Participants pose for a group photo at the Frontier Labs cohort 6 workshop hosted by CJ CheilJedang. [CJ CheilJedang]
Participants pose for a group photo at the Frontier Labs cohort 6 workshop hosted by CJ CheilJedang. [CJ CheilJedang]

CJ CheilJedang has selected four startups to participate in the sixth cohort of Frontier Labs, its agri-food startup discovery and development program.

The four companies are Mister Appa, a direct-trade platform for fresh ingredients; Humil, a developer of food ingredients for blood sugar management; Bad Carrot, a vegan restaurant operator; and Neubility, a physical AI company specializing in autonomous driving.

The selected startups will spend six months conducting business pilots alongside CJ CheilJedang's operating divisions. They will also receive expert mentoring and follow-on investment support, with funding of up to 300 million won ($210,000) available.

Starting this year, CJ CheilJedang is expanding the program's scope from domestic business units to its global operations, with the aim of helping startups pursue overseas markets.

About 260 startups applied for this cohort. The program targeted companies working in food-linked AI and robotics, next-generation K-food brands, retail and marketing platforms, smart manufacturing, and alternative foods and sustainable ingredients.

Lee Hee-jun, head of CJ CheilJedang's venture investment team, said the program is evolving "beyond simple investment into a phased, tailored development system that encompasses startup growth, pilot testing and commercialization." He added that the company would continue to identify innovative startups and contribute to the vitality of the agri-food ecosystem.


andy@heraldcorp.com