Now, Samsung Electronics has announced that it will support four new startups that have grown out of the company’s C-Lab Inside in-house venture program. Read more about the four new startups below.

Scan & Dive

Startup ‘Scan & Dive’ has developed a device that can analyze and classify different types of fabrics. When it is used to scan clothes, the device can tell the thickness, abrasiveness, and weaving methods used, while also classifying textiles such as cotton, polyester and rayon.

Scan & Dive’s solution can be used to automate clothing classification at laundry facilities and recycling centers and can also be used to help fashion companies inspect fabrics and make purchasing decisions. The device also has the potential to have its use cases expanded to materials such as plastic, metal and others.

Ice Linker

C-Lab spin-off ‘Ice Linker’ has created a smart cooler that automatically manages the temperatures of users that are running a fever. When worn on the head, it measures the patient’s body temperature from both temples and gradually reduces the temperature of the inner cooling plate to cool the user down.

In addition, Ice Linker offers a feature that manages the patient’s condition in real-time and delivers notifications through a smartphone app if their condition worsens. Going forward, the use cases for this device will be expanded so that it can be used by outdoor workers and by those who enjoy playing sports.

Pinot Lab

Startup ‘Pinot Lab’ has established an app that recommends wines to suit users’ tastes. When users take a picture of a wine label, it provides flavor, rating, food pairing, price, and purchase information to help them quickly and easily find a wine that’s right for them.

When users enter their meal of choice into the app, it harnesses AI-based food matching algorithms to recommend a wine to go with their meal. The app can even tell users where they can buy the wines that it recommends!

STRA

‘STRA’, another startup launched through C-Lab, has developed a guitar chord generation app called ‘CODA’ that enables users to view chords and practice playing whatever songs they may choose. When the name of a song is provided, the app’s AI engine extracts the audio data and converts it to guitar chords. The app even helps users learn the correct finger placements.

Looking ahead, STRA is planning to expand the use cases for CODA so that the app can be used with a music platform that helps connect music teachers to people who want to learn to play instruments and provides contactless music lessons.

Other Recently Launched Startups

C-Lab spin-off ‘WELT’, a digital healthcare startup that develops smart belts, has recently raised funding of USD 5.3 million from total healthcare company Handok and two other venture capitals. The startup is planning to work with investors to develop digital therapeutics for alcoholism and insomnia.

‘AIMT’, which develops high-performance vacuum insulation materials, is expanding its business from insulation panels for home appliances to eco-friendly cold chain packaging that is made from recycling PET bottles. Last December, it was selected as a ‘preliminary unicorn special guarantee company’ by the Korean Ministry of SMEs and Startups, and its sales tripled on the previous year to reach USD 14.2 million in 2020.

In addition to the C-Lab spin-off program providing startups with the investment and business consulting they need to grow, Samsung provides a five-year window during which employees who launch startups can return to their jobs if their endeavors prove unsuccessful. As a result, 182 employees have established 52 startups since the inception of the C-Lab program.

Speaking about the program, Vice President and Head of the Creativity & Innovation Center at Samsung Electronics Inkuk Hahn said, “Going forward, we will continue to support promising C-Lab projects and employees with entrepreneurial ambitions to allow them to spin their ventures off from the program and contribute to the startup ecosystem in Korea.”

Great things can happen when we challenge the status quo. This is the kind of thinking Samsung encourages among its employees and has resulted in a range of pioneering technologies—many of which are on display at the Samsung Rethink Lounge at IFA 2016.

But what’s interesting about these specific technologies is that they aren’t actually Samsung products but rather projects of Samsung’s C-Lab, an internal program that aims to foster innovation at the company.

The five C-Lab projects selected to be showcased at IFA are each unique, but all have one thing in common—they all set out to rethink the way something is done. Whether it’s making a phone call, printing or viewing 3D imagery, they each take a fresh approach to completing everyday tasks, shattering expectations of how people approach technology in the process.

MOPIC

Viewing 3D video with 3D glasses has always been the norm. The problem with this, however, is that glasses are cumbersome and uncomfortable.

