What if artificial intelligence could remember you—not just your words, but who you are? For Carlos Kik, a serial entrepreneur with six previous startups and a record of verified PoCs with Samsung, that question became the seed for Digital Human Corporation (DHC).

After more than 20 years in deep-tech, he saw a missing element in today’s most advanced AI systems: emotional continuity. Now part of K-Startup Grand Challenge (KSGC) 2025 Phase 2, DHC is building AI that doesn’t just process data—it forms lasting, meaningful relationships.

Why AI Forgets—and Why That Must Change

Q1. What motivated you to start this company, and what core problem were you trying to solve?

Current AI systems forget everything; they cannot build genuine, lasting relationships with users because they lack persistent memory and emotional understanding.

I founded Digital Human Corporation after witnessing a fundamental gap in AI evolution. Despite massive progress in language models, human-AI interaction remains transactional. Users share their stories, thoughts, and emotions—but the system forgets them instantly.

At DHC, we call this “ChatGPT Alzheimer’s.”

This problem takes on real urgency in Korea, now a super-aged society with more than 10 million elderly citizens and 2.2 million living alone. Existing robots and apps lack memory or empathy, leaving emotional voids unaddressed.

We built ANiMUS Engine to solve this: an AI framework with persistent memory and emotional intelligence. Our goal is simple—to create AI companions that remember, grow, and genuinely care, like friends who stay.

Korea: The World’s Most Demanding AI Testbed

Q2. What opportunity or unmet need did you identify in the Korean market, and what early signals convinced you that your solution could gain real traction here?

Korea offers a rare combination of technological sophistication, demographic urgency, and government support for AgeTech innovation. But the real breakthrough insight was the country’s willingness to pay for meaningful AI.

According to Sensor Tower (November 2025), Korea ranks second globally in ChatGPT revenue, proving that users here don’t just experiment with AI—they invest in it.

Early traction validated our thesis. We received the world’s first Startup Korea Special Visa (D-8-4S), a direct endorsement of our mission. Our KAi Vanguard waitlist grew organically with no marketing, and we secured an MOU with LBG Group for a corporate training testbed. Interest from JYP Partners and Kakao Mobility followed soon after, requesting investor materials.

Each milestone confirmed one truth: Korean users and enterprises are ready for AI that forms emotional bonds, not just transactional interactions.

Lessons That Changed Our Go-to-Market Path

Q3. During KSGC, were there any mentors, partners, or specific insights that significantly influenced your product or strategy?

The most transformative insight came from Korean mentors who advised us to start with younger professionals before approaching the elderly market.

Initially, we focused solely on seniors, but mentors helped us realize that the 20s–40s demographic—the “bridge generation” caring for aging parents—offered faster feedback, early validation, and B2C revenue potential. These users could help refine the product experience while also connecting us to elderly family members later.

This pivot unlocked two clear paths:

• B2C: young adults who build trust with KAi.
• B2B/B2G: institutions such as care facilities through family connections.

With this strategy, we signed our first Korean B2B testbed MOU with LBG Group. KSGC’s network and mentorship didn’t just open doors—they redirected our entire roadmap with precision.

Digital Human Corporation at KSGC 2025: From Foreign Founder to Korean Company

Q4. After joining KSGC, what has been the most meaningful change for your company and what evidence supports this growth?

The transformation since joining KSGC has been profound. We evolved from an international founder-led team into a fully operational Korean corporation with institutional trust and a local footprint.

Before KSGC, we had already achieved several milestones: receiving the first-ever Startup Korea Special Visa issued globally, incorporating Digital Human Corporation Ltd. in Seoul (April 2025), and setting our long-term base in Korea.

Through KSGC, momentum accelerated:

• Selected among TOP40 startups and given an office at Pangyo Startup Zone.
• Chosen as one of two startups to represent the cohort at the APEC Jeju showcase.
• Signed an MOU with LBG Group and received a European pilot offer from Hospex Holding for 300 elderly users.
• Earned attention from JYP Partners and Kakao Mobility for potential investment.
• Invited to present to a 50-member Catalonia Trade Delegation and to lecture at a Saudi SparkLabs delegation.

We also built a fully localized Korean website, established local banking and administrative infrastructure, and secured a visa extension through 2027.

Today, DHC is no longer “pitching” in Korea—we are building in Korea, for Korea.

Digital Human Corporation: Where AI Learns to Care

Q5. Looking ahead, what is the most important vision or long-term goal your company aims to achieve, and what steps are you taking to move toward it?

Our vision is to become the global standard for human-centric, ethical AI companionship, and Korea is where we prove it works.

We aim to combat the epidemic of loneliness that affects millions worldwide, starting with Korea’s 2.2 million elderly living alone. Our AI doesn’t just respond—it remembers, learns, and grows with each individual over time.

Korea is our launchpad by design, not by convenience. If KAi succeeds here—the world’s most demanding digital market—she can succeed anywhere. This is our Korea Advantage: born, validated, and scaled in Korea before expanding across Asia-Pacific.

And this is our roadmap:

• Q1 2026: Launch the PWA beta for KAi Vanguard users.
• Q2 2026: Scale to 2,000 active Korean users and activate the LBG testbed.
• Q4 2026: Reach 10,000 users with proven product-market fit and begin the first elderly pilot with Hospex in Europe.

Longer term, we plan to establish Seoul as our R&D hub, expand into Japan and Singapore, and grow a local team of eight Korean engineers.

At DHC, our mission is simple but profound: to prove that AI can have a soul.

And South Korea is where that proof begins.

As the company joined the K-Startup Grand Challenge 2025, Digital Human Corporation is transforming Korea’s AI ecosystem into a testbed for emotional intelligence and ethical technology—where memory, empathy, and innovation finally meet.

“After the program we were able to reach several milestones and transition to a fully operational Korean company.

Now, we are here, building in Korea, for Korea.”

About This Series

This article is part of the “K-Startup Grand Challenge 2025 Interview Series,” featuring 40 global startups from Phase 2 of Korea’s leading accelerator program. The series highlights how international founders are scaling innovation through Korea’s startup ecosystem.

Read more stories from the K-Startup Grand Challenge 2025 Interview Series on KoreaTechDesk.

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