Campus/People
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Seeking Innovative Financial Solutions to Help Deep Tech Startups Overcome the Valley of Death
< Poster of STARTUP NATION KOREA 2026 >
KAIST announced on June 16 that it will co-host 'STARTUP NATION KOREA 2026' (2026 Innovation Entrepreneurship Nation Korea International Forum) with Seoul National University and The JoongAng from June 17 to 18 at the Haedong Advanced Engineering Building on Seoul National University's Gwanak Campus.
Celebrating its 5th anniversary this year, the forum serves as a platform to overcome the so-called 'R&D Paradox'—where outstanding research and development achievements fail to fully connect with entrepreneurship and industry—and to seek solutions for realizing a science and technology-based innovation entrepreneurship nation. Universities, government agencies, research institutions, investment firms, conglomerates, startups, and media will participate to discuss cooperative methods for connecting technological potential to market and industrial value.
In particular, this year's forum focuses on the role of patient capital and innovative finance, which are critical challenges for the growth of deep tech startups, under the theme “Deep Tech: Beyond the Valley of Death.”
Deep tech startups require long-term investment and large-scale funding throughout the entire process from research and development to technology verification, demonstration, and market entry. However, the domestic venture investment market is relatively focused on short-term returns, often causing these startups to face severe difficulties during the commercialization phase. Therefore, this forum will intensively discuss strategies to establish an innovative financial ecosystem where 'patient capital'—which invests based on the long-term growth potential of technology—is organically linked with investments, guarantees, and policy finance required for the entire life cycle of technology commercialization.
Kwang Hyung Lee, President of KAIST, said, “Although Korea possesses world-class R&D capabilities, major barriers still exist in the process of translating research achievements into startups and new industries. I hope this forum serves as a collective effort to seek solutions through patient capital, innovative finance, and a sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem so that deep tech startups can overcome the valley of death and grow into the global market.”
Hyun Min Bae, Director of the KAIST Startup Institute, stated, “The success of deep tech entrepreneurship cannot be achieved through technology alone. Through this forum, we look forward to discussing the growth ladders and collaborative measures that connect laboratory technologies to markets, investments, and global expansion, thereby discovering a new direction for Korea's deep tech startup ecosystem.”
On the first day of the forum, Professor Jeong Dong Lee of the College of Engineering at Seoul National University, author of The Way of Accumulation and The First Question, will deliver a keynote speech emphasizing the role of finance in accelerating technological innovation and the importance of patient capital. This will be followed by a roundtable featuring domestic and international experts to discuss long-term investment case studies and policy directions for innovative finance.
In addition, the presentation ceremony for the '2026 Korea Innovation Entrepreneurship Awards' will be held simultaneously. This year, a total of 13 awards will be presented across three categories: the Innovation Entrepreneurship Award, the Innovation Entrepreneurship Challenge Award, and the Innovation Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Contribution Award.
The recipients of the Innovation Entrepreneurship Award include Sovagen, EndoRobotics, WIRobotics, Exo Systems, Marine Drone Tech, Daughter, MUSTBIO, IMNEWRUN, and Narnia Labs. These companies are promising deep tech enterprises recognized for their technological innovation and growth potential in national strategic sectors such as AI, robotics, bio/healthcare, drones, and mobility.
The Innovation Entrepreneurship Challenge Award will be presented to Scionic AI, RX, and TDS Innovation, while the Innovation Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Contribution Award will be awarded to the Commercialization Promotion Agency for R&D Outcomes (COMPA).
Kyeong Hwan Kim, Chair of the Evaluation Committee (Dean of the Graduate School of Global Entrepreneurship at Sungkyunkwan University), remarked, “Promising deep tech companies that will lead future industries in fields like AI, robotics, semiconductors, and bio have stood out remarkably. This contest was a meaningful opportunity to confirm the robust growth potential of Korea's innovation entrepreneurship ecosystem.”
An exhibition featuring innovative startups and various programs linked with government ministries will also run throughout the event. Participating companies will showcase their breakthrough technologies in sectors including AI, robotics, bio/healthcare, advanced materials, energy, and mobility, while exploring collaboration opportunities with investment institutions and industry leaders. Notably, WIRobotics plans to exhibit its humanoid robot 'ALLEX', which was previously unveiled at CES 2026.
The forum is co-hosted by KAIST, Seoul National University, and The JoongAng, and sponsored by major agencies including the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups. The event will be broadcast live via the official YouTube channel and website of STARTUP NATION KOREA 2026.
2026.06.16 View 13 -
KAIST Professor S. Josephine Suh Receives the 2026 Frontiers of Science Award
<Professor S. Josephine Suh>
Professor S. Josephine Suh wins the Frontiers of Science Award for the second consecutive year following last year - Honored for her paper published in November 2017, targeting research papers that have achieved significant results within the last 10 years - Recognized internationally for leading research achievements in the fields of quantum gravity and quantum field theory
KAIST announced on June 12th that a co-authored research paper by Professor S. Josephine Suh of the Department of Physics was selected as a winning paper for the '2026 Frontiers of Science Award' presented by the International Congress of Basic Science (ICBS). Professor Suh has won this award for two consecutive years, following her win in 2025.
