Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. has announced it will showcase new projects that, with the support of its C-Lab program, are innovating in a wide range of fields, including AI, robotics and digital health, at CES 2026, the world’s largest consumer electronics and IT exhibition, running Jan. 6-9.

At CES, Samsung will operate a dedicated C-Lab exhibition area to support the startups’ expansion into the global market. It will be located in Eureka Park at the Venetian Expo, the designated startup zone of CES, where participating startups will showcase innovative technologies.

“Samsung supports C-Lab startups through CES as a platform to validate innovative technologies and build momentum for global growth,” said Byoung Chul Lee, Vice President and Head of the Creativity & Innovation Center at Samsung Electronics. “This year, expanded participation from regional startups highlights the continued evolution of the C-Lab ecosystem.”

C-Lab Outside: 15 Startups That Include AI, Robotics and Digital Health

This year, C-Lab will feature 15 startups, including eight startups directly incubated by Samsung Electronics through the C-Lab Outside program, four from the Samsung Financial Networks-operated Samsung Financial C-Lab Outside, two from Samsung Electronics’ internal venture program, C-Lab Inside, and one that was jointly incubated by Samsung Electronics and the Daegu Creative Economy Innovation Center.

Record Participation of Regional Startups

Since 2023, Samsung has expanded C-Lab outside to the Korean cities of Daegu and Gwangju, as well as the Gyeongbuk province. The program identifies and supports promising startups to strengthen regional startup ecosystems, then provides workspace, stage-based consulting and opportunities to collaborate with Samsung and its affiliates. This allows startups to grow without relocating to the much larger city of Seoul and fosters a sustainable local innovation cycle.

To date, 40 regional startups have been incubated through this initiative, contributing to the revitalisation of regional ecosystems and laying the groundwork for future global unicorns.

At CES 2026, seven startups from Daegu, Gwangju and Gyeongbuk will participate, marking the largest-ever presence of regional C-Lab startups at CES.

Regional Startup Achievements Continue to Grow

The technological competitiveness of these regional C-Lab startups continues to gain recognition.

Repla, a plastic recycling startup from C-Lab Outside Gyeongbuk, received a CES 2026 Innovation Award for its Puri-Checker, a device that analyses plastic composition ratios.

“For a regional startup, collaborating with a global company like Samsung has been a valuable opportunity,” said Dong-eun Seo, CEO of Repla. “Plastic recycling is a global challenge, and CES provides an important platform to explore international market opportunities.”

The seven participating regional C-Lab startups are as follows:

• Stress Solution (Gyeongbuk): An AI-based personalised mental care sound creation solution
• Deepscent (Gwangju): An AI-powered digital scent solution tailored to every space
• Elevenliter (Daegu): AI-Powered diagnostics for progressive diseases in pets
• AunionAI (Gwangju): A web-based AI solution for automated multilingual dubbing and subtitles with expressive voices and sound effects
• Repla (Gyeongbuk): Enzyme-purified recycled plastic, free of impurities
• Univa (Daegu): An on-device multimodal large language model solution
• 10kM.ai (Daegu Creative Economy Innovation Center): An enterprise AI video production solution that can generate, edit and monetise videos

C-Lab Inside Showcases AI-Driven Internal Ventures

Every year since 2016, Samsung has used CES to showcase projects from C-Lab Inside, gauging global market response and validating business potential.

This year, two AI-driven projects evaluated highly for their innovation, global scalability and completeness will be exhibited:

• ChronoMix: An AI solution for object-centric video composition
• EZ Reco: A generative AI platform that makes electronics recommendations based on expert knowledge

Expansion of C-Lab to Affiliates, Including Financial Startups

Reflecting the expansion of Samsung’s open innovation model across its affiliates, four startups from Samsung Financial C-Lab Outside will participate in CES for the first time. This participation enables startups across various industries to seek new global collaboration opportunities by leveraging Samsung’s incubation experience. The Samsung Financial C-Lab Outside startups are as follows:

• Selectstar (Samsung Life Insurance): Copyright-cleared datasets and an all-in-one AI evaluation platform
• Datumo (Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance): Cyber risk modeling to quantify and reduce the financial impact of cyber attacks
• WINNING.I (Samsung Card): Next-gen identity verification (eKYC) powered by simultaneous fingerprint and face biometrics
• Pillsang (Samsung Securities): Real-time phishing (scam/fraud) detection solution using on-device AI

C-Lab Startups Win 17 CES 2026 Innovation Awards

C-Lab startups have received a total of 17 CES 2026 Innovation Awards, including two Best of Innovation Awards, as announced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA).