MOPIC takes a different approach. Through the use of a simple device that attaches to a phone much in the same way as a protective case, it enables 3D viewing on the go. No glasses necessary.

Prinker

We’ve been printing on paper for years. And, recent technological developments have allowed us to 3D print tangible items. But what makes Prinker so different is its ability to print on human skin.

Users can select a design they wish to print from the Prinker Online Art Gallery app, or they can create their own using a Galaxy Note5 or Galaxy Note7 smartphone. The wireless mobile printer then transfers the design to the skin through direct contact using safe, non-toxic ink. The ink is water resistant and can last on the skin for up to two days, and can easily be removed with soap and water.

Prinker isn’t just rethinking printing; it’s also changing self-expression as we know it.

Entrim4D

Entrim4D has a brand new take on virtual reality (VR). Their idea is to build on the current premise of VR, while injecting an additional layer of reality into the experience.

The device utilizes a conventional VR headset like Gear VR, along with a pair of headphones. These headphones work by using a combination of algorithms and Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation that send electric signals to a nerve in the ear. In short, the device tricks the part of the ear that regulates balance and motion. And, when that effect is synchronized with the action in a VR video, users feel it in a more realistic way.

Sgnl

We all make phone calls; some of us make dozens of them every day.

But Sgnl is a smart strap that enables you to conveniently answer phone calls through your fingertip. All you need to do is simply place your fingertip to your ear while speaking through the embedded microphone. As a result, your phone can stay secure in your pocket or bag, out of sight from the rest of the world.

Sgnl is now live as a Kickstarter project.

WELT

The WELT is a belt like no other. It measures your waistline and sends alerts when you overeat. It tracks the steps you take and the amount of time you’ve remained inactive, and provides actionable insights based on these measurements.

In addition, it offers a range of fashionable designs for both men and women, catering to a variety of tastes. It not only gives a new personal touch to wearables, but also has the ability to combat the global issue of obesity in a way never imagined before.

WELT, too, is also now a Kickstarter project.

These C-Lab projects are the kinds of ideas that shake up industries by offering something different. They take concepts we’re already familiar with and bring them to the next level.  Time will only tell what’s next for C-Lab, but as creativity and curiosity continues to be encouraged at Samsung, it’s sure to be something progressive.

Into this mix, a team with the Samsung C-Lab (short for Creative Lab) was recently inspired to develop a first-of-its-kind product, the IOFIT smart golf shoe, which utilizing pressure sensor technology embedded in the shoes, provides real-time analysis and feedback on a player’s golf swing through a mobile app.

For its part, there was an article featured Samsung C-Lab last month on Samsung Newsroom, a program designed to support Samsung employees in nurturing their own business ideas towards the ultimate goal of becoming fully fledged businesses. During their participation in C-Lab, Samsung workers can take six months to a year away from their usual day jobs to devote themselves 100% to working on their ideas.

A Mission to Change the Way People Play Sports

Envisioning to change the way people play sports, the IOFIT team, following a period of formation and incubation through C-Lab, launched the world’s first smart shoe product to help golfers quickly and smartly improve their games.

The IOFIT smart golf shoe features a high-quality, comfortable shoe product, which incorporating thin pressure sensors embedded in the outsole, measures a player’s balance and weight shifts in real-time. This data is then transferred via Bluetooth to the user’s smartphone where analysis and feedback is provided through an app on how the player can improve his or her swing. The IOFIT pressure sensor technology is itself particularly cutting-edge, designed to accurately detect any subtle changes in pressure distribution in a matter of milliseconds. The sensors are also waterproof and carefully built to withstand excessive amounts of weight, of up to 330 lbs (150 kg).

Once the data is fed from the shoe to the user’s smartphone, the IOFIT app offers key functions including complete analysis of a player’s swing from pressure distribution to center of pressure (CoP) to left/right and front/back balance in real-time. Another function of the app then interprets this data to provide coaching and personalized feedback to the user. To round out the features, the app also includes an option for players to compete with their friends on who has the better golf swing as well as share their individual swing information.

