As it is held in the face of the COVID-19, the number of participating companies has increased significantly and the size has increased.CES, the world’s largest consumer electronics and IT fair, opened a spectacular curtain from 10 a.m. local time on the 5th.There has been a long waiting line for admission since the opening, and there is no place to step in the exhibition hall with people from all over the world.

We came from Las Vegas and watched the CES preparation.As it was held in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, not only visitors, participating companies, but also Las Vegas locals looked very excited and waiting for the opening of CES.As it is the largest event in three years since COVID-19, CES 2023 not only identified cutting-edge product trends and global trends, but also held various cooperations and competitions across industries.

The performance of Korean companies that swept major innovation awards at CES is notable.Under the CES 2023 slogan “Be in it,” it will unveil innovative new products that will change consumers’ daily lives. In particular, in accordance with ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) management policy, which is a global topic, it introduced a large number of technologies for carbon neutrality and eco-friendliness. Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics have set up booths at the closest and most prominent entrance to the consumer electronics showroom.LG Electronics is operating a large booth under the slogan ‘Making customers’ lives happy’.In particular, what caught the eyes of visitors was the ‘Oled Horizon’, a super-large sculpture with 260 OLED panels.The free curve of the panel and the vivid contrast of color enhance the immersion and make you feel like you’re actually walking in nature.

Samsung Electronics presented ‘super-connectivity opened with customized home appliances’ as a topic of this year and set up a 3,000 square meter super-large booth.For the first time, it has unveiled a “Smart Sensing Station” that can be easily linked not only to its home appliances but also to smart home devices such as Google, Amazon, and Apple.SK Group introduced green information and communication technology to achieve a carbon-free future.

Media art embodies the flooding of landmarks in major cities around the world, showing a terrible future for humanity if it does not respond properly to the climate crisis.We introduced more than 40 eco-friendly technologies, ranging from high-speed electric vehicle batteries to urban air transportation, hydrogen value chains and sustainable foods.

HD Hyundai, which recently changed its name from Hyundai Heavy Industries, expressed its ambition to transform the sea into an eco-friendly energy field.It plans to accelerate the development of eco-friendly ships that produce energy from offshore wind power and obtain propulsion power from liquefied natural gas or hydrogen.Global IT companies such as Google, Amazon, and Microsoft, which were absent last year due to the spread of the Omicron variant virus, have returned.Google has set up a super-large booth alone in the outdoor exhibition hall alone.The new function of Android Auto, an operating system exclusively for cars, will be unveiled.

Amazon also focused on mobility technology and introduced technology that adjusts the environment such as vehicle seat temperature and humidity with only voice commands.

During the CES, the entire Las Vegas city is like a huge exhibition hall.As such, the size of the exhibition hall is huge.First of all, the Central Convention Center has a consumer electronics exhibition hall, which is the core of CES.There is a mobility exhibition in the next West Hall.With the recent evolution of advanced mobility technology, the exhibition hall is 25% larger than last year.In North Hall, unicorns and venture companies are gathering together to compete for new products.In particular, web 3.0 technologies such as metaverse and blockchain are attracting new attention this year.More than 3,000 companies from around the world will attend this year’s CES, with more than 100,000 visitors expected.Attention is focusing on what innovative technologies will change our daily lives more conveniently in the future.

KS CHOI

ASIA JOURNAL

In order to showcase Seoul’s vision, Seoul Business Agency will simultaneously operate “Seoul Tech Pavilion” and “K      STARTUP Pavilion” in Eureka Park in CES 2023′s main exhibition hall (LVCC) to present Seoul’s vision and support excellent startups’ overseas expansion at the same time.

Seoul Business Agency will create a ‘Seoul Tech Pavilion’ at the CES Main Hall (LVCC). The LVCC Pavilion is the main exhibition hall where exhibitions of companies representing global tech industries such as Samsung and Microsoft are held every year, and Seoul Tech Pavilion is the first country (urban) to secure a technology-oriented exhibition space.

The main themes of CES 2023 Seoul Pavilion, Mobility and ESG, are key areas for achieving the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s policy vision, and were presented as strategic goals of “Smart Transportation City Seoul, Eco-friendly Blue City Seoul” in “Seoul Vision 2030″. To this end, the Seoul Metropolitan Government is showing active steps such as establishing a new urban air transportation (UAM) system and preparing measures to implement Net Zero.

The Seoul Business Agency plans to introduce innovative technologies in the field of ‘mobility and ESG’ of the Seoul Technology Center in an open innovation method linked to large companies. To this end, it is conducting an open innovation program (6th Seoul Innovation Challenge) with four large domestic companies to jointly discover six startups with innovative technologies in related fields, support technology cooperation and commercialization, and support entry into the global market through CES joint exhibition.

