Ministry of SMEs and Startups Selected as 'Win-Win Honors' for Excellent Cases of Mutual Growth

Selected for Collaborative Growth Activities with Large Corporations, Public Institutions, and Partner Companies

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups selected five outstanding win-win growth activities as the first 'Win-Win Honors' of 2024.

On the 13th, the Ministry held the '2024 1st Win-Win Honors Plaque Award Ceremony' at the Orotdeum Hall of the Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation, presenting commemorative plaques to large corporations, public institutions, and representative partner companies selected as 'Win-Win Honors' cases.

'Win-Win Honors' is an excellent case selected by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups for win-win growth activities where large corporations and public institutions go beyond unilateral or benevolent business activities to form one team with partner companies and mutually benefit.

The companies selected this time are 'Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation - Gwangmyeong Ink Manufacturing,' 'Korea Water Resources Corporation - Ecopiece,' 'Korea Veterans Health Service - Howmedicare,' 'Korea East-West Power - EPIIT,' and 'Coconut Silo - Hyundai Motor Company.'

Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation and Gwangmyeong Ink Manufacturing succeeded in entering the overseas export market by developing competitive domestic products in the special security ink market for banknote printing, which is monopolized by leading global companies such as those in Switzerland.

Korea Water Resources Corporation embarked on nurturing promising digital water companies, and with Ecopiece's cooperation, completed the 'Ecobot,' a dedicated robot for dam water quality measurement and algae removal. Through this, Korea Water Resources Corporation improved water quality and safety by enhancing the water quality management system, and Ecopiece laid the groundwork for future overseas market entry by winning three CES 2024 Innovation Awards.

Korea Veterans Health Service partnered with Howmedicare to improve the performance and localization of the 'shoulder abduction assist device.' They achieved localization of medical devices that had depended on imports, and Howmedicare practiced another form of mutual growth by donating 3% of its sales profit directly or supporting the community with assistive devices such as wheelchairs.

Additionally, Korea East-West Power helped EPIIT expand or reorganize its business into renewable energy and new ventures. Through an open innovation project, Hyundai Motor Company incubated Coconut Silo for two years before spinning it off; Coconut Silo developed the AI mobility platform technology 'CocoTruck' and succeeded in pioneering overseas markets.

Kim Seong-seop, Vice Minister of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, said, “In the recent changing environment surrounding companies, including global export environment changes and open innovation, it has become more important for large corporations, public institutions, and SMEs to work together from product development to overseas market expansion.” He added, “As the win-win growth efforts of companies and institutions were highlighted through this Win-Win Honors, the Ministry will continue to expand exemplary mutual win-win models.”