Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) Startup Incubation Center (Director Professor Kwon Dae-gyu) and, under commission from the Jeonbuk Regional Small and Medium Venture Business Administration, the Hope Jeonbuk POST-BI tenant companies operated by JBNU were recognized as outstanding small and medium-sized enterprises for their excellent performance and technological capabilities.

WeniTech Co., Ltd. and Hairpia Technology Co., Ltd., tenant companies of the JBNU Startup Incubation Center, received the Jeonbuk Regional Small and Medium Venture Business Administration Director's Award at the '2023 Startup Technology Innovation Expo' held on the 7th, hosted by the Jeonbuk Regional Incubation Center Association. On the same day, Anzion Co., Ltd. received the Gunsan Mayor's Award, and Modi Co., Ltd., a Hope Jeonbuk POST-BI tenant company, received the Jeonju Mayor's Award.

In addition, in recognition of his active and outstanding support activities for startup companies and his contributions to the development of regional incubation in Jeonbuk, Kwon Dae-gyu, Director of the JBNU Startup Incubation Center, received a Commendation Award presented by the Jeonbuk Regional Incubation Center Association. Director Kwon was acknowledged for his excellent center management and served consecutively as president of the Jeonbuk Regional Incubation Center Association in 2019 and 2020.

Also, at the '2023 Regional Technology Startup Support Project Smart Agri-Life Startup Company Development Performance Report' held on the 12th, Medi & Research Co., Ltd. received the Korea National University of Agriculture and Fisheries President's Award, and companies supported by JBNU's incubation program were recognized for their technological capabilities and excellence.

Medi & Research Co., Ltd., the award recipient, has focused on medical lifting threads and fillers as its main export items. Since its incorporation in July 2018, the company has consistently achieved export performance of more than one million dollars annually since 2019. It developed the ingredient 'diinozantin,' which has more than 65 times the antioxidant effect of vitamin C, in collaboration with the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute. Using this ingredient, the company launched its own cosmetics brand and is accelerating growth, targeting fivefold sales growth next year.

WeniTech Co., Ltd., founded in December 2019, builds on experience and technology in environmental technology development and waste upcycling. The company provides environmental pollution measurement and environmental management services for businesses while developing technologies to convert waste into resources, growing into an environmental specialist company that forms a cornerstone of the circular economy. Starting with two employees in 2019, the company has rapidly expanded to 14 employees.

Hairpia Technology Co., Ltd. developed the world's first intelligent machinery for wigs for Black women. After its incorporation in May 2019, the company completed machinery development through the Youth Academy Startup Success Package project in 2022. By bringing high production efficiency to the labor-intensive wig industry, it achieved export sales of KRW 3.6 billion in 2023. The company plans to pursue expansion into B2C as well as B2B through global seller Amazon listings, aiming to broaden export markets and diversify sales channels.

Anzion Co., Ltd. creates video fusion solutions (HVS), Smart Twin systems, and a 3D content displacement management platform. The company possesses proprietary technology that configures dashboards for control and operation in three-dimensional form and, based on a system that reconfigures content editing and placement to match this feature, provides more accurate and realistic real-time monitoring. It is expected to grow into a leading company in future industry sectors.

Modi Co., Ltd. develops smart factory MES program packages aimed at automating production in regional manufacturing to reduce energy use and improve efficiency for small manufacturers. In 2023, it became the first company in Jeollabuk-do to achieve software export performance of USD 340,000 to the Malaysian market. In 2024, it has secured a contract of approximately USD 200,000 with a factory in Poland.

Kwon Dae-gyu, Director of the JBNU Startup Incubation Center, said, 'The JBNU Startup Incubation Center is committed to nurturing outstanding regional companies based on diverse entrepreneurial capabilities and an optimized system. We will continue to fulfill the incubation center's core role by cultivating excellent companies that will revitalize the regional startup ecosystem through a systematic startup support system.'