Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority Selected for Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy Innovation Ecosystem Project... Logistics Robots and Future Mobility

Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyesook Park] Two projects submitted by the Korea State University of New York Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation and the Incheon Industry-Academic Convergence Center of the Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ) were selected in the national funding competition related to the creation of an innovation ecosystem in economic free zones nationwide.

The Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority announced on the 17th at the 'Economic Free Zone Innovation Growth Support Agencies Meeting' hosted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's Economic Free Zone Planning Group and the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT), held at the Post Tower Sky Hall in Seoul, that these projects were confirmed.

This project aims to systematize and advance the innovation growth ecosystem centered on key attraction industries of economic free zones nationwide and to foster them as global new industry hubs. Nine economic free zones across the country participated in the competition, and the selection process was conducted.

The two projects from the Incheon Free Economic Zone that were finally selected are in the fields of innovation cluster foundation (Korea State University of New York Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation) and corporate business capability enhancement (Incheon Industry-Academic Convergence Center). They will receive 385 million KRW in national funding and proceed with the project through matching local government funds. The total project cost is 550 million KRW.

The Korea State University of New York Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation will support the introduction of an advanced logistics automation system linking small and medium logistics companies residing in the economic free zone with the robotics industry under the theme of "Establishment of an AI learning-based automation and robotics technology innovation cluster for air and complex logistics within Incheon Port."

Professor Bruce Cho, the chief research officer at Korea State University of New York, stated, "We plan to build a human network through the formation of an industry-academia-research-government consortium and technology exchange meetings, conduct field surveys of logistics companies, research advanced logistics robot automation technologies, and provide consulting to offer advanced logistics automation solutions linking logistics companies and the robotics industry in IFEZ."

Additionally, the Incheon Industry-Academic Convergence Center will establish a commercialization strategy for the specialization of IFEZ's aviation-automobile convergence new industries, such as aviation-automobile convergence, eco-friendly, and autonomous vehicles, under the theme "Support for IFEZ resident companies in the future mobility industry sector." They plan to support regulatory exemptions, prototype production, marketing, technical certification, and consulting.

Yoo Chang-kyung, director of the Incheon Industry-Academic Convergence Center, said, "To strengthen corporate business capabilities, we will promote commercialization strategy establishment and business modeling support based on a field-centered industry-academic convergence education system. We also plan to establish a virtuous cycle system of R&D, human resource development, and employment in the industrial field and activate industry-academic convergence R&D programs."

Meanwhile, at the meeting, Lee Won-jae, head of the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority, said, "The selection of two IFEZ project teams in the national funding competition will greatly contribute to building an innovation ecosystem and establishing an innovation growth system in IFEZ. We will support technology exchange meetings and demonstrations to solve on-site problems of resident companies and actively support the formation of the aviation-complex logistics robotics industry and future mobility innovation growth council."

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