Innovative Technologies Chosen Amid 15-to-1 Competition... Government Selects New Technologies and Products to Drive Innovative Growth

NITS Finalizes 28 Certifications for 2026 First NET and NEP Round
Advanced Technologies Selected, Including Hydrogen Recirculation and Robot Automatic Tool Changers
Expanded Support for Public Procurement and Overseas Market Entry

This year, the National Institute of Technology and Standards (NITS) under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy has finalized the selection of 28 new technologies and products that will drive innovative growth in the first half of the year. The list includes advanced technologies such as localization of key components for hydrogen fuel cells and robot automatic tool changers, raising expectations for expanded commercialization through support for public procurement and overseas market entry.

On May 17, NITS announced the results of the "2026 1st New Technology (NET) and New Product (NEP) Certification" and stated that it will issue certificates to the selected companies. A total of 411 technologies and products were submitted for certification, with 28 ultimately chosen after a highly competitive process with a ratio of approximately 15 to 1.

The New Technology and New Product Certifications are awarded to technologies that have been developed domestically for the first time, or to outstanding technologies that have been innovatively improved from existing ones, as well as to products that have been commercialized using such technologies. Certified companies receive support for market access through mandatory public institution purchases and a priority procurement system for technology development products. In addition, they benefit from preferential access to policy funds for SMEs and receive extra points in government projects, among other financial and administrative support measures.

For this round of new technology certification, a total of 170 technologies were submitted, and 12 were selected: 7 in electrical and electronics, 1 in information and communications, 3 in nuclear and renewable energy, 4 in chemistry and life sciences, and 1 in construction and environment.

A representative example is the "passive ejector utilizing the Coanda effect for hydrogen recirculation in hydrogen fuel cells" in the nuclear and renewable energy sector. This technology enables stable supply and recirculation of hydrogen within the fuel cell without additional power, which is expected to improve fuel cell efficiency and reduce maintenance costs. NITS anticipates that it will also contribute to the localization of key fuel cell components.

For the new product certification, 241 products were submitted, and 16 were selected: 6 in electrical and electronics, 1 in information and communications, 1 in machinery and materials, 3 in chemistry and life sciences, and 5 in construction and environment.

In the machinery and materials sector, the "Macbot robot automatic tool changer based on switching magnetic technology" stands out as a representative case. This product is an automatic replacement device that allows robots to autonomously change components for each process, featuring an ultra-energy-saving design that consumes power only during attachment and detachment. It is regarded as a product with strong potential for expansion into various industries, including not only manufacturing automation but also construction and healthcare.

Kim Daeja, Director of NITS, commented, "We expect that the newly certified technologies and products will serve as real growth engines for our economy," adding, "The government will continue to expand diverse support measures, including the public institution priority procurement system and overseas expansion assistance, to help these companies grow into global unicorns."

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