Moderate Growth Phase... Collaboration with Various Companies
Aiming to Create Innovative Business Models
'Co-evolution' Strategy
Recently, startups have been joining forces to find new growth engines. In a phase of moderate growth, they are creating innovative business models through collaboration with various companies and seeking opportunities for mutual development. This so-called 'co-evolution' strategy, which combines the strengths of each company to generate synergy beyond simple cooperation, has been gaining attention as a recent trend. It also reflects the urgency that it is difficult to pursue sustainable growth alone in keeping pace with the rapidly changing artificial intelligence (AI) technology landscape.
Channel Corporation, which operates the AI business messenger ‘Channel Talk,’ announced on the 20th that it has formed partnerships with MetaM, a telephone consultation outsourcing specialist, KS Korea Employment Information, and CS Sharing. This is to expand the consultation infrastructure by combining Channel Corporation’s AI chatbot with existing telephone consultations. By integrating Channel Talk into the existing call center environment, they aim to develop an AICC (AI Contact Center) solution and secure leadership in the AI consultation market.
According to market research firm Allied Market Research, the domestic AICC market size was estimated at approximately 58.1 billion KRW in 2020 and is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 23.7%, reaching about 484 billion KRW by 2030. A representative from Channel Corporation explained, "In the past, voice consultations based on call connections were predominant, but recently, automated consultation solutions using AI chatbots have diversified. It is expected that AI consultation services encompassing both telephone and chatbots will establish a new paradigm in the future."
Senior care specialist startup Caring has teamed up with medical AI company Mediguard to develop a smart care system. By combining Caring’s care infrastructure with Mediguard’s medical AI technology, they plan to expand the application of digital healthcare technologies such as contactless vital sign monitoring, AI-based real-time patient monitoring, and diagnostic solutions in elderly care settings. They also plan to jointly develop data-driven personalized health management solutions.
Caring currently operates 57 directly managed locations nationwide, including day care centers, home care centers, and caregiver training institutes. Recently, they opened ‘Caring Stay,’ an urban paid nursing facility in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, marking the full-scale launch of their senior housing business. The beds installed in this facility will apply contactless vital sign monitoring technology to prevent falls and support real-time health status management. It will also enable early detection of emergencies and prompt response.
Interior startup ApartMentary has agreed to jointly develop a one-stop AI home interior product with LG Electronics. When customers purchase the AI home interior product, a smart home interior design integrating AI appliances and Internet of Things (IoT) devices tailored to the customer’s lifestyle and home space structure will be provided. Centered around LG Electronics’ AI Home Hub application (app), it will be designed to allow customers to intuitively control their living environment. The two companies plan to advance the timing of appliance selection from the traditional finishing stage to the initial design stage during interior construction, ensuring organic harmony between AI appliances and interior design.
An industry insider said, "There is a growing recognition that actively discovering new businesses by leveraging each company’s competitiveness and securing market leadership is the way to avoid being left behind and to devise growth strategies in rapidly changing business environments." They added, "Efforts to secure differentiated positions for each company and to lead ecosystem innovation will continue."
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