Both Best of Innovation Award recipients — MangoSlab and StudioLab — originated from C-Lab Inside and later spun off as independent startups, reaffirming the technological excellence and growth potential of Samsung’s internal ventures.

*This article contains products and features currently in development. The plans, product claims, timelines, and specifications described are subject to change without notice. Their future availability is not guaranteed.

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The C-Lab exhibition at CES 2025 featured 15 startups and projects, including 12 from C-Lab Outside, Samsung’s program for external startups; two projects from C-Lab Inside, which is an in-house idea incubation program for Samsung employees; and one C-Lab Spin-Off startup, which was founded following its success within C-Lab Inside.

Many of these startups were recognized with CES Innovation Awards from the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) for their technological innovation and creativity. Samsung Newsroom met with three CES Innovation Award winners, Pinpoint (smart city technology), Quester (XR technology) and GhostPass (security/fintech technology), at the C-Lab exhibition to learn more about their groundbreaking work.

▲ The C-Lab exhibition at CES 2025

Pinpoint: First Step Toward Global Recognition With C-Lab

▲ Pinpoint employees full of spirit as they vow to expand their business globally

Samsung’s C-Lab is helping innovative startups make their mark on the global stage. Through the C-Lab Outside program, Samsung provides opportunities for outstanding startups to participate in world-class exhibitions such as CES while offering support for exhibition preparation and customized consulting for the CES Innovation Award application process.

Pinpoint, a 2024 participant in C-Lab Outside, made its global debut at the C-Lab exhibition at CES 2025. The startup won an Innovation Award in the Smart Cities category for its IoT-integrated management solution for building operations.

▲ Pinpoint’s CES 2025 Innovation Award trophy along with pamphlets on smart building operation systems for next-generation buildings

Pinpoint’s building solution is a smart management system that increases operational efficiency for building operators while delivering a personalized user experience. Operators benefit from integrated control over all resources within the building, while users can easily access various services such as reservations, parking, robot delivery and more via a mobile app.

At the exhibition, Pinpoint focused on demonstrating its cloud-based optimized building solutions in action. “I think Pinpoint’s smart building solutions can be very useful in Korea considering the buildings there are probably built quite vertically, instead of horizontally like they generally are here in the United States, where I’m living,” said one visitor.

“We aim to gauge the response of the global market and actively seek opportunities for collaboration through participation in CES,” said Jin Hyuk Ahn, CEO of Pinpoint. “Thanks to C-Lab’s structured support, we are excited and proud to be able to present our solutions on a global stage, where many consumer-oriented products and services compete with each other,” he added. “It was challenging to fully understand the judging criteria and convey our core strengths, but the case studies and data preparation guides provided by C-Lab were invaluable.”

▲ Pinpoint CEO Jin Hyuk Ahn

Pinpoint is enhancing its technology by piloting its solutions in conjunction with SmartThings Pro, an advanced enterprise version of Samsung’s SmartThings platform, and b.IoT, Samsung’s integrated building management solution. After sharing its vision with the world at CES 2025, Pinpoint plans to continue further enhancing user experience-driven space planning and design toward becoming the gold standard in the industry.”

Quester: Locally Discovered by C-Lab, Globally Recognized at CES

▲ Quester employees expressing how excited they are to be part of CES for their first time

Samsung’s C-Lab serves as a platform to help regional startups grow as well. In addition to Seoul, C-Lab Outside programs operate in Daegu, Gwangju and Gyeongbuk (Gyeongsan) to nurture and promote outstanding startups.

Quester, which grew through C-Lab Outside Daegu in 2024, showcased its innovative hand-tracking glove technology at CES 2025 — a debut made more special by winning an Innovation Award in the XR Technologies & Accessories category.