The Frontiers of Science Award is presented to papers published within the last 10 years in the fields of mathematics, physics, and information science that have achieved outstanding academic originality and impact. The award ceremony will take place during the ICBS event to be held in Beijing, China, in August 2026.
The award-winning paper is "The soft mode in the Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev model and its gravity dual," a joint research project between Professor Alexei Kitaev of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and Professor S. Josephine Suh.
※ Paper Title: The soft mode in the Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev model and its gravity dual, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP05(2018)183)
The SYK (Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev) model is a quantum physics model in which a large number of Majorana fermions (special quantum particles whose particles and antiparticles have identical properties) interact randomly and strongly. Despite being a highly complex quantum many-body system (a system where many particles entangle and interact simultaneously), it allows for mathematically exact analysis. Furthermore, because its characteristics of quantum chaos (chaotic phenomena occurring in quantum systems) are remarkably similar to those of black holes, it has drawn attention as a core theory for understanding the microscopic structure (the fine quantum states that make up a black hole) of black holes.
The award-winning paper demonstrated that the physical properties displayed by the SYK model in a low-energy state precisely connect with two-dimensional gravity theory (a gravity model simplified by leaving only one dimension each for space and time). This research has since become a core theoretical foundation for black hole and quantum gravity research, establishing itself as one of the most widely cited representative papers in the relevant field.
In addition, the SYK model is utilized as a representative theoretical model to explain how information is stored and disappears inside a black hole, drawing attention as a key research topic for solving conundrums in modern physics.
The 'Frontiers of Science Award' is an international academic award that the International Congress of Basic Science (ICBS) has been presenting since 2023. The Global Committee makes the final selection of winning works through recommendations and evaluations from experts worldwide.
In its official notification of selection, the ICBS stated, "Professor Suh's research has made an outstanding contribution to the field of Formal Quantum Field Theory*," adding, "The researcher's dedication to expanding the boundaries of human knowledge provides great inspiration to the scientific community."
*Formal Quantum Field Theory: A field of theoretical physics that explores the mathematical principles and structures of quantum field theory, which explains the fundamental particles and forces of the universe.
Professor S. Josephine Suh said, "The research in this paper was a work showing how a specific quantum many-body system and gravity theory correspond at a microscopic level," and added, "The research currently underway seeks to obtain a physical understanding of how spacetime is generated from a quantum many-body system based on this correspondence."
The total prize money for this award is $25,000 (approximately 33 million KRW), which is shared jointly among the authors of the winning paper.
Reference: Official website of the Frontiers of Science Award: https://www.icbs.cn
2026.06.15 View 91 -
KAIST holds Global Science and Technology Cooperation Forum… Discusses sustainable international cooperation measures
KAIST announced on June 11th that the Global Center for Development and Strategy (G-CODEs) hosted the "Forum on Global Cooperation in Science and Technology: Beyond Crisis, Toward Sustainable Cooperation" at the KAIST Academic Cultural Complex on June 10th.
This forum was organized to review South Korea's international cooperation strategies and execution capabilities under a rapidly changing environment for international cooperation in science and technology, driven by intensifying competition for technological hegemony, restructuring of global supply chains, and rising uncertainty in energy security.
In particular, this forum was organized as a follow-up event to the 'Global Science and Technology Cooperation Forum: Reflection and Outlook' held last year. While last year's forum discussed South Korea's response strategies amid the restructuring of the global science and technology order, this year's forum continued the discussion with a focus on more specific cooperation tasks, such as execution capabilities and institutional foundations for international cooperation, fostering professional talent, international joint research, and research security.
Beginning with opening remarks by Sang-wook Kang, Director General for Planning and Coordination at the Ministry of Science and ICT, the forum proceeded with a total of three sessions.
In the first session, 'Restructuring Science and Technology International Cooperation in the Era of Techno-Geopolitics,' So Young Kim, Vice President of International Office at KAIST, served as the chair to discuss the direction of international cooperation in science and technology according to changes in the economic security and techno-geopolitical environment. Wonho Yeon, Director at Hyundai Motor Group Global Policy Office, presented global cooperation strategies in the era of economic security; Eunkyo Cho, Head of Team at the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics & Trade (KIET), presented the potential for Korea-China cooperation in the era of physical AI; and Inkyoung Sun, Research Fellow at the Science and Technology Policy Institute (STEPI), presented the importance of research security for international joint research. Subsequently, Damian Bank, Professor at the Global Center for Development and Strategy (G-CODEs) at KAIST, and Chaegwon Lim, Professor at the School of Electrical Engineering at KAIST, participated in the panel discussion.
In the second session, 'International Joint Research: Issues and Challenges,' Jae-Yong Choung, Professor at the Graduate School of Science and Technology Policy at KAIST, served as the chair to address practical experiences and institutional challenges of international joint research. Eunseong Kim, Professor at the Department of Physics and the Graduate School of Quantum Science and Technology at KAIST, shared the experiences of the KAIST-MIT global partnership, and Dr. Hae-Jung Lee from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the United States presented South Korea's collaborative capabilities and areas for improvement from the perspective of an overseas partner.
