Kakao Investment has wrapped up the second cohort of "Kakao AI Sail Launch", a programme linking AI technology from four science and technology institutes to startups and commercialisation.

Kakao Investment said on Nov. 12 that it held the final round and awards ceremony for the programme on Nov. 10 at the Kakao AI Campus in Yongin, Gyeonggi.

A total of 122 teams affiliated with or alumni of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST) and Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) applied. After screening, 12 teams selected as finalists presented their AI technology and business models in the final round.

"Kakao AI Sail Launch" supports startup creation and commercialisation of AI technologies and ideas developed at the four institutes. Participating teams chose either business areas proposed by Kakao affiliates or a free topic, proposed technology and business ideas, and presented technology competitiveness, business potential and growth strategies in the final round.

The grand prize went to UNIST's "Rocon". Rocon developed a "personal work agent" that small and medium-sized businesses can deploy in their operations. The company said it received high marks for the potential to expand the business centred on business-to-business work support functions.

Excellence awards went to Milittrack (KAIST) and SpaceAI (GIST).

Encouragement awards went to F22 (KAIST), GeoRobot (DGIST), RocketTools (GIST), TripBuilder (UNIST) and Quester (DGIST).

A total of 8 teams won awards. Total prize money is 75 million won, with 30 million won paid to 1 grand prize team, 10 million won each to 2 excellence award teams and 5 million won each to 5 encouragement award teams.

Winning teams are offered opportunities to conduct proof-of-concept work with Kakao affiliates and to link up with Kakao Investment's investment review. Whether actual investment and proof-of-concept projects proceed will be decided after separate reviews and consultations.

Kakao Investment is linking proof-of-concept work with Kakao affiliates and investment review so that research-stage technologies can be validated in real businesses.

Attendees included Kakao Investment CEO Do-young Kim (김도영), Kakao Entertainment co-CEO Jeong-hee Ko (고정희) and Kakao Pay CEO Won-geun Shin (신원근). Upstage CEO Sung-hoon Kim (김성훈) delivered a special lecture on startups and technology commercialisation in the AI era.

"The role of partners such as investment companies is important in linking excellent AI research results coming out of regions to real businesses," Kim said. "I hope that this launch will help each team prove its technological potential in the market and create bigger growth."

Kyung-won Hong (홍경원), CEO of Rocon, which won the grand prize, said it was meaningful that the potential of its technology and business model was validated by real investors and business sites. He said the team will move quickly on advancing the technology and validating customers, and will broaden the potential for cooperation with Kakao affiliates.