Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) Business Incubator resident companies Seohae Tech Co., Ltd. and (Agricultural) P&F Bio Co., Ltd. recently won the Minister of SMEs and Startups Award and an Excellence Award in the IR Pitch Competition, respectively, at the 10th Start-up Jeonbuk Entrepreneurship Competition.

The event was co-hosted by the Jeonbuk Provincial Government and the Jeonbuk Regional Office of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, and organized by 28 related organizations including JBNU. The program, which includes awards for outstanding startup contributors, an IR pitch competition, and startup policy briefings, has established itself as a flagship event for disseminating entrepreneurial achievements across the Jeonbuk region.

Seohae Tech (CEO Youngseob Lee), which received the Minister of SMEs and Startups Award, develops equipment operation management systems and eco-friendly energy products based on engineering expertise accumulated in the shipbuilding sector. The company was recognized for advancing Process Safety Management (PSM) and for sustained job creation. Since its founding in 2022, revenue has grown from KRW 460 million to KRW 3.5 billion in 2024, and staff numbers have increased from 24 to 51, contributing to regional economic revitalization.

Meanwhile, (Agricultural) P&F Bio (CEO Mincheol Shin) won the Director's Award of the Korea National University of Agriculture and Fisheries Industry–University Cooperation Foundation (Excellence Award) in the event’s Integrated IR Pitch Competition. Founded in 2023, the company developed the eco-friendly trace element fertilizers 'Dr. Heeto' and 'Super Heeto' using rare earth elements (REEs). Its in-house 7-nanometer (nm)-class ultra-fine pulverization process technology enhances the absorption efficiency of rare earth elements. The company is also collaborating with universities in the Jeonbuk and Jeonnam regions to train young technical personnel and to build smart production facilities, presenting a sustainable innovation model for the agricultural sector.

Guk Gyeong-su, Director of the Business Incubator, said, "This award reflects not only the technological capabilities of our resident companies but also the成果 of collaboration between local startup support organizations and universities. We will continue to strengthen support so that Jeonbuk’s startup ecosystem can grow sustainably and more innovative companies rooted in the region can emerge."

Since its opening in 1999, the JBNU Business Incubator has provided practical support such as commercialization funding, promotion and market linkage, and securing intellectual property rights, and has led efforts to create a startup ecosystem that achieves both technological innovation and social value.