NAVER Opens A Space Designed for Startups at Second HQ
NAVER Opens A Space Designed for Startups at Second HQ
NAVER Opens Space Designed for Startups at Second HQ
- Eight tech startups have moved into NAVER D2SF @Bundang at NAVER’s second HQ, which is designed to facilitate collaborative experimentation with various technology units, creating potential synergies
- 1784, NAVER’s second HQ, will act as a giant testbed for NAVER and startups to further advance technologies
- NAVER plans to continue supporting a wide range of tech startups at NAVER D2SF @Bundang
2022-05-11
NAVER D2 Startup Factory (D2SF) has opened a space designed for startups at 1784, NAVER’s second HQ in Bundang-gu, Seongnam, a city near Seoul. NAVER D2SF @Bundang will accommodate 140 staffers from promising startups. Eight tech startups have moved into the space to work with various NAVER technology units and create potential synergies.
Under the concept ‘Collaboratory’, NAVER D2SF @Bundang will promote cooperative experimentation as NAVER and the tech startups work more closely with each other. NAVER also plans to run programs, such as hands-on sessions for employees to experience startup technologies or services, and seminars or meetups with leaders at NAVER technology units, to stimulate and create synergies, diversifying potential collaboration opportunities.
The first teams joining NAVER D2SF @Bundang are eight promising startups in metaverse, AI, big data, robotics and healthcare industries, including N.Light (3D content design solution developer), VirtualFlow (Unreal Engine-based 3D tool set package developer), Laplace Technologies (e-commerce data analysis solution operator), Floatic (logistics robotics startup) and ichrogene (genetic data analysis startup). These companies have already identified possible technological collaboration opportunities with NAVER and are joining the D2SF space to develop new technologies and products. The new developments will be presented to various NAVER teams. For example, Laplace Technologies is in discussion with NAVER to support online small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) who started their businesses through NAVER Smart Store. ichrogene is working with NAVER Cloud to provide cloud-based genetic analysis.
“As genetic data is rising in various industries globally, we are planning to diversify our service offerings,” said Shin Youngah, CEO of ichrogene. “We expect to get more varied feedback from NAVER employees who experience our service, and discover more opportunities to collaborate. Although we are still in the early stage of moving in, we were able to get inspired by experiencing the new technologies of 1784, and we are more immersed in our work thanks to the convenient infrastructure.”
“NAVER D2SF @Bundang is the place for collaboration with tech startups at NAVER HQ while D2SF @Gangnam is an outpost for communication with them,” said Yang Sang-hwan, leader of NAVER D2 Startup Factory. “We believe 1784, NAVER’s technology test bed, will be an important laboratory for technological experiments with tech startups and become a reference model for such collaborations for all. We will continue to provide various synergy programs so that NAVER and startups can create even bigger growth opportunities together.”
NAVER D2SF is inviting startups to join NAVER D2SF @Bundang on its website. In addition to the previously invested team, NAVER D2SF will support tech startups that can collaborate or experiment with NAVER during their stay at NAVER D2SF @Bundang. It also plans to provide space for the final winner of the ‘Campus Technology Entrepreneur Competition,’ which is accepting applications from college student startup teams, and will provide mentorship programs to share NAVER developers’ field experiences and insights.
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