Naver Makes New Investments in Four Startups in the Digital Health Sector

Development of Solutions for Genetic Information and Dementia Diagnosis

[Asia Economy Reporter Jin-gyu Lee] Naver's corporate accelerator 'D2SF' announced on the 16th that it has made new investments in four startups in the digital health sector.

The startups receiving investment this time are ▲iCrozin ▲SoundGym ▲Nser ▲Hurei Positive, totaling four companies. These startups are developing products that help users maintain a healthy daily life from the perspectives of prevention, diagnosis, and management.

iCrozin has developed a solution that performs a full scan and analysis of an individual's genetic information. It operates the 'iSearchme' service, which allows individuals to request genetic analysis directly, and is also conducting hospital-linked projects. It can also be used as a solution for predicting specific diseases, having launched prediction services for hair loss and precocious puberty. The company plans to expand the scope to obesity and cancer in the future.

SoundGym is a startup that provides audio content optimized for fitness. It offers services on smartphones, artificial intelligence (AI) speakers, smartwatches, and plans to expand into an audio content platform covering meditation, lifestyle habits, medication, and overall lifestyle in the future.

Nser is developing a solution that observes changes in blood flow in the frontal lobe responding to specific odors to enable early diagnosis of dementia. Using the 'fNIRS near-infrared spectroscopy' method to directly observe brain changes, it offers a more intuitive and simple approach compared to existing early dementia diagnosis solutions. Founded in September last year by specialists in anesthesiology and neurosurgery, it is currently preparing for clinical trials and regulatory approval.

Hurei Positive analyzes health data of chronic disease patients to provide customized counseling protocols such as diet, medication, and exercise. It has verified actual blood sugar reduction effects in clinical research and demonstrated the potential of chronic disease management solutions by offering insurance-linked business with companies like Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance. It is preparing to expand services to gestational diabetes, juvenile diabetes, asthma, and atopy.

Yang Sang-hwan, leader of Naver D2SF, said, "Digital health has high synergy with IT technology and is a growing field in the global market," adding, "We plan to actively invest in various technologies and products that make our daily lives healthier."

Meanwhile, since its launch in May 2015, Naver D2SF has invested in 39 technology startups to support their growth.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.