CEO Jongkap Kim's Blueprint: Building a 'Global Digital Road' for the AX/DX Era
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In an exclusive interview with The Korea Economic Daily, GDIN CEO Jongkap Kim articulated a transformative vision for the global expansion of Korean tech innovators. As the world pivots toward AI and Digital Transformation, he argued that the traditional concept of 'Export' is becoming obsolete.
Key Points:
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The "Digitalware": Beyond physical devices, the core value now lies in 'Digitalware'—software and services that evolve through real-time interaction with customers. Success now depends on deep-rooted localization and maintenance within the local market.
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"Global Digital Road": GDIN is pioneering a new path for startups. Instead of only targeting overcrowded mature markets, GDIN facilitates expansion through high-growth emerging regions, creating a sustainable bridge to global leadership.
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'Korean Valley': Starting with the success in Paraná, Brazil, GDIN is establishing "Korean Valleys" worldwide—strategic outposts built with local governments to serve as hubs for Korean tech ecosystems to flourish.
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'Matchmaker': GDIN aims to become a 'Global Matchmaker,' connecting high-tech supply with global demand to help supported startups achieve a global revenue.
"GDIN’s mission is to move beyond simple support and create a sustainable, virtuous cycle of growth where innovation meets real-world profit on a global scale." - GDIN CEO Jongkap Kim
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Opening Another Door in Latin America. Invest RS Visits GDIN
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On February 25, GDIN hosted a delegate, Investment Manager Eduardo Afonso from Invest RS, the investment promotion agency of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The visit focused on strengthening the innovation bridge between Korea and Brazil’s key economic hubs.
During the meeting, both parties discussed concrete strategies to support the entry of Korean tech enterprises into the Latin American market.
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Decoding Korean Innovation |
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From Military Might to Startup Light
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The South Korean government announced its roadmap for transforming the Korean defense sector into a high-octane startup ecosystem. By 2030, Korea aims to nurture 100 defense startups and 30 "Global Defense Unicorns." Here is why global investors should be paying attention:
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Lowering the Drawbridge: The rigid procurement system is being replaced by the "Defense Startup Challenge," allowing startups to pitch AI, Robotics, and Drone concepts directly to the military for rapid field testing.
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Data-Driven Growth: Through "Defense AX Hubs," the government is opening up curated military datasets—the 'fuel' for AI startups to train and commercialize their tech.
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Global Supply Chain (GVC30 Project): This initiative directly plugs Korean startups into the value chains of global defense giants, de-risking the path to international exports and M&A.
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Naval MRO Hub: A specialized cluster for Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul is in the works, set to bolster Korea-U.S. shipbuilding and maritime cooperation.
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- AIZEN: The AI-finance pioneer secured strategic debt financing from InnoVen Capital (Singapore) and Accial Capital (USA). Its 'CreditConnect EV' platform is seeing robust growth across Indonesia.
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UVify: The drone swarm and autonomous flight leader raised KRW 60 billion (circa 41 Million USD) in new investment from Krit Ventures and NXC (Nexon's holding company).
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SsenStone: The security specialist signed a major contract to supply its OT (Operational Technology) endpoint identification and authentication solutions to a global secondary battery giant.
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The Next Gen of Energy Infrastructure
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As the AI race intensifies, the bottleneck isn't just chips—it’s power. Data centers are outgrowing our century-old electrical grid, sparking a massive investment in Solid-State Transformers (SST).
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Unlike bulky, analog transformers, SSTs use power semiconductors to act as "smart routers" for the grid. They are 80% smaller, 10x faster to deploy, and enable the digital, bi-directional flow essential for AI workloads and EV charging.
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High-profile ventures like Heron Power and Amperesand are raising tens of millions, as reported by TechCrunch, to redefine AI infrastructure.
While many are still in R&D, Korean Startup Crocus is already commercializing the future of digital power.
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ACELO Platform: Their AI-driven SST and voltage controllers boost energy efficiency by 5%+ and grid capacity by 10%+ without requiring new infrastructure.
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Software-Defined Power: Beyond hardware, Crocus provides a cloud-based AI platform for real-time optimization and failure prediction, saving industrial clients millions in energy costs.
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