Seokkyun Woo, Professor at the Graduate School of Science and Technology Policy at KAIST, analyzed the current status and characteristics of international cooperation research by government-funded research institutes currently being conducted by the G-CODEs research center, and discussed directions for improving the international cooperation support system. Ju Young Kim, Policy Officer at the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Korea, and Hyerin Park, Center Head at the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS), participated in the panel discussion.
In the third session, 'Fostering Talent for Science and Technology International Cooperation,' Sukyung Park, Professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at KAIST, served as the chair to discuss fostering professional talent and institutional foundations for international cooperation. EunJu Jun, Director at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), Mi-Jung Um, Center Head at the Science and Technology Policy Institute (STEPI), Jonghoon Moon, Deputy Director at the Ministry of Science and ICT, Jinyeob Na, Deputy Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Eun Jung Koh, Head of Division at the Korea Institute of Human Resources Development in Science and Technology (KIRD), participated as panelists to discuss ways to foster convergence talent, capabilities and training required for practical personnel in international cooperation, career development, and establishing support systems.
Kyung Ryul Park, Director of the Global Center for Development and Strategy (G-CODEs) at KAIST, said, "This forum was a venue to examine the changes and challenges surrounding international cooperation in science and technology and to seek sustainable cooperation measures. Reflecting its recently surging importance, students and participants showed high interest in nurturing future convergence talent for international cooperation in science and technology."
Kwang Hyung Lee, President of KAIST, stated, "International cooperation in science and technology is an important foundation for national competitiveness and future growth. I hope this forum serves as an opportunity to seek sustainable methods for international cooperation in science and technology amid a rapidly changing global environment." (End)
※ Forum Presentation Materials: Global Center for Development and Strategy Website (https://global.kaist.ac.kr/)
<Forum on Global Cooperation in Science and Technology>
2026.06.11 View 255 -
Graduate School of Global Digital Innovation (GDI) Hosts 'AI⁺ Global Prosperity Forum 2026'
The Graduate School of Global Digital Innovation (GDI) of KAIST will host the "AI⁺ Global Prosperity Forum 2026" on June 24 at the Chung Kunmo Conference Hall (5F), KAIST Academic Cultural Complex (E9).
KAIST Graduate School of Global Digital Innovation (GDI) is carrying out the "ICT Global Specialized Convergence Talent Cultivation Program" supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Institute of Information & Communications Technology Planning & Evaluation (IITP). Since the launch of the Global IT Technology Program (ITTP) in 2006, GDI has grown into South Korea's representative global digital talent fostering platform over the past 20 years, nurturing approximately 260 government officials, public institution experts, and industry leaders from over 80 countries. GDI serves as a vehicle for global cooperation, sharing Korea's digital innovation experience and policy know-how with the international community, and promoting various collaborative projects such as international joint research, policy cooperation, and digital transformation projects based on its global network.
This forum, organized by GDI as part of the ICT Global Specialized Convergence Talent Cultivation Program under the theme 'Advancing Global AI Leadership Through Partnership and Innovation,' is designed to discuss global cooperation strategies for international partnership, digital transformation, and sustainable development in the AI era.
The event is expected to bring together approximately 60 government officials, international organization experts, researchers, and industry leaders from around 30 countries across Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and Europe. Notably, representatives from the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Ministry of Communications and Digital Affairs of Indonesia, and various foreign governments, public institutions, and international organizations will participate to share AI governance, digital transformation, innovation policies, and international cooperation cases.
The forum will feature two main sessions:
Session 1: Global AI Partnership and Collaboration
Session 2: AI Policy, Governance, AI Innovation, and Applications
Participants will discuss global cooperation models in the AI era, digital transformation in the public sector, and methods for establishing AI policy and governance frameworks.
In addition, an 'AI⁺ Industry Showcase' featuring Korean AI and digital innovation enterprises alongside corporate exhibition booths will be operated simultaneously. Participating companies will introduce their innovative AI-based technologies and services, and seek opportunities for Proof of Concept (PoC), joint research, digital transformation projects, and overseas market expansion through business matching sessions with foreign government and public institution officials.
This forum is highly anticipated to serve as a global platform connecting AI technology, policy, industry, and international cooperation, while sharing Korea's AI capabilities and digital innovation experiences with the world and creating practical cooperative outcomes such as international joint research and digital transformation projects.
Seunghun Han, Head of the Graduate School of Global Digital Innovation, stated, "AI has moved beyond mere technology to become a core agenda for national development and international cooperation." He added, "We expect this forum to serve as a venue where policymakers, experts, and companies from around the world gather to explore future AI cooperation strategies and build new global partnerships."
The forum is open to any researchers, students, and the general public interested in AI and global cooperation through pre-registration (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1QmYMqaD4uoT11NxUZb4ZSQBVgDxex5DJ3_4-eCoqgVI/edit).
