Special zone foundation and DRB Holding sign MOU to use domestic and overseas manufacturing facilities, with follow-on investment under consideration

Jung Hee-kwon (left), chairman of the Korea Research and Development Special Zone Foundation, and Cho Hyun-min, CEO of DRB Holding, pose for a photo after signing an MOU. [Korea Research and Development Special Zone Foundation]
Jung Hee-kwon (left), chairman of the Korea Research and Development Special Zone Foundation, and Cho Hyun-min, CEO of DRB Holding, pose for a photo after signing an MOU. [Korea Research and Development Special Zone Foundation]

Promising deep tech companies from South Korea's research and development special zones are set to validate and commercialize their technologies using the production facilities of a mid-sized domestic manufacturer.

The Korea Research and Development Special Zone Foundation signed an open-innovation MOU with DRB Holding on Tuesday at the Daedeok Connect Lounge inside the Daejeon Science Complex, the foundation announced. The agreement aims to foster cooperation on deep tech-based manufacturing innovation and commercialization.

DRB Holding is the holding company of DRB Industrial, South Korea's first industrial rubber belt manufacturer. The MOU connects DRB Holding's need to modernize its manufacturing processes and identify new businesses with the innovative technologies of special zone companies, verifying those technologies at actual production sites before advancing to commercialization.

The two organizations plan to identify promising technologies and companies for joint development in manufacturing process innovation and new industrial sectors, and to link research spinoffs and technology-transfer companies with investment and commercialization support programs.

They will also leverage DRB Holding's domestic and overseas manufacturing facilities and global network to support technology validation for special zone companies as well as their entry into overseas markets.

The two organizations have selected four special zone companies whose technologies match DRB Holding's needs: Nextwave, Nuvinda, Micropix and Innature.

These companies will apply their technologies — spanning digital transformation of manufacturing processes, mobility and advanced materials — to DRB Holding's domestic and overseas production facilities to conduct on-site validation.

The selected companies will also receive financial support to cover validation costs. Follow-on investment will be considered depending on the results, creating a growth pathway from technology verification through commercialization to market entry.

"This agreement will be a pivotal turning point in securing future competitiveness by integrating deep tech into the manufacturing floor," DRB Holding CEO Cho Hyun-min said. "We will work with promising special zone companies to support rapid commercialization, from technology verification to full-scale validation."

Korea Research and Development Special Zone Foundation Chairman Jung Hee-kwon said that when the production capabilities of established manufacturers combine with the deep tech strengths of special zones, the result can be a new growth engine for industry that goes beyond manufacturing process innovation. He added that the foundation would build a co-growth model in which technology validation by special zone companies leads to commercialization and market entry.


nbgkoo@heraldcorp.com