▲ A demonstration of how Quester’s hand-tracking glove technology utilizes motion data

Quester’s hand-tracking glove technology precisely identifies and tracks the way a hand moves to implement such movements. To overcome the limitations of existing technologies, which are often sensitive to external factors that limit the usage environment, Quester has adopted an approach called sensor fusion. This approach delivers stable performance by combining the advantages of multiple sensors and will be applied in various fields, including immersive content, robotics and motion capture.

At its booth at CES 2025, Quester focused on demonstrating its technological strengths and development direction through prototypes. These demonstrations allowed Quester to not only test their technology but also attract crucial feedback from potential clients, which the startup plans to incorporate into its research on new functions to satisfy various client needs.

▲ Quester CEO Jeongwu Lee explains her startup’s high-performance hand-tracking glove technology to a visitor.

“By researching hand-tracking technology starting with virtual experimental content, we were able to develop an innovative solution with universal applicability,” said Jeongwu Lee, CEO of Quester. “Through the infrastructure of C-Lab Outside Daegu, along with various consulting opportunities and the experience acquired from promoting our technology at domestic technology fairs, we were able to grow further.”

At CES 2025, Quester aims to connect with various industry stakeholders to identify collaboration opportunities and gain insights for enhancing its products.

GhostPass: Expanding Beyond Korea With C-Lab’s Support

▲ GhostPass employees posing for a photo with their CES 2025 Best of Innovation Award trophy

Samsung continues to support the growth of C-Lab graduates. Even after graduation, these startups benefit from industry partnerships, investments and opportunities for synergies with Samsung, helping them become more competitive in the global market.

GhostPass, part of C-Lab Outside in 2023, showcases its biometric authentication technology at the C-Lab exhibition for the second consecutive year. GhostPass’ CES achievements include winning an Innovation Award in the Smart Cities category last year and the Best of Innovation Award in the FinTech category this year.

▲ GhostPass’ CES 2025 Best of Innovation Award (FinTech category) next to a video demonstrating how the startup’s biometric authentication solution can be used for in-store payment

GhostPass’ biometric authentication solution is characterized by its two-factor authentication technology. The technology stores biometric information, such as facial and iris data, only on the user’s smartphone rather than on a server or separate device and supports remote authentication from other devices. This increases security and allows users to manage their biometric information directly on their devices. The solution is also expected to help businesses reduce operational costs by eliminating the need for server-based storage.

▲ A visitor from Türkiye having fun trying out GhostPass’ biometric authentication technology

At CES 2025, GhostPass expanded its application to the fintech sector, demonstrating an unmanned store concept where visitors experienced biometric authentication from entry to payment. “What’s most impressive is the fact that no third party is collecting the biometric data. It’s an innovative solution that I think will have many applications,” said Huseyin Ada, a visitor from Türkiye after trying out the technology.

“As a member of the C-Lab Family, we’ve had the opportunity to participate in global exhibitions and receive valuable feedback from industry stakeholders worldwide,” said Seongwan Lee, CEO of GhostPass. “All of our brochures are gone already! Our booth’s popularity this year is definitely exceeding last year’s. With this momentum, we hope to establish global collaboration partnerships at CES 2025 and achieve tangible results,” he added. “Advice from Samsung employees was instrumental in preparing for the exhibition and showcasing our technology effectively.”

▲ GhostPass CEO Seongwan Lee

GhostPass, which has successfully attracted investment through C-Lab, continues to grow by leveraging C-Lab Outside’s networking opportunities and participating in exhibitions around the world. The startup plans to pursue partnerships in diverse fields, including identity verification, access security and payment, while expanding overseas.

▲ The C-Lab exhibition at CES 2025, filled with guests eager to learn more about Korea’s vibrant startup scene

The C-Lab exhibition at CES 2025 has served as a platform for Samsung C-Lab startups to make a huge leap onto the world stage. As these budding companies grow from the experience, so will Korea’s startup scene as a whole. Samsung Electronics and the C-Lab Family remain committed to strengthening that ecosystem, from discovering extraordinary startups to propelling those startups to previously unimaginable heights.

