Daegu C-Lab 18th Cohort Begins Incubating 15 Startups... New 'AX Track' Established This Year

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The Daegu Center for Creative Economy & Innovation (Daegu CCEI) has commenced the 18th cohort of the 'Daegu C-Lab Accelerating' program. The Daegu Center held the 18th cohort kickoff camp for two days starting June 11 at the Interburgo Manchon Park Village.

Through a public recruitment process conducted since last March, the Daegu Center selected 15 companies. A key feature this year is the establishment of the AX (AI Transformation) Track to advance the region's industrial AX. The selection included 7 companies for the AX Track, aimed at accelerating the AI transformation of existing industries, and 8 companies for the Future New Industry Track, focusing on Daegu City's key strategic industry sectors.

'Daegu C-Lab Accelerating' is a program operated by the Daegu Center with support from the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and Daegu City. Since 2014, the program has applied the operational know-how of Samsung Electronics' in-house venture program, 'C-Lab,' to the region to discover and nurture startups. Over the past 12 years, through 17 cohorts, it has produced 231 startups, which have recorded cumulative revenue of 1.01 trillion KRW, 4,057 employees, and cumulative investment attraction of 503.6 billion KRW. Achievements also include two CES Innovation Awards, 34 CES Innovation Honoree awards, and selection as preliminary unicorns.

This camp featured participation from C-Lab alumni, including CEO Cho Hyung-jin of Salted (3rd cohort), CEO Lee Jun-seung of Shapple & Company (12th cohort), and CEO Park Mu-yeol of CL Mobility (2nd cohort), who shared their operational experiences and know-how regarding investment attraction and scaling up. Additionally, lectures on practical investment attraction and investment contracts were held, alongside guidance on the Samsung Electronics C-Lab Outside program and Daegu Center-linked support projects.

Starting with this camp, the Daegu Center will operate a step-by-step growth support program for the 18th cohort companies, including up to 30 million KRW in commercialization funds, a 3 million KRW technology support package, expert mentoring by field specialists, investment attraction consulting, and IR Demo Days.

CEO Han In-guk stated, "The regional industry is at a point where it must accelerate AX transformation based on manufacturing and expand into future new industries. As the technology and commercialization capabilities of the 18th cohort companies can be the answer to advancing regional industries, we will support them to ensure they possess competitiveness in the global market as well."