Kakao Ventures Highlights Achievements of Digital Healthcare Startups Imocog and Alpi

"Beyond MFDS Approval, Into the Field"... KV Brown Bag Meeting Held
"Digital Diagnosis and Treatment Reaching Medical Sites" as the Theme
Imocog and Alpi Share Achievements and Case Studies of Real-World Implementation After Regulatory Approval

Kakao Ventures, a venture capital (VC) firm specializing in early-stage startups, shared the achievements of digital healthcare startups following Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) approval and highlighted Imocog and Alpi as representative case studies.

On the 15th, at Startup Alliance & Space in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Jung Juyeon, Senior Investment Manager at Kakao Ventures, spoke at the Kakao Ventures Brown Bag Meeting held under the theme "Digital Diagnosis and Treatment Reaching Medical Sites." Photo by Kim Daehyun

On the 15th, Kakao Ventures held a Brown Bag Meeting at Startup Alliance & Space in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, under the theme "Digital Diagnosis and Treatment Reaching Medical Sites."

During the keynote address, Kim Chiwon, Deputy CEO and Digital Healthcare Partner at Kakao Ventures, stated, "Even as medical foundation models that utilize accessible data continue to advance, the medical field remains an area where 'specialized companies' can demonstrate strengths due to the unique nature of medical data and the rigorous regulatory approval process." He added, "Teams like Imocog and Alpi, which have demonstrated reliability and scalability based on clinical data, are expected to set the standards for the future medical artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem."

Jung Juyeon, Senior Investment Manager at Kakao Ventures, emphasized, "Obtaining regulatory approval is only the beginning; achieving sustainable growth in actual medical settings is the real challenge." She stressed, "Digital healthcare startups must prove not only technological excellence but also practicality and scalability in clinical environments."

Imocog, the first presenter, introduced 'Cogthera,' a digital therapeutic device for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) that was the first of its kind in Korea to receive MFDS approval. It is an app-based digital therapeutic solution featuring a voice-based interface and customized training design for elderly users, developed to slow the progression of symptoms in patients with mild cognitive impairment. The solution is currently awaiting designation as an innovative medical technology by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and starting in September, it is expected to be available for non-reimbursed prescriptions at hospitals and clinics.

No Yuhun, CEO of Imocog, emphasized, "Cogthera is an innovative solution that focuses on management and training to slow the progression of mild cognitive impairment, rather than relying on drug therapy." He added, "The solution automatically adjusts difficulty levels to suit each patient, making it accessible even for elderly patients. In addition, we have trained the system to be 'conversation-based' to maximize usability. Patients can use it independently at home without expert intervention."

CEO No also noted, "The prevailing belief that digital therapeutic devices could not be applied to patients with mild cognitive impairment has been overturned by Cogthera, as reflected in both domestic and international responses." He continued, "We plan to target not only the domestic market but also the global market, having completed clinical trials for insurance coverage in Germany and now preparing to expand into the European market."

Alpi, the second presenter, developed and commercialized 'ECG Buddy,' an AI solution that uses 12-lead electrocardiograms to enable early diagnosis of heart diseases and emergencies. ECG Buddy is currently being used in emergency rooms and by paramedics to screen for serious cardiac conditions such as myocardial infarction, heart failure, hyperkalemia, and arrhythmia. It has become an essential app for securing the golden hour for patients in medical settings. The solution can be used via smartphones, desktop PCs, and integration with electronic medical records (EMR), among other methods. With its convenience as a key strength, the number of hospitals using ECG Buddy, including major general hospitals, has increased to 45, and its adoption is rapidly spreading in the medical field.

Kim Junghee, CEO of Alpi, stated, "ECG Buddy is being widely used from emergency sites to hospital wards, playing a significant role in the early diagnosis of emergencies." He added, "Based on the experience accumulated in Korean medical settings, we plan to actively expand into global markets such as Europe, the United States, Taiwan, and Indonesia."

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