For the selected companies of the K  STARTUP Integrated Center, the business areas are five areas: ▲ Mobility ▲ Bio/Healthcare ▲ ESG ▲ Manufacturing ▲ Data. It is expected to raise attention in Eureka with an integrated and expanded scale compared to the previous year.

Selected companies will receive one-stop integrated services from pre-consulting for CES, on-site exhibition and interpretation, IR presentation, and follow-up. In particular, 17 companies achieved the CES 2023 Innovation Award by conducting consulting training for the Innovation Award awarded to companies with innovative technologies and aesthetic designs in CES.

Hyun-woo Kim, CEO of the Seoul Business Agency (SBA), said, “We plan to present Seoul’s future vision of changing into technology at CES, the world’s largest IT exhibition, while actively supporting innovative startups representing Seoul’s startup ecosystem.”

We listened to the planning purpose, concept, and components of Seoul Pavilion through an interview with Kim Hyun-woo, CEO of Seoul Business Agency, who planned the operation of Seoul Pavilion at CES2023 in January 2023.

(Seoul Business Agency is responsible for supporting the overall field of startups and small and medium-sized enterprises in Seoul. Their main tasks include fostering companies as global companies, supporting companies’ investment, supporting companies’ sales growth, strengthening companies’ technological competitiveness, fostering companies’ human resources, supporting companies’ employment, fostering the content industry, and revitalizing industrial bases.)

CEO Kim Hyun-woo explained Seoul Pavilion as follows.

Seoul Business Agency is planning to present a ‘technology-changing vision of Seoul’ through CES (Consumer Electronics Show), the world’s largest tech exhibition. In addition, Seoul Business Agency is planning to introduce promising companies in Seoul to the global market and support their growth. Seoul Business Agency has made various efforts and attempts every year, but the reason why it supports promising companies in Seoul through CES 2023 is to secure Seoul’s global competitiveness.

Seoul Business Agency decided to run Seoul Pavilion at CES 2023, the world’s largest tech exhibition, to establish Seoul’s status as a global brand and foster unicorn companies in new industries by exhibiting promising innovative technologies and promoting policies such as Seoul’s Vision 2030.

Seoul Pavilion planned to operate 2 exhibition halls simultaneously, consisting of “Seoul Tech Pavilion (Main Hall : LVCC)” that displays Seoul’s future vision and innovative technologies, and “K-STARTUP Pavilion (Eureka Park)” that displays startup technologies representing Seoul’s startup ecosystem.

I think it is very meaningful not only for Seoul Business Agency but also for various Korean companies and cities preparing for CES 2023.

Seoul Business Agency is planning to form Seoul Tech Pavilion at LVCC (North Hall), the main exhibition hall of CES, and to present Seoul’s vision as a tech hub and Seoul’s image as a Smart Transportation/Green City through open innovation between major companies and SMEs.

Seoul Tech Pavilion is an exhibition hall that shows ‘Mobility & ESG’ technology that represents Seoul’s future lifestyle. Major companies such as “Korea Aerospace Research Institute, HANCOM InSpace, Lotte Chemical, and S-Oil,” which have core technologies of “Mobility & ESG,” participated, and SMEs that conducted open innovation with major companies participated.

Another exhibition hall, K-STARTUP Pavilion, will be operated by Seoul Business Agency, Seoul Digital Foundation under Seoul Metropolitan Government, and Korea Institute of Startup & Entrepreneurship Development under Ministry of SMEs and Startups.  These 3 public institutions create and operate 50 promising SMEs’ exhibition halls, jointly selecting companies that apply for participation and coordinating with companies that will participate in the CES2023 exhibition hall in advance. In addition, each of the 3 public institutions divides the budget to efficiently utilize resources, and integrally promote administration such as the operation of the exhibition hall through role sharing. 17 of the 50 companies participating in the K       STARTUP Pavilion have already won the Innovation Awards organized by CES and will showcase Seoul’s excellent technologies.

The K-STARTUP Pavilion consists of 2 spaces,Theme Zone and Tech Zone. Theme Zone will be equipped with a large stereoscopic screen (8m*4m) to showcase anamorphic and 3D images that can realistically realize the future vision of Seoul. UAM,drones, and autonomous vehicles will be presented dynamically through media
art (anamorphic) technology, and the city’s future mobility vision will be delivered through storytelling.

Tech Zone will display innovative technologies from major companies and SMEs in the field of “Smart Mobility” and “Clean Energy” linked to Seoul’s future vision.

“Smart Mobility” space will display urban aviation mobility (UAM) to implement “Smart Transportation City, Seoul,” solar drone technology, low-orbit communication satellites to build infrastructure for smart mobility, and information processing technology of video data through the satellites.

“Clean Energy” space will introduce eco-friendly solutions applicable to future mobility vehicles and infrastructure by creating videos related to hydrogen energy, carbon capture, next-generation batteries, clean energy supply technology in downtown Seoul, and eco-friendly high-tech materials.

