"Strengthening Startup and Business Synergy" SKT Launches 'Tech Combination' Program

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-sun] SKT announced on the 2nd that it will implement the 'Tech Combination' program to jointly develop technologies in promising information and communication technology (ICT) fields with startups and strengthen business cooperation.

'Tech Combination' is a startup collaboration program involving the research and development (R&D) organizations of SK ICT affiliates, including SKT. The purpose of this program is to combine the capabilities and technical human resources of SK ICT affiliates with the excellent technological capabilities of startups to jointly develop innovative technologies and promote business cooperation.

Any startup possessing differentiated technology in the ICT field can apply, and final selection will be made through a comprehensive evaluation of the startup's technological level and the potential for cooperation with SK ICT.

Selected companies will have developers from SKT and SK ICT affiliates directly participate to jointly promote technology development, and if successful, they will be provided opportunities such as linking with businesses promoted by SKT or SK ICT affiliates or investment review.

Globally, competition to secure future promising technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), cloud, and quantum is intensifying, and technologies and services in ICT fields such as metaverse, urban air mobility (UAM), and robotics are rapidly converging. In this situation, many companies tend to strengthen cooperation with startups that have rapid innovation and excellent technological capabilities rather than responding independently.

SKT has proactively responded to this trend and established a team called ‘Tech Combinator’ within its R&D organization earlier this year to further strengthen technological cooperation with startups. SKT plans to create successful cases of cooperation between large corporations and startups in terms of technology collaboration through this program.

In 2013, SKT launched a program called ‘True Innovation,’ becoming the first domestic company to start a startup nurturing program. It has discovered excellent startups and supported a total of 357 startups so far through a systematic approach from setting business goals to service development and market entry.

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