Kookmin University (President Jung Seungryul) announced on December 15 that its subsidiary, Entertake Co., Ltd. (CEO Oh Sungmin), has been selected for the Ministry of SMEs and Startups' private investment-led technology startup support program, TIPS (Tech Incubator Program for Startup).
TIPS is a program that identifies and supports promising startups with innovative technological capabilities. Selected companies receive up to 800 million won in funding for research and development (R&D) and commercialization. Through this R&D project, Entertake plans to develop an AI-based personalized hair diagnosis and dye recommendation system, as well as a smart hair beauty device that incorporates this technology.
Entertake has previously developed the home-use smart hair dye device "HIKE," accumulating core technologies such as cartridge-based automatic mixing and safe heating. Building on these technologies and development experience, the company aims to integrate the entire hair dyeing process-diagnosis, recommendation, and treatment-into a single platform during the TIPS R&D period by developing the professional smart hair device "EKARAK-Pro" and establishing an AI-based diagnostic solution. Based on this integrated platform, Entertake seeks to automate and standardize the entire process, including user hair condition analysis, treatment recipe management, and cloud-based data integration, to provide consistent quality services for both households and hair salons, thereby establishing a B2B2C haircare ecosystem.
Entertake is collaborating through open innovation with companies such as LG Electronics and leading Japanese pharmaceutical firms, and is rapidly expanding its overseas partnerships by securing Letters of Intent (LOIs) from several global companies in Japan and Europe. The company is also actively pursuing global expansion through participation in international exhibitions such as CES and COSMOPROF, identifying overseas demand, engaging in global marketing, and negotiating exclusive distribution rights by country. In addition, Entertake plans to sequentially obtain global certifications and establish local subsidiaries.
Oh Sungmin, CEO of Entertake, stated, "With our selection for TIPS, Entertake's technological capabilities and market potential have been officially recognized," adding, "We will lead K-beauty tech based on AI-powered hair diagnosis and smart dyeing solutions, and grow into a globally competitive company."
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