※ Inquiries: KAIST Graduate School of Global Digital Innovation (gdi.adm@kaist.ac.kr / 042-350-6845)
2026.06.11 View 300 -
Unveil Next-Gen Spatial AI and XR Core Technologies at KMF 2026
< Poster of the Korea Metaverse Festival (KMF) >
KAIST announced on June 5 that its Graduate School of Metaverse will participate in the Korea Metaverse Festival (KMF) 2026, held at COEX in Seoul from June 10 to 12. During the event, the school will showcase its core research achievements in "Next-Generation Spatial AI" and XR (Extended Reality)—technologies designed to recognize and understand physical spaces, analyze the positions, movements, and contexts of people and objects, and enable seamless interaction.
These achievements are evaluated as representative outcomes of the "Graduate School of eXtended Reality Support Program," an initiative funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) and the Institute for Information & Communications Technology Planning & Evaluation (IITP) to foster top-tier talents for future core industries.
At IEEE VR 2026, the world’s most prestigious academic conference in virtual reality held earlier this year, the KAIST Graduate School of Metaverse presented 12 oral papers—the second highest among universities and research institutes worldwide—proving its top-tier global research competitiveness.
The Graduate School of eXtended Reality Support Program is recognized as a preemptive policy designed to systematically nurture master’s and doctoral-level specialists in key future fields, such as XR, digital twins, and spatial computing, ahead of full-scale market formation. Through this initiative, world-class research outcomes continue to emerge in the fields of Spatial AI, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), and virtual convergence systems, contributing significantly to national talent development and the accumulation of technological capabilities.
On June 10, the first day of the event, the "2026 Virtual Convergence Innovative Talent Symposium and Achievement Sharing Tech Day" will introduce a large number of next-generation research results in the XR and Spatial AI sectors. The KAIST Graduate School of Metaverse plans to showcase its key research accomplishments, focusing on next-generation immersive interaction technologies and industry-aligned digital twin demonstration cases.
The flagship technologies to be unveiled on-site include:
OFERA: A real-time avatar facial expression reproduction system that naturally reconstructs facial expressions covered by XR devices, enhancing immersion in remote meetings and virtual collaborations.
AquaHaptics: An immersive underwater tactile interaction technology that transmits the water resistance and texture of a virtual underwater environment directly to the user's fingertips.
Multi-sensor-based Cultural Heritage Digital Twin and AR Visualization Technology: A solution that allows users to inspect even the internal defects of cultural heritage assets using 3D and AR visualization.
< Real-time 3D Gaussian avatar control technology for expressing facial expressions covered by an HMD >
< Multi-modal fluid-haptic rendering technology ‘AquaHaptics’ for highly immersive virtual haptic experiences >
In addition, various other research highlights will be presented, including an indirect tactile feedback system that utilizes smartwatches during bare-hand XR interactions, and "ForceCtrl," an XR raycasting technique that allows users to intuitively select and manipulate desired objects in virtual space using the force of their hand gestures.
The KAIST Graduate School of Metaverse, centered around the Post-Metaverse Research Center (PMRC), is also driving the establishment of the "Bridge Time and Space (BTS)" platform—a hyper-spatiotemporal virtual convergence platform designed to accumulate and share XR experiences and interaction data.
Furthermore, in collaboration with domestic and international research institutes such as New York University (NYU), ETRI, and KISTI, the school is developing an "XR Experience Sharing Platform." By the end of this year, it plans to launch the "New Jam Daejeon" project, a real-world demonstration that combines K-culture with XR technology.
Woontack Woo, Head of the KAIST Graduate School of Metaverse, stated, "Spatial AI and XR will serve as the core infrastructure for the future virtual convergence industry. Based on our world-class research outcomes, KAIST will connect the 'assetization of XR experiences and knowledge' with the virtual convergence industry to drive tangible innovation."
Meanwhile, the KAIST Graduate School of Metaverse will operate a dedicated exhibition booth during KMF 2026 to conduct live demonstrations of its core technologies. It will also host an admission information session for the graduate school and introduce its industry-academic joint research and technological cooperation programs.
2026.06.04 View 303 -
Professor Hoon Sohn of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Selected as the June Winner of the 'Korea Scientist and Engineer Award'
< Professor Hoon Sohn, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering >
Professor Hoon Sohn from KAIST Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering has been selected as the June winner of the 'Korea Scientist and Engineer Award.'
The Korea Scientist and Engineer Award is presented monthly by the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) and the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) to a researcher who has made significant contributions to the advancement of science and technology through original research achievements over the past three years. The award includes a commendation from the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT, along with a cash prize of 10 million KRW.
Professor Hoon Sohn was recognized for his contributions to developing an affordable, high-precision displacement sensor technology capable of detecting disaster and hazard risks in small-to-medium-sized infrastructure in real-time.
