
The Pohang City delegation, led by Kwon Hyuk-won, Director of the Job and Economy Bureau, along with Kim Il-man, Vice Chairman of the Pohang City Council, visited Seattle on the 12th to tour major facilities and meet with officials to hear opinions on how to apply these cases to Pohang.
On the same day, the delegation visited the Allen Institute for Brain Science, a nonprofit organization established in 2003 by Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft (MS), who created the first brain map to identify causes of diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
Researcher Kim Jin-ho of the Allen Institute explained that the vast brain science data accumulated by the institute has recently been successfully utilized by leveraging Amazon Web Services (AWS) AI technology to integrate scattered data, opening the path for neuroscience information integration within the next five years.
Kim added, "Seattle has built a digital convergence innovation ecosystem where not only global big tech companies like Amazon and MS are located, but also a life sciences cluster ranked seventh in the U.S., enabling the spread of digital-based brain disease startups in new industrial fields."
Director Kwon Hyuk-won explained Pohang City's global bio-cluster strategy and key projects, stating, "If the medical school of POSTECH is attracted following the bio-research institutes concentrated in the region, Pohang has sufficient potential to grow into a digital healthcare industry hub where AI and big data are crucial."
On the same day, the U.S. visiting delegation also visited "KSC Seattle," which supports small and medium venture companies and famous startups aiming to enter the North American market, and received an introduction to innovation growth support projects.
Brian Frost, General Manager, said, "Seattle offers abundant startup opportunities centered on global companies headquartered locally, with high local collaboration demand in ICT, cleantech, life sciences, aerospace, marine, and distribution industries," adding, "When the growth of companies and the city's future vision puzzle align, a boom in new industries and startups can be amplified," explaining Seattle's city strategy as a cradle of large corporations.
Prior to this, on the 11th, the delegation visited the University of Washington and exchanged opinions on industry-academia cooperation and talent development with Professor Hwang Hyun-jung of the Business School.
Professor Hwang said, "Strong industry-academia cooperation leads to the creation of numerous corporate research labs centered on universities, and with the influx of venture capital, a global startup cluster grows. Cities where graduates stay lead the city's revival and development."
The Pohang City delegation visited the University of Washington on the 11th to tour the campus and benchmark industry-academia cooperation and talent development.
Director Kwon Hyuk-won stated, "Seattle has risen as the global capital of the cloud industry by combining global companies, universities supplying innovative talent, city infrastructure, and city government support," adding, "Our city will carefully analyze Seattle's customized startup support system from commercialization to investment attraction, focusing on the strengths of local industries and next-generation technological changes, to discover applicable cases."
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