Six Companies Including PUNJIN Co., Ltd. Selected as "Outstanding Specialized Research Operators"

Ministry of Science and ICT selects six companies as "Outstanding Specialized Research Operators" for the first time
Recognition for excellence in R&D capabilities and service quality
Certificate award ceremony held to boost industry morale

Six companies, including PUNJIN Co., Ltd., an on-device artificial intelligence (AI) solutions provider, have been selected as outstanding specialized research operators for 2025 by the Ministry of Science and ICT.

On August 7, the Ministry of Science and ICT announced that it had selected six research industry companies?PUNJIN Co., Ltd., ICYLAB Co., Ltd., ENF Advisor Co., Ltd., TLAB Co., Ltd., Eyebeam Technology Co., Ltd., and Park Systems Co., Ltd.?as "Outstanding Specialized Research Operators" in recognition of their excellent research and development (R&D) and R&D support capabilities. The ministry also held a certificate award ceremony for these companies.

The research industry refers to R&D-linked industries that support R&D activities throughout the entire R&D process, thereby enhancing research outcomes and efficiency. It is classified into contract research, research management, and research equipment and materials. In accordance with the Research Industry Promotion Act, the Ministry of Science and ICT registers and manages companies engaged in the research industry as "Specialized Research Operators," with a total of 2,735 companies currently registered.

This year, for the first time, the Ministry of Science and ICT selected these six companies as "Outstanding Specialized Research Operators" in recognition of their excellence in corporate competitiveness, research and development capabilities, and the quality of their research and development services, and awarded them certificates of designation.

PUNJIN Co., Ltd. received top marks for its research and development capabilities by advancing and applying on-device solutions based on AI-powered object recognition technology. ICYLAB Co., Ltd. was recognized for its service quality by enhancing the stability and scalability of registration and tracking services based on non-invasive features such as nose wrinkles and facial characteristics, leveraging its AI animal biometric identification solutions.

ENF Advisor Co., Ltd. received high scores for providing strategic research management planning services by advancing performance analysis and recovery management plans based on its analysis and management systems for national R&D technology fees and fund-of-funds performance analysis. TLAB Co., Ltd. was highly evaluated in research management performance for operating a transaction-based technology transfer process that matches technologies held by public institutions, universities, and the private sector with demand companies and supports transfer and implementation agreements.

Eyebeam Technology Co., Ltd. was recognized for its research and development capabilities by demonstrating the performance of its proprietary laser-based bio-microscope in clinical projects, such as identifying micro-cancer cells during cancer surgery. Park Systems Co., Ltd. was evaluated as having outstanding corporate competitiveness by localizing the atomic force microscope (AFM) for the first time in Korea, enabling researchers to perform nano-analysis without delay as needed, and providing convenient parts supply and after-sales services.

The Ministry of Science and ICT will provide benefits to outstanding specialized research operators, including preferential treatment (additional points) when selecting companies for military service designation, preferential consideration for participation in related national R&D projects, priority consideration for government merit and award recommendations, and promotional support. The ministry will designate outstanding specialized research operators once a year (valid for three years from the date of designation) to boost the morale of specialized research operators.

Lee Eunyoung, Director of Research Outcomes Innovation at the Ministry of Science and ICT, stated, "As the strategic and innovative aspects of R&D become more emphasized, the demand for expertise in the research industry is also increasing. We will continue to seek support measures to enhance the capabilities of specialized research operators."