IOFIT Kickstarter Campaign

Passionate about the unique offering of its product, the IOFIT team provided samples of its smart shoes for various media outlets to trial. The feedback that came back was nothing short of terrific with outlets from CNET to Gizmodo to Fortune to many others praising the effectiveness and fun factor of the shoes.

As the IOFIT project entered its culmination phase and to begin delivering the shoes to people worldwide, the IOFIT team launched a crowdfunding campaign via the well-known Kickstarter platform. A common funding approach for today’s start-ups, crowdfunding involves the raising of funding for a new venture via monetary contributions from a larger number of people, and is typically conducted through internet platforms.

IOFIT’s Kickstarter page, which was launched on August 2, successfully reached its goal of raising USD 30,000 in just 10 hours. As of the date of this post, the funding stands at just over USD 50,000.

The IOFIT team sees golf shoes as just the start and envisions to expand their line of smart shoes into other sports and, even different fields, like healthcare.

Upcoming Innovations from Samsung C-Lab

With C-Lab’s pivotal role supporting successful projects like the IOFIT smart shoe, it’s clear why there’s so much excitement around the program here at Samsung. In the near future, C-Lab has many other exciting projects that we will share more about on Samsung Newsroom.

For instance, one project we’re particularly excited about is SGNL, a smart watch strap that activates a range of functionality to any watch—and also provides a point-of-contact technique for listening on phone calls just by touching your finger to your ear. As the sound can only be heard by the person wearing the device, it is perfect for noise-sensitive environments like conference rooms or an elevator to make calls privately without the risk of being overheard. SGNL has shown so much potential that the group was launched as a new, independent company in 2015.

Another innovation is the smart wearable healthcare belt WELT, which was first showcased at CES 2016. WELT is capable of the recording user’s overall health by measuring the waist size, overeating habits, the number of steps taken and time spent sitting down. It then sends data to a specially designed app for the production of personalized healthcare and weight management plans. Also, its elegant design makes it looks just like a regular leather belt.

As Samsung C-Lab rolls forward, you can expect details on many more exciting innovations like these that Samsung employees are busy at work dreaming about and creating. Please stay tuned!

WELT

Samsung Electronics’ Creative Lab (C-Lab) launched five projects as independent companies. The C-Lab was first introduced to cultivate a creative company culture and produce promising startup companies.

On May 31, the 18 employees of the five C-Lab companies resigned from Samsung Electronics to officially establish the five companies and engage in full-scale business.

In August 2015, Samsung Electronics introduced a startup company establishing system (C-Lab spin-off system) for the first time in the industry. The company selected nine outstanding C-Lab projects to support as startup companies. This year, five projects were chosen and established as companies.

The five projects to become independent startups include: “WELT”, a smart belt that manages obesity and overeating; “Idea Printer”, a printer that simply prints ideas onto sticky notes; “Locksa”, a smartphone application that manages photographs with your smartphone unlock function; “Save Energy Cost”, an intelligent software that recommends optimal electricity pricing systems; and “Samsung Insulation”, a vacuous insulator with the highest insulation efficiency in the world.

Idea Printer

Through internal technical evaluations and external venture capital evaluations, Samsung Electronics selected the five projects were not only creative, but also showed the highest potential for commercial success.

After being established as independent startup companies today, the companies will complete product development and engage in marketing activities, aiming for market release in the second half of the year.

Samsung Electronics’ C-Lab is an internal venture incubation program that was first introduced in 2012 to cultivate a creative company culture, and discover and actualize the innovative ideas of employees. When an idea is chosen as a C-Lab project, employees can take up to a year away from their primary job to autonomously execute the project—from team formation to budget usage and schedule management.

The person who proposes the idea becomes the team leader, regardless of rank or position. The team will focus on commercialization of the idea in a flexible and parallel environment undeterred by working hours and places.

Through the promotion of startup companies, Samsung Electronics expects to stimulate a spirit of entrepreneurship in all employees.

Furthermore, the startup team members will receive consultancy support based on Samsung Electronics’ capabilities, network and other business expertise.

Meanwhile, the nine companies that became spin-offs in 2015 are showing progress despite the competitive startup environment.