At CES 2025, the C-Lab companies consist of 12 startups from the C-Lab Outside program, which incubates external startups; two startups from C-Lab Inside, which is an internal venture program for employees; and one startup that was spun-off from Samsung. At the event, Samsung expects C-Lab startups to assess global market response, strengthen business feasibility and meet with investors.

“CES is an important opportunity for Korean startups to gain a foothold in the global market and increase brand awareness,” said Pilgyu Jeon, Executive Vice President and Head of the Creativity & Innovation Center at Samsung Electronics. “C-Lab will continue to support startups on the journey to becoming internationally recognized global innovators.”

C-Lab Outside: Twelve Startups That Include AI, IoT and Digital Health

This year, C-Lab will feature 12 startups, including 11 startups directly incubated by Samsung Electronics through the C-Lab Outside program and one startup jointly incubated by Samsung Electronics and the Daegu Center for Creative Economy & Innovation. The 12 startups are as follows:

AI

• DEEP.FINE: An XR solution using Vision-AI and Visual Localization (VL) for precise digital space creation
• Mainspace: An online shopping service based on automated 3D interior design technology
• ENERZAi: A next-generation AI inference optimization engine
• Cochl: An AI-based sound technology that can understand any sound like a human
• Korea Greendata: Revolutionizing energy data analytic platform with AI-driven chatbot integration
• 10kM.ai: An enterprise AI video production solution that can generate, edit, and distribute at scale

 Digital Health

• Riduck: An AI-based aerobic exercise coaching solution based on data from a wearable device
• LabSD: A digital ophthalmoscope manufactured with upcycled smartphones and a teleophthalmology system
• Meditrix: A VR-based neuro-biofeedback motion chair and mobile digital therapeutics

 IoT

• Ghostpass: A remote hands-free authentication solution by storing user biometrics on smartphones
• Pinpoint: Smart building OS that integrates operations and user experiences into a unified solution

 Robot

• Quester: A high-performance hand tracking glove with sensor fusion technology

C-Lab will showcase four local startups from Daegu and Gwangju, Korea, which is a new record achieved through Samsung Electronics’ efforts to promote the local startup ecosystem. Since 2023, Samsung Electronics has expanded the C-Lab Outside program to discover and nurture innovative startups in these regions. The immense potential of these startups has been demonstrated by GhostPass, a startup from C-Lab Outside Gwangju that has won the Best of Innovation Award in Fintech at CES 2025.

“Thanks to the support and coaching of C-Lab Outside, we were able to grow our company in a short period of time,” said Sunkwan Lee, CEO and founder of GhostPass. “We are excited to attend CES 2025 with C-Lab and showcase our solution, which won the CES Best of Innovation Award.”

C-Lab Outside was created in October 2018, and startups selected for the program receive full support — including a business support fund, office workspaces and customized development programs — along with business cooperation from Samsung Electronics.

Two C-Lab Inside Projects From Samsung Employees; One C-Lab Spin-off That Began at Samsung

Since 2016, Samsung has been exhibiting its C-Lab Inside projects at CES to see how the global market responds and to test their business viability.

The C-Lab Inside projects that Samsung Electronics is showcasing at CES have been widely recognized for their innovation, global marketability and completeness — including IoT solutions that provide differentiated experiences in conjunction with Samsung Electronics products, as well as a new conceptual robotics platform. This year’s projects are as follows:

• GreenFollow: Galaxy-enabled autonomous driving solution for electric golf trolley
• Modulero: A modular platform for robotics development

In 2015, Samsung Electronics introduced its C-Lab spin-off program, which allows C-Lab Inside projects with high market potential to be launched as fully-fledged startups. At CES 2025, C-Lab spin-off Edint will showcase its mobile-based AI online exam proctoring service.

C-Lab Startups Win 12 CES 2025 Innovation Awards

In November 2024, the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) announced the winners of the CES 2025 Innovation Awards, including the award for Best of Innovation. C-Lab startups received one Best of Innovation Award and 11 Innovation Award Honorees.

C-Lab’s products and services that received honors include GhostPass, DEEP.Fine, Mainspace, ENERZAi, Quester and others. The CES 2025 Innovation Award-winning products and services will be displayed separately at the Venetian Expo in Las Vegas.

