Jeonnam Naju City and Korea Electric Power Corporation's Win-Win Ecosystem Creation Division recently held the 'Naju Small Giant Special Zone Project Performance Sharing and Business Briefing' at the Energy New Technology Research Institute located in the Naju Innovation Industrial Complex.
Naju City, Jeollanam-do, held the 'Naju Small Giant Special Zone Project Performance Sharing and Business Briefing' at the Energy New Technology Research Institute. [Photo by Naju City]
According to the city on the 11th, this briefing was organized to share last year's project achievements and this year's plans among local innovation institutions and companies, including Naju City, Korea Energy Engineering University, Jeonnam Technopark, Green Energy Research Institute, Energy Valley Enterprise Development Institute, and Energy Valley Industry-Academia Convergence Institute, and to encourage participation in the projects.
The Small Giant Research and Development Special Zone is a system that fosters small-scale, high-density concentrated spaces as R&D special zones centered around major core technology institutions located in the region.
Designated by the Ministry of Science and ICT in August 2020, the Jeonnam Naju Small Giant R&D Special Zone is the first public enterprise-type R&D special zone with Korea Electric Power Corporation as the core technology institution.
From 2021 to 2025, a total project cost of 21.2 billion KRW is being invested to focus on strengthening R&D capabilities of energy companies in intelligent solar power, ESS (Energy Storage System), and fostering small-scale startups.
In particular, over the past three years, achievements include 48 new startups, 106 public technology transfers, 20 research institute establishments, and support for technology commercialization worth 4.8 billion KRW.
The briefing was attended by about 100 people, including Naju City Future Strategy Industry Bureau Director Noh Sang-in, Jeollanam-do Research Bio Industry Division Director Lee Sang-yeon, Industry-Academia Cooperation Office Director (Small Giant Special Zone Project Team Leader) Baek Jong-hyun, Energy New Technology Research Institute Director Kim Kang-sik, as well as Small Giant Special Zone officials and company representatives.
The event proceeded with presentations on major project achievements of the Small Giant Special Zone and innovation institutions, excellent company case presentations, introduction of the 2024 Seoul Metropolitan Area Investment Attraction Roadshow and international energy events, 2024 Small Giant Special Zone and innovation institution project plans, and guidance on policy funds from the Small and Medium Business Corporation.
The KEPCO Small Giant Special Zone Development Project Team explained a 2.5 billion KRW scale project, including the ‘Company Scale Up’ program that supports up to 100 million KRW per company for prototype production and management mentoring.
They also emphasized their commitment to strengthening customized support for companies this year to help technology-following companies advance into technology-leading companies.
The excellent company case presentation was given by Kang Ji-seong, CEO of Korea Gridforming Co., Ltd., a leader in gridforming technology development.
Gridforming technology connects distributed energy sources to form a single power grid. Its advantages include efficient utilization of renewable energy and securing grid stability.
Korea Gridforming Co., Ltd. was selected for the ‘2023 Super Gap Startup 1000+ Project’ hosted by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and had its K-EMT (High-Speed Electromagnetic Transient Simulator), which was publicly recruited at the Energy Technology Market, designated as an innovative product by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, marking notable achievements.
The city introduced the ‘2024 Seoul Metropolitan Area Investment Attraction Roadshow’ to be held on the 3rd of next month and the ‘Energy International Event’ scheduled for September, requesting active participation from energy-related institutions and companies.
Noh Sang-in, Director of the Future Strategy Industry Bureau, said in his congratulatory speech, “Together with the Small Giant R&D Special Zone, based on the Energy New Industry Global Innovation Special Zone and Education Development Special Zone selected last December and February respectively, we will create Korea’s best energy new industry ecosystem linked with innovation institutions and companies.”
Naju = Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yuk-bong baekok@asiae.co.kr
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