In a landmark event held at the headquarters of OpenAI in Silicon Valley, USA, ten innovative Korean startups were selected to collaborate with the global AI giant. The event, ‘K-Startup and OpenAI Matching Day,’ supported by the Korean Ministry of SMEs and Startups, served as a pivotal platform for fostering innovation and partnership in artificial intelligence.
The event showcased 14 South Korean startups selected from a pool of 220 companies. These finalists emerged from a rigorous selection process initiated by OpenAI in collaboration with the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) in December in South Korea.
The OpenAI event, attended by approximately 40 stakeholders, including startup representatives, officials from the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, and influential figures from OpenAI, featured a dynamic presentation session during which each startup showcased its unique AI-driven solutions and potential.
CEO Sam Altman’s Insights and Advice
A highlight of the event was the surprise appearance of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who actively engaged with startup representatives in a spirited Q&A session. Altman’s presence not only underscored OpenAI’s commitment to nurturing emerging talent but also provided invaluable insights into the future trajectory of AI technology.
During the session, Altman emphasized the importance of startups focusing on fundamental business principles, cautioning against overreliance on technology alone. CEO Altman said, “Startups mistakenly think that they can succeed because they use magic technology or that general rules do not apply, but this is a big mistake. It does not mean that business physics, which requires efforts to hire talented people, does not apply,”
Following rigorous evaluation by OpenAI, ten standout Korean startups were selected for this year’s collaboration program. Among them, ASLEEP and Cliwant received special recognition for their pioneering efforts in leveraging AI to revolutionize diverse sectors. ASLEEP offers an API leveraging AI technology to monitor sleep stages through breathing sounds, while Cliwant is dedicated to modernizing bidding systems with AI integration.
Other notable participants include DK Medi Info, Marina Chain, Next Payments, Nine Watts, Run Korean in Korean, Turing, Waddle, and We Laser, each poised to make significant strides in their respective domains through AI integration.
DK Medi Info has developed a nursing diagnosis recording and creation system using virtual patient data. RunKoreanInKorean provides prompts and fine-tuning datasets to improve ChatGPT’s insufficient Korean level, and Marina Chain provides ‘Scope 3’ carbon accounting that realizes carbon accounting for the entire shipping, port, and logistics supply chain using AI technology.
Support and Benefits for Selected Startups
The selected startups will benefit from substantial support, including up to 200 million won in commercialization funds from the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, credits for utilizing OpenAI services, and expert mentoring and consulting.
Minister of SMEs and Startups Oh Young-joo expressed optimism about the collaboration, highlighting its potential to elevate Korean startups into globally competitive AI companies. “We hope that the startups participating in the event will grow into AI companies with global competitiveness through collaboration with Open AI. The Ministry of SMEs and Startups will work to improve the technology development capabilities of promising domestic startups and expand their global presence.”
The event marks a significant milestone in Korea’s journey towards becoming a hub for AI innovation. It showcases the transformative power of international collaboration in unlocking new possibilities and driving collective progress in the realm of artificial intelligence.
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