The C-Lab program was created in 2012, and since it was established, Samsung has nurtured a total of 912 startups and projects (506 through C-Lab Outside and 406 through C-Lab Inside) so far. Through “C-Lab Family” program, a unique professional network, all startups of C-Lab can also continue to co-operate with Samsung even after graduating from the C-Lab Outside or spinning off from C-Lab.

^[1]Started in December 2012, C-Lab Inside nurtures employees’ innovative ideas while instilling a corporate culture in which creativity is at the fore. Since 2015, Samsung has been supporting successful C-Lab projects that demonstrate great market potential and facilitating their launch as startups under the C-Lab spin-off policy.

C-Lab Inside: Four Projects From Samsung Employees To Debut

Since 2016, Samsung has been exhibiting its C-Lab Inside projects at Eureka Park, the main exhibition space for startups from around the world at CES. During the exhibition, the marketability and customer response will be gauged to enhance and further advance the startups’ projects. Those that have proven marketability will either transfer to an in-house division of Samsung or become spin-off projects that will be supported by the company.

The four C-Lab Inside projects that will be exhibited are:

• Piloto, an AI solution that helps children develop proper smartphone usage habits
• PROBA, an AI-based online exam service for administrators, test-takers and supervisors
• innovision, a nursery mobile for early detection of infant strabismus
• ZamStar, a smart electric guitar that makes learning guitar easy with LED guides

C-Lab Outside: Nine Startups That Are Ready for the Global Market

Created in October 2018, C-Lab Outside is a startup acceleration program that was launched to invigorate the startup ecosystem in South Korea. Startups enrolled in the C-Lab Outside program are provided with office workspaces, expert mentoring from Samsung employees, participation in global IT exhibitions, and financial and investor relations support.

Five startups that have been incubated directly by Samsung over the past year and four startups from the Daegu Center and the Gyeong-buk Center for Creative Economy & Innovation that are part of C-Lab Outside will also participate in CES 2022. They include:

• Petnow, an AI-based pet biometric recognition solution
• Digisonic, a 3D immersive audio solution for mobile devices
• Verses, an interactive metaverse music app
• bitsensing, an array of imaging radar technology solutions for autonomous driving and smart cities
• SELECTSTAR, an AI-based data collection and labelling platform
• RGT Inc., a multifunctional modular serving robot
• MoreDream Inc., an input system to improve accessibility and productivity for the visually impaired
• Yellowknife, a vehicle display of customisation platform
• MONIT, a smart diaper care solution for elderly patients

Furthermore, nine startups that have been spun off from C-Lab Inside also plan to set up their own exhibition booths at CES 2022. The spun-off startups that will exhibit include EVAR, Prinker Korea Inc., lululab and Linkface.

C-Lab Startups Recognized as Honorees and Best of Innovation at CES 2022

In November of 2021, the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) announced CES 2022 Innovation Awards across 27 product categories, including those recognized as Best of Innovation. Projects from the C-Lab startups received one Best of Innovation award and 21 Innovation Awards Honoree nods for their standout technologies.

Notably, Petnow, which developed an AI-based biometric recognition solution for pets, was named a CES 2022 Best of Innovation award winner in the Software & Mobile Apps category. The Petnow app uses a camera to automatically detect, photograph and register a dog’s nose print, making it easier to find lost dogs.

C-Lab’s other award-winning products and services include: Digisonic, EVAR, lululab, Verses, bitsensing, Linkface, LUPLE, BLUEFEEL, Prinker Korea Inc, etc. The CES 2022 Innovation Award-winning products will be displayed separately at the Venetian Expo in Las Vegas.

“With the support of the C-Lab program, these startups have proven their technological prowess on the global stage, as evidenced by the most Innovation Awards ever at CES,” said Hark Kyu Park, President and Chief Financial Officer at Samsung Electronics. “We hope the startups that had difficulty expanding their businesses due to the pandemic will be able to target the global market more actively, starting with CES 2022.