With the rapid aging of infrastructure such as bridges and buildings in recent years, the importance of technology that continuously monitors the structural safety of facilities has been growing. However, small-to-medium-sized structures—which make up the vast majority of infrastructure worldwide—exhibit very subtle movements on a millimeter scale, requiring highly precise measurement. Moreover, existing equipment is prohibitively expensive, making widespread adoption difficult.
To overcome these limitations, Professor Sohn combined millimeter-wave (mmWave) radar with Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) accelerometers and applied signal processing algorithms. Through this, he successfully developed a technology that can simultaneously measure a structure's vibration, tilt, and displacement with a single sensor.
The production cost of this sensor is under 1 million KRW, which is approximately 1/40th the cost of conventional equipment, yet it boasts a high precision of 0.026 mm. Its power consumption has also been reduced to 1/100th of existing systems. Furthermore, it incorporates energy harvesting technology that utilizes ambient wasted energy, allowing for completely wireless operation.
The reliability of this technology has been proven through field demonstrations at more than 13 domestic and international sites, including a parking garage at Stanford University (USA), a highway in San Jose (USA), a bridge in Weifang (China), and the Geumgang Pedestrian Bridge in Sejong (South Korea).
Professor Sohn stated, "The significance of this research lies in establishing a technological foundation to precisely manage small-to-medium-sized structures that have previously been excluded from continuous, routine monitoring." He added, "Moving forward, I will continue my research on AI-based digital twins to lead the automation, unmanned operation, and intelligent advancement of the safety diagnosis market, thereby contributing to public safety and disaster prevention."
2026.06.04 View 263 -
AI College Vision Declaration Ceremony Held... Presenting Vision for Fostering Global AI Convergence Talent
< KAIST College of AI Vision Declaration Ceremony >
KAIST held the 'KAIST College of AI Vision Declaration Ceremony' on the morning of the 1st at 10:00 AM in the Jeong Geun-mo Conference Hall on the 5th floor of the KAIST Academic Cultural Complex (E9). This event was organized to share both internally and externally the vision and future directions for nurturing core talent to lead the AI era, innovating education and research, fostering industrial cooperation, and establishing a responsible AI ecosystem.
The KAIST College of AI views artificial intelligence not merely as a tool for application, but as the foundation for generating new knowledge that drives transformation across science, technology, industry, education, and society as a whole. Accordingly, it plans to nurture both research talent to lead core AI technologies and convergence talent to creatively apply AI in various fields. Furthermore, it aims to establish an educational and research system that covers models, algorithms, systems, infrastructure, and domain convergence, as well as future society design and responsible AI.
The Vision Declaration Ceremony began with a welcoming address by Kwang Hyung Lee, President of KAIST. Following this, Kyeong Hoon Bae, Vice President and Minister of Science and ICT, delivered a keynote speech presenting directions for core talent development and educational innovation in the AI era. In the main session, Kuk-Jin Yoon, Dean of the KAIST College of AI, presented the college’s mid-to-long-term vision and key strategic initiatives under the theme of 'Vision and Innovation Directions of the KAIST College of AI.'
Notably, the appointment ceremony for the 'KAIST College of AI Advisory Board' was also conducted during this event. The advisory board will take on strategic advisory roles for the KAIST College of AI's education, research, industrial cooperation, global collaboration, and the implementation of responsible AI.
As for overseas advisory members, world-renowned AI scholars Yoshua Bengio, a professor at the University of Montreal, and Kyunghyun Cho, a professor at New York University, participated. Domestically, representatives from the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), as well as Crafton, Hyundai Motor Company / 42dot, Inable Fusion, Lunit, NAVER Cloud, NC AI, Rebellion, Samsung Electronics, SK Telecom, and Upstage, along with other major domestic AI/ICT companies and research institutions, took part.
In tandem, the 'KAIST AI Innovation Special Session' was held under the theme of 'New Education and Research Grammar in the AI Era.' The KAIST College of AI views students not merely as beneficiaries of education, but as active participants who design future learning methods and research cultures together. Accordingly, undergraduate student representatives directly took the stage as presenters to propose new possibilities for university education, which was followed by a panel discussion joined by the Dean of the College of AI, advisory board members, and students.
Kuk-Jin Yoon, Dean of the KAIST College of AI, stated, "The KAIST College of AI is not an organization that simply teaches AI technology, but aims to become an educational and research platform that expands human intellectual capacity and designs new knowledge and the future alongside AI. With this Vision Declaration Ceremony as a turning point, we will grow into a hub that leads world-class AI talent cultivation, challenging research, industry and social problem-solving, and the establishment of a responsible AI ecosystem."
Kwang Hyung Lee, President of KAIST, remarked, "AI is now transcending being a technology in a specific field and is becoming a core engine driving change across science, technology, industry, and society as a whole. We will actively support the KAIST College of AI so that it can lead AI talent cultivation and research innovation in South Korea and grow into an open platform that collaborates with the world."
Kyeong Hoon Bae, Vice President, stated, "To preemptively respond to a period of great transformation where AI is moving beyond the generation phase and into the execution phase, investment in AI talent is the most urgent priority. Through active communication with students, who are the consumers of education, we will build a differentiated AI educational system for South Korea."
