[Alzzabaek Knowledge Property] Revealing the Secret to Korea's First Ever Nobel Prize in Patents

Over 700 Companies Applied Last Year... 9 Selected
AitTech, First Korean Winner Through IP Strategy
WIPO Supports Overseas Expansion After the Award

WIPO Global Awards trophy made by artisans from Murano Island, Italy, famous for glass art. The colorful overlapping oval patterns symbolize breaking boundaries, creativity, and an open mind toward innovation. WIPO website

AitTech, which developed a robot that sorts recyclable waste based on artificial intelligence (AI), won the global awards from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), known as the "Nobel Prize of patents," for the first time in Korea last year. Since its founding in 2020, the company has been focusing on intellectual property (IP) strategies such as patents and protecting its technology. It holds 17 domestic patents and 9 overseas PCT applications.

Ryu Jae-ho, Director and Chief Strategy Officer of AitTech (pictured), said in an interview with Asia Economy on the 6th, "Since WIPO is an agency under the United Nations, it places significant emphasis on 'sustainability,'" adding, "It seems that AitTech gave hope that it could contribute to solving global environmental issues."

AitTech’s developed robot, 'Aitron,' is an AI robot that replaces the manual sorting of recyclables. When waste is placed on a conveyor belt, the robotic arm quickly moves to separate plastics, bottles, cans, and other materials for processing. It boasts a maximum sorting capacity of 96 items per minute and a sorting accuracy of 99.3%. It has been supplied to Namyangju and Seongnam cities in Gyeonggi Province, Incheon, and Songpa District in Seoul, replacing the increasingly aging sorting workforce.

So far, AitTech has actively utilized the IP research and development (R&D) projects of the Korean Intellectual Property Office. This project involves working with IP experts for 3 to 5 months to solve technical challenges faced by companies through patents and to devise patent strategies that differentiate them from competitors. Director Ryu said, "AitTech focused on a system that integrates management and control of unmanned robot sorting centers nationwide," adding, "We analyzed related patents by country and company and established strategies, which allowed us to build an intellectual property portfolio." He further suggested, "It is necessary to have a balanced intellectual property utilization plan that does not focus solely on quantitative results but also presents IP strategies from a business perspective."

Ryu Jae-ho, Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) of EightTech. Provided by EightTech

Since 2022, WIPO has been awarding small and medium-sized enterprises and startups that have achieved innovation and results by utilizing IP every year. Last year, over 700 companies worldwide applied, and 9 companies were selected as winners. Awarded companies receive benefits such as one-on-one mentoring. Director Ryu said, "We hold online workshops once a month with IP experts active at WIPO," adding, "They introduced experts for global market research and arranged opportunities to match with overseas venture capitalists (VCs)."

Last month, the Korean Intellectual Property Office hosted an explanatory session gathering domestic companies aiming for the award. At this event, AitTech explained its know-how for winning and what preparations were made to establish a solid IP strategy. It is said that alignment with the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including poverty eradication, gender equality, climate change, and energy, is advantageous for winning. WIPO is accepting applications for the 2025 Global Awards until the end of this month. Sector-specific judges will review the applications and announce a shortlist of three times the number of candidates around April to May. Winners will be notified in June, and the award ceremony will be held at the WIPO General Assembly in July. Director Ryu said, "I believe it is important to take the right steps after winning the WIPO award," adding, "If you plan to expand your business into the global market, winning the WIPO award can provide a meaningful foundation for entering overseas markets."

AitTech is aiming to enter the KOSDAQ next year through a technology special listing while enhancing its products based on patents and focusing on proprietary technology patents. Director Ryu said, "If caught up in a large-scale patent dispute, a company's fate can change," adding, "Just as a country builds national power to protect its citizens, we are building a fortress of technology protection through patents."