Samsung Plans To Have Nurtured 500 Startups by Next Year

Started in December 2012, C-Lab Inside nurtures employees’ innovative ideas while instilling a corporate culture in which creativity is at the fore. The program supports the development of ideas from all areas of the business. Since 2015, Samsung has been supporting successful C-Lab projects that demonstrate great market potential, and facilitating their launch as startups under the C-Lab spin-off policy. Leveraging the success of the C-Lab Inside initiative, C-Lab Outside has been expanding Samsung’s support for new ventures to startups and innovations outside of the Samsung network since 2018.

Samsung Electronics had previously announced that it would accelerate 300 Korean startups through C-Lab Outside and 200 projects through C-Lab Inside over a five-year period. The company has nurtured a total of 406 startups (244 from C-Lab Outside and 162 from C-Lab Inside) so far, and plans to reach 500 by next year.

Samsung Electronics will demonstrate its C-Lab products and services from January 5th through the 8th at the C-Lab exhibition booth on the first floor of Hall G at Venetian Expo (formerly Sands Expo), Eureka Park. Visitors who are unable to visit the site in person will be able to watch product videos online from today until January 30th on the C-Lab website (https://www.claboutside.com/ces2022), and will also be offered chances to communicate with the startups.

[C-Lab Spin-Offs Participating in CES 2022]

*The above images are not the actual ID but a design draft.

Through C-Lab, Samsung provides opportunities for select projects and start-ups, with the final list of selected companies being announced at international events such as CES 2021. Through not only C-Lab Inside¹ and C-Lab Outside,² but also the C-Lab Outside companies that are selected in affiliation with the Daegu & Gyeongbuk Centers for Creative Economy & Innovation (CCEI), Samsung secures chances for companies to join the international stage. These efforts allow the stepping stones of growth to be broadened for an increasing number of start-ups.

So exactly which start-ups were chosen to take the stage at the CES 2021 digital exhibition? Samsung Newsroom met with two start-ups and one in-house venture from C-Lab to find out more about them as they prepare for the upcoming CES exhibition.

Tell us about Food & Sommelier.

We are one of the teams selected as an in-house venture within C-Lab Inside. We provide a service that recommends the best food and wine combinations according to users’ preferences. While collaborating on R&D with the Korea International Sommelier Association (KISA), we selected elements that affect the suitability of food-wine combinations. The elements concerning food consisted of 28 ingredients, 12 cooking methods, and 47 sauces. For wine, the important factors included body, acidity, aroma, and sweetness. After converting these elements into numerical figures, we developed the capability to recommend the food and wine combinations that would prove most attractive to our users. For example, the classifications of foods include beef, chicken, pork, oily fish, and mushrooms, while some examples of the cooking methods are blanching, steaming, boiling, and grilling. With proven recommendations from Korea’s major sommeliers, Food & Sommelier is striving to create a service that is reliable for customers.

What compelled the company to provide food and wine combination recommendations?

We have often witnessed situations where waiters and waitresses were confused about what wine they should recommend when helping customers. As we learned more about wine, we realised that the field of wine is somewhat influenced by IT. The global wine market is expected to continue to grow in the coming years. As wine becomes more and more popular, there will be more demand for our service. Once our service is combined with IT, anyone will be able to enjoy dishes with the appropriate wine to match.

How do I use the service?

First, start your app on your smartphone and take a picture of the food. Once the program recognises the dish, the matching algorithm will recommend some wines with high match rates.

How will Food & Sommelier change our day-to-day lives in the future?

In the past, customers had to rely on the recommendations of store clerks or price ranges to pick a wine. In the future, however, Food & Sommelier will help them conveniently select a wine or dish based on their preferences by providing information via kiosks, a smartphone app, and tablet PCs. Wherever there is an establishment that serves wine, Food & Sommelier will provide a gourmet restaurant experience with sommelier-quality recommendations.

What are your goals?

South Korea is on the fringes when it comes to the wine market. By incorporating the market with the world’s best IT, however, we are sure that the Korean market can come to be a leader in the ‘food tech’ market. Food & Sommelier would also like to go beyond the wine market, and hopes to widen its scope of pairing solutions to include a range of other alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

Tell us about Counter Culture Company.