< Poster for the KAIST College of AI Vision Declaration Ceremony >
2026.06.01 View 283 -
4 Institute of Science and Technolgies Form Alliance to Support Global Expansion of Deep-Tech Startups
An opportunity is opening up for homegrown deep-tech startups that have built strong technological capabilities to validate their competitiveness in the global market. KAIST announced on June 1st that, in collaboration with GIST, DGIST , and UNIST and with the sponsorship of the Ministry of Science and ICT, it is co-operating the ‘2026 Emerging Tech Global Launchpad’—a program supporting overseas local Proof of Concept (PoC, technological verification), investment attraction, and global networking—and is currently recruiting participating companies. The application period runs from May 29th to June 19th. This program has been designed to support ‘emerging tech-based startups’ in achieving tangible outcomes in the global market. Based on each company’s stage of readiness and target market, the program divides its support methods and leverages the regional startup networks and overseas cooperative infrastructure held by the 4 Institutes of Science and Technology (ISTs) to facilitate global market entry.
Emerging Tech Startups: Innovative companies possessing core new technologies for future industries—such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), quantum technology, next-generation energy, and biotech—and preparing for commercialization in the global market. The support types are divided into two tracks. Track 1, the ‘Global Expansion Track,’ is designed for companies that are already preparing for or attempting to enter overseas markets. Selected companies will participate in local overseas PoCs to verify the market fit of their technology for local customers and its commercial viability. They will also receive support for local partner-linked verification environments and expert networks. Track 2, the ‘Global Readiness Track,’ is a process for companies looking to build their capacity for overseas expansion.
This track provides PoC-tailored education and intensive business commercialization support programs, focusing on enhancing product and customer discovery strategies for overseas markets, designing investment attraction scenarios, and mastering local market entry methodologies. In particular, following the specialized PoC acceleration, the program will connect participants to international conferences held in major innovation hubs—such as the US West Coast, US East Coast, and Singapore—to support the discovery of global PoC customers.
Through this, participating companies are expected to expand opportunities for technical verification and business cooperation by directly meeting local corporations, investors, and representatives from global Big Tech firms. The program is open to emerging tech companies located within the regional jurisdictions covered by the 4 ISTs. KAIST is in charge of the Central Region, GIST the Honam Region, DGIST the Daekyeong Region, and UNIST the Southeast Region. However, if the company representative belongs to one of the 4 ISTs, they can apply through their affiliated institution regardless of their physical company location. This lowers the barrier to entry for startup companies founded by researchers, faculty, and graduate students belonging to the ISTs.
Kwang-Hyung Lee, President of KAIST, stated, “By combining the cooperation between the ISTs and our regional technology startup networks, we will establish a practical global expansion support system for emerging tech startups,” adding, “We will actively support domestic tech companies to minimize trial and error in entering overseas markets, generate rapid outcomes, and grow into globally competitive enterprises.”
Meanwhile, the ‘2026 Emerging Tech Global Launchpad’ is a case where the scope of cooperation has been expanded to corporate-targeted overseas customer validation and PoC support, following the ‘Deep-Tech Student Startup Integrated League (GRAVITY)’ currently co-operated by the 4 ISTs. It holds great significance as it expands the scope of support beyond discovering student startups to facilitating the overseas verification and global market settlement of regionally-based emerging tech startups. Detailed recruitment schedules, support requirements, and application methods can be found on the official ‘Emerging Tech Global Launchpad’ website (https://launchpad2026.io/) and the KAIST Institute for Startup Advancement (https://startup.kaist.ac.kr/).
2026.06.01 View 291 -
KAIST Hosts 2026 DCM, Expanding Connections Between Tech Entrepreneurship and Investment
On May 21, KAIST held a meeting with representatives from venture capital (VC) firms at the KI Building to strengthen the entrepreneurship and technology commercialization capabilities of its faculty members.
The event, hosted by the Institute for Technology Value Creation, was part of the "Department Capital Meeting (DCM)" initiative. DCM serves as a platform to build networks through regular exchanges between faculty members and VCs. Launched in November 2021, the program operates to encourage a spirit of challenge and provide practical capability support for faculty members interested in startup ventures and technology commercialization.
Marking its 8th iteration, this year's event was attended by key investment institutions, including Atinum Investment, Base Investment, Bluepoint Partners, Company K Partners, Korea Development Bank (KDB), LB Investment, Future Science & Technology Holding, Kakao Ventures, KAIST Venture Investment, and The Wells Investment.
From KAIST, a total of 10 faculty members participated, including Professor Yoon Ki Kim (Department of Biological Sciences), Professor Jin-Soo Kim (Graduate School of Engineering Biology), Professor Jeong Young Park (Department of Chemistry), Professor Hoon Sohn (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering), Professor Seong Joon Oh (Kim Jaechul Graduate School of AI), Professor Gwangrog Lee (Department of Biological Sciences), Professor Donghwan Lee (School of Electrical Engineering), Professor Sang Yup Lee (Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering), Professor Kwang-Hyun Cho (Department of Bio and Brain Engineering), and Professor Dong-Soo Har (Cho Chun Shik Graduate School of Mobility).
