Seoul City Collaborates with Air Force... Supports AI Startups in Defense Technology

Seoul AI Hub-Air Force AI New Technology Convergence Center Cooperation Program
4 Companies from Seoul AI Hub Conduct 2-3 Month Solution Verification
Support for Follow-up Business Growth Including Defense-Related Government R&D Projects

The Seoul Metropolitan Government is joining forces with the Air Force to support AI (artificial intelligence) startups with outstanding technology in the defense industry. It is expected that the innovative technologies of AI startups supported by Seoul will provide new solutions tailored to the Air Force's needs, which seek aerospace weapon development and AI-based troop efficiency enhancement.

On the 4th, Seoul announced that 'Seoul AI Hub,' a specialized institution for fostering AI technology startups, selected four companies matched with demand technologies through open innovation conducted together with the Air Force, and will begin technology demonstration (PoC·Proof of Concept).

Photos from the Seoul City-Air Force Open Innovation Event.
[Photo by Seoul City]

Earlier, according to the business agreement signed between Seoul and the Air Force in November last year, the 'Air Force AI New Technology Convergence Center' was opened in May at the Seoul AI Hub anchor facility to support AI companies' entry into the defense sector. At that time, the two organizations agreed to cooperate in five future AI technology areas aiming at 'sustainable AI industry ecosystem development' and 'building an AI science and technology strong military based on Defense Innovation 4.0,' including ▲support for establishing the Air Force New Technology Convergence Center ▲cooperation in introducing and operating Seoul's UAM ▲support for Seoul AI startups' entry into defense ▲training AI specialists ▲holding joint AI events and technology development cooperation.

Subsequently, through the open innovation led by Seoul AI Hub, the Air Force announced four demand technologies: ▲AI-based aircraft bird strike prevention solution ▲AI-based real-time interpretation system construction solution ▲AI-based synthetic data generation solution ▲federated learning technique application and distributed learning solution, and selected final matched companies through participant recruitment and face-to-face evaluation.

All four companies selected, one per demand technology task, are Seoul AI Hub resident companies: ▲Triplet ▲Teddysum ▲Cubic ▲SNP Lab. Seoul plans to complete joint solution development agreements with these companies and proceed with technology demonstration (PoC).

The joint solution development technology demonstration (PoC) involves collaboration between the Air Force and the selected companies to conduct core technology research and prototype software development for each demand technology task, undergoing effectiveness verification in military data and environments. To support technology verification, each company will receive 10 million KRW in technology commercialization support funds, and a results briefing session will be held in October.

Using the technology demonstration results from the open innovation by task, follow-up projects linked to defense-related government R&D projects and defense experiment projects will also be promoted. Through this, the plan is to support the development of systems applicable to the military, enhance functions, and promote technology commercialization such as spreading to the entire armed forces.

Lee Hae-woo, Director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Economic Office, said, "I am very pleased to have created a win-win opportunity this year where the Republic of Korea Air Force and startups with excellent technology can grow together," adding, "We will continue to expand support so that cooperation with the Air Force for startups' entry into the defense sector can become a successful model of public-private-military co-prosperity."

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