We are one of the start-ups selected from C-Lab Outside. We operate a global K-pop online home training service called ED Online K-pop Training Agency. Instructors who have experience nurturing famous K-pop stars provide comprehensive lectures on not only dancing, but also vocal training, fitness, makeup, and styling. This service provides international fans with the actual training that K-pop singers receive.

What motivated you to provide this service?

As K-pop gains international popularity, people are increasingly interested in finding out how Korea’s K-pop singers are fostered. Chinese and European singers-to-be are already spending tens of thousands of dollars per year to receive K-pop training in Korea.

We have paid close attention to providing world-class online lectures, and other services that deliver the know-how of international millionaires, at reasonable prices without any time or space restrictions for use. Accordingly, we wondered if we could incorporate this into online services that teach dance or deliver vocal training. Once the future K-pop trainees learn basic moves and receive vocal training online before starting their official training in Korea, the entertainment management companies that deliver the in-person training may be able to reduce their costs as well.

How do users utilise the service?

With our service, users can basically take online K-pop classes. By syncing their smartphone cameras, users can use ‘mirror studio’ to compare their moves with those of the instructor and ‘live class’ to experience real-time interactive training. To truly improve, trainees require monitoring and professional feedback. Thus, ED provides assignments for practice every week and professional feedback regarding the submitted performances. Moreover, users can check their progress by going through monthly evaluations along with Korean K-pop trainees.

How will Counter Culture Company change our day-to-day lives in the future?

Our service will allow any K-pop trainee to take high-quality lessons regardless of space and time, even if they live far away from Korea. ED is also planning to launch an online audition service in collaboration with some entertainment management companies. In the past, those companies had to travel overseas to find talent, which required a lot of effort and expense. If ED can develop online audition capabilities for those qualified trainees, however, those management companies will be able to find more talent, regardless of recruiting restrictions.

What are your goals?

It has been about seven months since the official launch of the service. So far, we have been enjoying meaningful encounters while providing better user experiences and having our business grow at the same time. K-pop is a music genre that anyone can enjoy. We hope that our service will help global fans of K-pop communicate with one another and see their dreams come true by going beyond time, space, and language barriers.

Tell us about Salin.

Salin is a start-up that is supported by C-Lab Outside through the Daegu Center for Creative Economy & Innovation. With Salin, users can create avatars that resemble themselves to share content and communicate in virtual or augmented reality (VR or AR). There are many cooperative platforms in the market, although the purpose of those platforms is generally limited to meetings and training. Salin’s platform can be utilised for various purposes such as virtual concert halls for sharing performance videos, online training venues and virtual meeting rooms. In addition, anyone can easily utilise our technology through their laptops and smartphones, which are easier to access than smart glasses and VR headsets.

What made the company want to provide this service?

Up to now, most companies have been focused on applying VR and AR technologies to game services. However, we decided that these technologies were more suitable for services in the areas of media, education and collaboration.

How do users utilise the service?

First, users activate the Salin app with a laptop, smartphone or VR/AR headset. Once they have uploaded a selfie, they can create avatars that look like themselves and act in response to their movement. After that, all they have to do is use functions such as 3D writing and multi-video sharing to invite others into 3D spaces and enjoy talking with them.

How will Salin change our day-to-day lives in the future?

Imagine 50 avatars talking to each other on Salin’s platform – that would constitute a remarkable experience. This is a whole other level compared to 50 people exchanging messages online. Due to COVID-19 pandemic, college students have started using more virtual meeting services for not only studying but also social gatherings. By utilising Salin, users will not only do better work but also enjoy a variety of daily activities in VR and AR environments.

What are your goals?

Last year, Salin’s platform was used to view sports events and performances, for remote collaboration work and for docent services. This year, we plan to launch more services to support large-scale exhibitions and conferences with hundreds of remote users. At Salin, we hope to provide unique services in such a way that more users and companies can combine their businesses with our platform.

¹ ‘C-Lab Inside’ is Samsung’s in-house idea incubation program that has been looking to instil a creative corporate culture throughout the company and nurture its employees’ ideas into meaningful offerings since December 2012.

² ‘C-Lab Outside’ is a start-up acceleration program for entrepreneurs outside of Samsung that has been seeking to invigorate the start-up ecosystem since 2018.