Swallaby and Bluehack developed mobile applications and recently launched official services through Google Play. Innomdle Lab developed a new wearable-based UX concept. In April, the company attracted a promising foreign venture investor for the first time as a spinoff company.

“This year is the fourth year since C-Lab was initiated,” said Lee Jae Il, Director of DMC R&D Center, Samsung Electronics. “To date, we have had 130 projects with 480 employees participating. Among those, 40 projects have been transferred to a business division to be developed as commercial products. Recently at global conventions such as CES and MWC, we have released outstanding C-Lab projects as a proactive effort to increase ties with actual business.”

Additionally, Samsung Electronics dedicated a C-Lab only space in the central park of Samsung Electronics Digital City in Suwon to invigorate C-Lab projects.

Depending on the character of each project, C-Lab projects will be relocated and run in two spaces, either the central park C-Lab space or Seoul R&D campus in Umyeondong.

“C-Lab projects are being showcased here to assess their market potential and get hands-on feedback from CES attendees,” said JeongRae Cho, Manager in the Creativity & Innovation Center. “The feedback was much more impressive than expected, and there is further progress to be made.”

Check out the people behind these three C-Lab projects explaining their inventive ideas in their own words.

WELT:

rink:

TipTalk:

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Samsung to Showcase Three Creative Lab Projects for the First Time, at CES 2016

Samsung to Support the Launch of Three New Startups From Its Creative Lab

Samsung Electronics announced that it will be demonstrating three Creative Lab (C-Lab) projects for the first time, at CES 2016. C-Lab is one of Samsung’s innovation programs, which helps its employees to nurture their own creative business ideas. The three projects are WELT – a healthcare belt that helps people manage their waist size by measuring their daily habits and behaviors, rink – a hand-motion controller for mobile VR devices, and TipTalk – a remarkable new user experience (UX) that enables users to hear sounds, transmitted through their own body.

These C-Lab projects will be showcased at Eureka Park, the flagship destination for startups at CES, in Hall G, Level One of the Sands Expo, from January 6 to January 9, 2016. As the projects are still in the development process, they are being showcased to assess their market potential and to gather hands-on feedback from CES attendees, enabling further improvements to be made.

WELT – A More Discreet Way to Track Personal Health

WELT is a smart wearable healthcare belt that looks like a normal belt, thus offering consumers a more discreet way of using smart sensor technology to monitor their health. WELT is capable of recording the user’s waist size, eating habitsand the number of steps taken, as well as time spent sitting down. It then sends this data to a specially-designed app for analysis, and the production of a range of personalized healthcare and weight management plans.

rink – Taking Mobile VR to the Next Level with Hand-Motion Control

rink is an advanced hand-motion controller for mobile VR devices which offers a more intuitive and nuanced way to interact with the virtual world. The ability to intuitively control the game or content just by using their hands provides consumers with a much deeper level of mobile VR immersion.

TipTalk – The Future of Wearable Communications Offer Greater Call Clarity

TipTalk is a remarkable new UX that enables people to listen to the sound from their smart devices, such as the Samsung Gear S2, without headsets or earphones, simply by touching their finger to their ear. This enhances the clarity of calls, enabling them to be taken in public, even in noise-sensitive or loud environments, such as a concert hall or building site – without the risk of being overheard.

Shaped like a watch strap, ‘TipTalk’ can be added to watches – analog or smart – and sync with smartphones, enabling Text-to-Speech (TTS) functionality.

C-Lab: Empowering Samsung Employees with a Culture of Innovation

Since being founded in 2012, Samsung’s C-Lab has fostered creative thinking throughout the company and supported more than 100 projects. Of these C-Lab projects, around 70 have already been completed, 40 of which are currently being further developed by Samsung’s business units.

This year, nine of these projects have been identified as having an especially high potential. As such Samsung has helped these project teams launch fully-fledged external startups – with one example being the inventor of Tip Talk, Innomdle Lab, which launched as a new, independent company in August 2015.

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Samsung to Support the Launch of Three New Startups From Its Creative Lab

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