Foundation and Chungbuk National University join forces to build regional innovation ecosystem

Participants pose for a photo after signing agreements at the Ecopro Open Innovation Investment Results Sharing and Private Contribution Pledge Ceremony, held Tuesday at the Chungbuk National University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation in Cheongju. [Research and Development Special Zone Foundation]
Participants pose for a photo after signing agreements at the Ecopro Open Innovation Investment Results Sharing and Private Contribution Pledge Ceremony, held Tuesday at the Chungbuk National University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation in Cheongju. [Research and Development Special Zone Foundation]

A regional partnership between a major conglomerate, a university and a public institution has helped three promising startups secure a combined 5.5 billion won ($4.1 million) in investment.

The Research and Development Special Zone Foundation announced Tuesday that its North Chungcheong Province Cheongju Small but Strong Special Zone Open Innovation program, run jointly with Ecopro Group and Chungbuk National University, had generated 5.5 billion won in investment for three local companies. The foundation unveiled the results at a ceremony held that day at the Chungbuk National University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation.

Launched last year, the program identifies promising companies aligned with Ecopro's technology needs and supports them through joint technology development, demonstration projects and investment attraction.

Six Ecopro affiliates participate in the program: Ecopro Materials, Ecopro BM, Ecopro CNG, Ecopro HN, Ecopro EM and Ecopro Partners.

The foundation and Chungbuk National University handle company scouting, selection and technology consulting, while Ecopro provides access to its industrial infrastructure for technology verification and commercialization opportunities.

The three companies that secured investment through the program are Intellectus, LS Chem and Serdic.

Intellectus is developing an AI-based process flow control system. LS Chem holds technology for recovering high-purity solvents and lithium salts from spent battery electrolytes as part of a resource-recycling process.

Serdic is developing and demonstrating industrial site management technology using AI and digital twin systems.

Of the three, Intellectus and LS Chem have completed their investment rounds, while Serdic's investment process is still underway. The combined total of completed and ongoing investment across all three companies stands at 5.5 billion won.

Ecopro Group has also stepped up with additional funding to support the development of regional innovators.

Ecopro Partners, Ecopro's venture capital arm, pledged Tuesday to contribute 100 million won toward the 2027 North Chungcheong Province Cheongju Small but Strong Special Zone development project as a private co-investment commitment.

The pledge reflects Ecopro HN's intention to return the benefits it received — including tax reductions and other institutional incentives — after being designated an advanced technology company in December 2024, channeling those gains back into nurturing local businesses.

The foundation said it expects the arrangement to create a virtuous cycle in which government institutional support drives the growth of large companies, whose gains in turn flow back to small and medium-sized enterprises in the region through technology commercialization and investment attraction.

"This outcome is meaningful because it represents a virtuous-cycle model in which the benefits a company gains through the special zone's institutional support are returned as growth opportunities for promising local firms," foundation Chairman Jeong Hui-gwon said. "We will continue to expand cooperation with anchor companies in each special zone to broaden opportunities for technology commercialization and investment."


nbgkoo@heraldcorp.com