It is worth looking forward to the move of Seoul Business Agency, which is doing various things for promising startups and SMEs in Seoul.

SOPHIA KIM

ASIA JOURNAL

CES, the world’s largest technology show, opened on January 5, 2022.

Though the event returned as an offline event for the first time in two years, the spread of the Omicron Covid-19 variant had caused many American tech giants to change course and attend virtually. Among these companies were Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Meta (Facebook). Accordingly, the in-person presence of Korean companies was especially highlighted at CES 2022.

The Consumer Technology Association hosted the event in Las Vegas, from January 5 to January 7, 2022 (local time). Though it was originally scheduled to run through January 8, the closing date was moved up in light of the pandemic.

The number of attending companies, at around 2200, was down by half from the pre-pandemic CES of 2020. On the other hand, Korean companies made their largest ever appearance, with over 500 exhibitors. This was an increase of around 29% from 390 in 2020. Not only the automobile industry but also the hollow industry attended this year’s CES to showcase advanced technologies.

◆Hyundai Motors, Robotics, and Future Mobility Technology.

At CES 2022, Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Eui-sun presented a vision for robotics under the theme of “Expanding Human Reach” and explained new concept robots. Chairman Chung had shown a demonstrable interest in the robotics industry of late; in December of last year, he acquired an 80% stake in Boston Dynamics, the world’s top robot company, for about 1 trillion won.

Hyundai Motor unveiled “Mobility of Things (MoT)”, which gives mobility to all objects, as well as “Plug & Drive (PnD) modules” based on core robotics technology to realize the ecosystem for the first time.

It also introduced “MobED”, an innovative small mobility platform. MobED combines Hyundai Motor Group’s robotics technology to drive objects freely in complex urban environments. It can be used for such various purposes as strollers, courier and cargo transportation, and special filming.

M.Vision POP & M.Vision 2GO, a city-sharing mobility concept, was also unveiled for the first time to global visitors. Under the theme of Joyful Life in M.VISION Town, Hyundai Mobis delivers Mobis’ technology and vision in a new space that transcends Metabus.

Model Solutions, a total solutions company affiliated with Korea & Company Group (Hankook Tire Group), participated for the second consecutive year following CES 2021. Model Solutions is an innovative company that provides total solutions from design to mass production. It also operates a hardware accelerator program that supports planning, design, development, prototypes, and mass production for start-up companies with future-oriented and creative ideas.

Hyundai Heavy Industries Group participated in CES for the first time. Chung Ki-sun, president of Hyundai Heavy Industries Holdings, revealed his blueprint for the company’s future. Avikus, a subsidiary of Hyundai Heavy Industries, presented a vision of how its autonomous operation technology can transform the marine mobility sector.

Korea Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, a holding company in the shipbuilding sector, introduced its marine hydrogen value chain to cope with the climate change crisis.

Clue Insights, Hyundai Doosan Infracore’s big data-based equipment management solution developer, presented plans for a safe and efficient future construction site.

Also participating in the booth on site was Hyundai Genuine, the holding company of Korea Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering and Construction Machinery.

◆ Doosan Group celebrated its second consecutive year of participation at CES.

Doosan, Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction, Doosan Bobcat, Doosan Pure Cell, Doosan Industrial Vehicle, Doosan Robotics, and Doosan Mobility Innovation presented at CES 2022. Chairman Park Jung-won did not attend in person, in light of the spread of the Omicron variant.

This year, Doosan set up a 450 m2 booth in the West Hall to join the congregation of other companies in the automobile and autonomous vehicle industries. The booth allowed visitors to experience how advanced future technologies could be applied to daily life.

At the centre of the booth was a 3.5-meter-high model of the Tri-Gen system. Tri-Gen, currently being developed by Doosan Pure Cell, is a system that uses fuel cells to produce hydrogen, electricity, and heat at the same time.

Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction also presented its hydrogen utilization technology. It introduced the process of electrolyzing water with electricity produced by offshore wind turbines, producing green hydrogen and hydrogenating waste resources.

Doosan Robotics presented various ways in which robots could help with daily life activities and entertainment.

Doosan Bobcat held a media day event at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas on the 4th, a day before the opening of CES. Here, they unveiled the “All-Electric” compact track loader T7X for the first time.

POSCO Group introduced POSCO’s venture platform and venture companies fostered by POSCO. POSCO set up a joint exhibition hall with POSTECH and Pohang Institute of Industrial Science (RIST) to introduce a POSCO-type venture platform that discovers and invests in new growth projects, using POSCO’s unique industry, academia, and research infrastructure. It also set up an exhibition hall with promising venture companies discovered through POSCO Idea MarketPlace (IMP).

A total of 13 corporate briefing sessions were also held, including six venture companies fostered by POSCO, two venture companies fostering POSCO International, and five venture companies starting POSTECH.

Sam Kim

Asia Journal