"Green Society" Event Showcases Achievements
The Hyundai Motor Chung Mong-Koo Foundation has released the results of the past two years of technology commercialization from the "Green Society" program, which fosters entrepreneur-researchers in the climate tech sector.
The foundation announced on the 28th that it held the "Green Society Chapter 2: C-Tech Fair 2025" event on the 27th at the Ondream Society in Jung-gu, Seoul.
This event was organized to mark the completion of the program’s second-year technology commercialization phase, to share the research teams’ achievements in startup launches, proof-of-concept, and market entry, and to provide practical matching opportunities with potential customers and investment institutions.
In South Korea, research and development (R&D) in climate tech has been heavily concentrated on specific fields such as electric vehicles and batteries. There is also a disconnect at the early commercialization stage following technology development, making it difficult for fundamental and original technologies to enter the market. In particular, experts point out that achieving the 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) for greenhouse gas reduction and carbon neutrality targets requires a public-private partnership system that connects technology development, demonstration, and commercialization.
The Hyundai Motor Chung Mong-Koo Foundation held an event on the 27th at the Ondream Society in Jung-gu, Seoul, to share the achievements of the 'Green Society' program, which nurtures climate tech entrepreneur-researchers. Officials are seen taking a commemorative photo. Provided by Hyundai Motor Chung Mong-Koo Foundation
The Hyundai Motor Chung Mong-Koo Foundation’s "Green Society" is a program that cultivates K-climate tech entrepreneur-researchers and plays a role in addressing these structural limitations. It provides comprehensive support throughout the three-year process from technology development to commercialization, ensuring that climate technologies at the laboratory stage can advance to startup formation, demonstration, and fundraising. This lays the groundwork for fundamental and original technologies to establish a foothold in the actual market.
Over the past two years, the nine research teams in the foundation’s Green Society program have successfully passed the initial commercialization stages, including technology advancement, pilot demonstration, prototype production, and startup launches. In addition, the nine teams have newly acquired 15 standardizations and official certifications, and the number of MOUs and letters of intent for investment has significantly increased from six to about forty.
Furthermore, more than ten investments were secured from both private and public sectors, including Woori Financial Group, Korea Credit Guarantee Fund, Korea Science and Technology Holdings, and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups’ Deep Tech TIPS. The number of participating researchers also expanded from 55 to 93. The foundation stated, "These achievements represent meaningful progress in establishing an early-stage climate tech startup ecosystem and laying the groundwork for researchers’ market entry."
The foundation plans to systematically support the research teams in demonstration, customer acquisition, and fundraising necessary for market entry. Jeong Moosung, Chairman of the Hyundai Motor Chung Mong-Koo Foundation, said, "In the final third year, we will help researchers organically connect and grow with diverse partners through the Green Society, laying the foundation for a climate tech ecosystem and supporting the transition to applying these technologies in society."
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