During the event, customized discussions took place tailored to each faculty member's stage of entrepreneurship. Faculty members who have already founded startups engaged in in-depth discussions with VCs, focusing on attracting investment and business expansion strategies. Meanwhile, those preparing to launch startups received consulting on business idea validation and execution strategies. Furthermore, a wide range of opinions were shared on various technology commercialization methods, including technology entrepreneurship, discovering new industries, technology transfer, and strategic investment partnerships.
Geon Jae Lee, Director of the Institute for Technology Value Creation, who oversaw the event, stated, "We are seeing a continuous stream of faculty startup cases that have led to actual investments through DCM. Moving forward, we expect to further expand KAIST's technology commercialization achievements based on close cooperation between VCs and our faculty members."
2026.05.22 View 507 -
From Paris to Gyeongseong' Illuminating the Flow of Modern Art
< Rodin de Paris, Exhibition Hall 3 (Photographer: Professor Hojun Ji, Department of Industrial Design) >
KAIST, which has been presenting high-quality exhibitions since the opening of its art museum in December 2024, has organized a special exhibition that illuminates how Parisian art around 1900 connected to Korean modern art.
On the 22nd, KAIST announced that it has been concurrently hosting the Parisian art collection exhibition ‘Rodin de Paris’ and the special exhibition for the late artist Ryu Kyung-chai, ‘The Poetics of Emotion,’ at the KAIST Museum of Art since April 14.
Around 1900, Paris was the center of the art world, where artists from all over the globe gathered, and various art movements clashed and were experimented with. Transcending their nationalities, they formed an international artistic community often collectively referred to as the 'School of Paris' (École de Paris).
Exhibition Hall 3 of the KAIST Museum of Art showcases the dynamism of the Parisian art scene at the time, where different formative languages coexisted during this turbulent period. A total of 10 works are on display, including pieces donated to and owned by the KAIST Museum of Art, such as Auguste Rodin’s sculpture ‘Étude pour Adam au pilier’ (Study for Adam at the Pillar), Pablo Picasso’s ceramic ‘Colombe Mate’ (Matte Dove), and Marc Chagall’s print ‘Le Cirque à Clown Jaune’ (The Circus with a Yellow Clown).
Meanwhile, the artistic world of Kyung-chai Ryu, introduced in Exhibition Hall 2, illustrates the process through which these modern Parisian art movements reached Korea via Japan. At the time, Japan was already actively accepting the latest art from Paris, and Korean painters during the Japanese colonial period encountered Western art through Japan. However, there were historical limitations, as they had to seek gradual change within an institutional framework rather than radical experimentation. Despite these constraints, Kyung-chai Ryu formed a stream of Korean lyrical abstraction through new explorations of color and form.
< Kyung-chai Ryu's The Poetics of Emotion, Exhibition Hall 2 (Photographer: Professor Ho Jun Ji, Department of Industrial Design) >
Following liberation and the Korean War, Ryu also played a pioneering role as an art educator by authoring middle and high school art textbooks tailored to the realities of Korea. In Exhibition Hall 2, 28 works by Kyung-chai Ryu, donated to and owned by the KAIST Museum of Art, are on display alongside historical materials that show the flow of Korean modern art history—such as art textbooks from that era and the original Presidential Award certificate he received at the 1st National Art Exhibition (Gukjeon) in 1949—courtesy of the bereaved family.
Beyond a simple simultaneous hosting, the two exhibitions raise the question: “How does artistic innovation originating at the center spread and transform at the periphery?” It demonstrates how the avant-garde art of Paris around 1900 was moderated and reconstructed within the context of colonial Joseon, prompting viewers to view modern art not as a single stream, but as a multilayered interaction.
Hyeon Jeong Suk, Director of the Museum of Art (and Head of the Department of Industrial Design), stated:
“I hope visitors can experience the global and Korean artistic worldviews together in this exhibition space, which the KAIST Museum of Art organized using donated works by domestic and international masters.”
Kwang Hyung Lee, President of KAIST, remarked:
“I would like to express my deepest gratitude once again to the late Chairman Moon-soul Chung for generously donating a large number of artist Kyung-chai Ryu's works. I look forward to the KAIST Museum of Art establishing itself as a cultural space for both the KAIST community and the public.”
Exhibition Information
Admission: Free to the public
Exhibition Periods:
Parisian Art Collection Exhibition: Until October 16, 2026
Kyung-chai Ryu Special Exhibition: Until February 26, 2027
Viewing Hours: Weekdays, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
2026.05.22 View 373 -
Welcome to South Korea's Hosting of the 'Global AI Hub'
KAIST announced on May 22nd that the entire faculty of the Graduate School of AI welcomes South Korea's hosting of the 'Global AI Hub.' The faculty determined that hosting this will serve as a crucial momentum builder for South Korea to earnestly contribute to international cooperation and the responsible use of technology in the artificial intelligence (AI) era.
