S. Korea to boost investment in college startups

  • 5 years ago
The South Korean government is now funding new startups... created by college students.
These new businesses have developed a number of new technologies... ranging from 3D-printed food to apps to support mental health.
Cho Sung-min reports.
What you are now seeing is the 3D printing process of cookie dough.
After baking the printed dough in the oven for ten minutes, you get colorful cookies, just how the designers intended.
Developers of the food printer say... it can manipulate and design the shape, size, texture, and filling inside the cookies as well.

It was developed last year by five graduate students from Korea University,... and now they've taken the food printer out of the laboratory to test it out on the open market.
So far, they have received nothing but rave reviews from both investors and the public.

"Our priority in the lab was to deliver results and develop the technology we wanted through various testings. Nowadays, we are focused on introducing the technology in a more consumer-oriented way."

A group of art therapists recently came together and developed a mobile app, which connects users and therapists to arrange individual therapy sessions.
Therapists can use the app to analyze users' mental state by the images they have drawn,... which pop up on the screens of smartphones and tablets.

What the two startups have in common is that they were created by students... and are both funded by the South Korean government.
The Ministry of Science and ICT said it is currently supporting seventy-five young startups... run by those who are either currently students or fresh out of college and graduate school.
The businesses were selected by the ministry... after a thorough review at startup exhibitions.

"We will do our best to provide financial support and R&D funding to young entreprenuers and startups, so that they can grow into world-leading firms in the future."

The ministry announced plans to boost investment for young startups while stressing... that government-funded businesses will serve as new growth engines and alleviate South Korea's unemployment issue.
Cho Sung-min, Arirang News.

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