In a joint statement, the faculty of the KAIST Graduate School of AI expressed, "Hosting the Global AI Hub goes beyond simply attracting an international organization or center to the country. It marks a significant turning point where South Korea, leveraged by its competitive edge in AI technology, can shape the direction of responsible AI together with the international community."
They further emphasized, "Moving forward, the standards for an AI powerhouse will not be determined solely by larger models and more infrastructure. How safely and responsibly we utilize AI, and how we share its benefits with the international community, is becoming increasingly vital."
The statement also noted, "South Korea has accumulated significant competitiveness in the AI sector based on its outstanding researchers and corporations, semiconductor and manufacturing capabilities, and rapid experience in digital transformation. This hosting is a precious opportunity to connect these capabilities with the international community and contribute to spreading the benefits of AI more widely."
KAIST President Kwang Hyung Lee stated, "AI is no longer just a technological competition between individual nations; it is a field where the international community must work together to shape a responsible direction for development. South Korea’s hosting of the Global AI Hub will serve as a major milestone for our country to leap forward as a central nation of trust and cooperation, not just in AI technology."
He added, "KAIST will also actively contribute to expanding cooperation with the international community, built upon our world-class AI research and talent cultivation."
KAIST is actively conducting research in a variety of related fields, including large-scale AI models, multimodal AI, AI semiconductors, robotics, manufacturing/bio/medical AI, as well as AI safety and reliability. Through convergence research spanning from foundational studies to empirical demonstrations in industrial and public sectors, we are contributing to strengthening South Korea's AI competitiveness and developing the global AI ecosystem.
Furthermore, through the establishment and operation of the Graduate School of AI, KAIST has built a world-class AI research capacity and a system for nurturing convergence-type talents. We are continuously expanding responsible AI education and research that encompasses safety, ethics, and governance alongside AI technology itself.
The faculty of the KAIST Graduate School of AI stated, "The KAIST Graduate School of AI is constantly pursuing education and research that comprehensively address AI algorithms and models, AI semiconductors and systems, convergence with industry and science/technology, and AI safety and governance. We intend to contribute to connecting South Korea's AI capabilities with the international community through cooperation with domestic universities, research institutions, corporations, and public agencies."
Lastly, they concluded, "The true meaning of the Global AI Hub lies not in the hosting itself, but in what kinds of talents we nurture afterward, what research and empirical evidence we share with the world, and what cooperative structures we build with the international community. We will continue to faithfully fulfill our necessary roles for talent cultivation and research cooperation."
2026.05.22 View 854 -
Call for Participants: 'GRAVITY 2026', the Integrated Deep-Tech Student Startup League of the 4 Major Science and Technology Institutes
< Promotional Poster for the Startup League >
KAIST announced on May 21st that "GRAVITY 2026," an integrated student startup league co-hosted with GIST, DGIST , and UNIST , is officially opening recruitment for participants.
The program name "GRAVITY" is inspired by the concept of gravity, and it was named to signify a platform that pulls together students who take on challenges in innovation and entrepreneurship.
This program is the largest united startup league among science and technology institutes in Korea, designed to discover prospective and early-stage startup teams with excellent science and technology-based startup items and to support their connection to global market expansion.
"GRAVITY 2026" is divided into an undergraduate track and a graduate track, and its key feature is that it goes beyond a simple competition, being designed to lead to actual entrepreneurship and investment attraction.
In particular, it provides full-lifecycle support—including startup activity funds, expert mentoring, and global accelerating programs—for student startup teams centered around deep-tech sectors such as AI, bio/healthcare, aerospace, and robotics.
This league will operate in a phased structure, moving from individual institution preliminaries and finals to the integrated semi-finals and finals. A total of 140 teams will be selected to receive tailored mentoring and startup activity funds. The final 10 selected outstanding teams will be provided with an opportunity to participate in an overseas accelerating program linked with global VCs, along with prize money totaling up to 200 million KRW.
An official from the four science and technology institutes stated, "GRAVITY 2026 goes beyond a simple student startup competition to become an integrated platform that shapes the future of South Korea's deep-tech startup ecosystem. Through cooperation among the institutes, we plan to build regional technology startup networks and actively support students challenging tech-based startups so they can expand into the global market."
The eligibility for participation includes prospective startup teams and early-stage startup teams within 5 years of establishment, which consist of undergraduate students, graduate students, and alumni belonging to the four major science and technology institutes (KAIST, GIST, DGIST, UNIST). Application submissions are open from May 21, 2026, to June 10, 2026, via the online application link of each respective institution. However, DGIST will extend its application period until June 15, taking its academic schedule into consideration.
Kwang-Hyung Lee, President of KAIST, said, "To ensure that GRAVITY 2026 can leap forward as a practical startup platform where deep-tech startup talents who will lead South Korea's future industries can grow, KAIST, together with GIST, DGIST, and UNIST, will actively support students' excellent technologies so that they can expand into the global market." He added, "We will strive to nurture global startup talents who challenge the world market."
2026.05.21 View 616