At the FIX Innovation Awards, 9 companies were awarded the Grand Innovation Award, and 27 were awarded the Innovation Award.
Daegu and EXCO laid the foundation for fostering innovative technology in mobility, IT, and robotics technologies.

DAEGU, KOREA, October 25, 2024 /24-7PressRelease/ — Daegu Metropolitan City and EXCO have selected 36 companies that showcased the most innovative technologies and products at the Future Innovation Tech Expo 2024 (FIX 2024) as winners of the FIX Innovation Awards.

On October 22, Daegu hosted the 2024 FIX Innovation Awards Ceremony at the Grand Ballroom, EXCO. Global media, such as Le Café Du Geek (France), ET Auto (India), and Chinabyte (China), along with domestic media, award winners, judges, and over 100 industry professionals, will attend.

This year’s first edition of the FIX Innovation Awards has evaluated products showcased at ‘FIX 2024’ in future mobility (autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles, and secondary batteries), ABB (AI, Big Data, Blockchain), and robotics. The winners were selected based on evaluations of innovation, technology, business viability, and social/environmental utility (ESG), with higher overall scores in each category determining the recipients.

This awards program aims to “discover and nurture innovative companies with world-class technology and competitiveness.” In line with this mission, 210 companies participated in future mobility, ABB, and robotics, leading to intense competition.

Daegu City Deputy Mayor for Economic Affairs Jeong Jang-soo gave an opening speech at the awards ceremony. He emphasized, “FIX Innovation Awards kick off FIX 2024, an essential event where we showcase the state of cutting-edge technology.” He explained that FIX was conceived from questions he and Mayor Hong Joon-pyo raised during their visits to CES: “Why do Korean companies have to flock to CES in the U.S. to see innovation? Why isn’t there such an expo here in Korea?”

He continued, “With FIX, we decided to lead a new chapter for innovation and industries. Although we’re just beginning and have room to grow compared to CES or MWC, I’m committed to making FIX synonymous with cutting-edge technology. Soon, global innovators will say, ‘Let’s go to FIX.'”

Deputy Mayor Jeong celebrated the recipients, saying, “Each of you at this award ceremony embodies innovation and the future. We aim to grow FIX so that being part of the first-ever FIX Innovation Awards is something to be proud of.” This year’s winners will receive business consulting and other support, collaborating with DGB Financial Group and Korea Credit Guarantee Fund to help them expand globally as “Glocal startups.”

Noting startups’ challenges in securing funding and global footholds, Mr. Jeong remarked, “FIX Innovation Awards are just the beginning of a startup ecosystem that will propel high-tech companies from small and medium-sized enterprises to global players. We will support these companies, making this award worth far more than its financial value.”

Mr. Jeong closed with a call for collaboration, adding, “What companies develop isn’t just for profit; it’s a path to better lives for humanity. When shared globally, innovation flourishes. Daegu will do everything it can to ensure FIX supports companies in meaningful ways.”

Daegu City held a call for candidate companies for about 45 days to prepare for this awards ceremony starting in July. The judging panel conducted a fair evaluation process, and nine companies were selected for the Grand Innovation Award and 27 for the Innovation Award, which recognizes those driving innovation in South Korea’s industrial ecosystem.
• Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Award: 2 companies (Grand Innovation Award in Future Mobility 2)
• Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Award: 2 companies (Grand Innovation Award in Future Mobility 2)
• Daegu Metropolitan Mayor Award: 3 companies (Grand Innovation Award in ABB 3)
• Chairman of Korea Credit Guarantee Fund Award: 2 companies (Grand Innovation Award in Robotics 2)

First, the Grand Innovation Award winners in the Future Mobility category are:
• HEI, a supplier of the software solution Biifore, which can quickly and accurately assess and predict the state of health (SOH) of electric vehicle (EV) batteries
• OKSAN, a company developing an AI-based behavior prediction pedestrian safety system
• AEOL Korea, a supplier of resource-recycling MOF electrodes
• KOREA METAL SILICON, a provider of ultra-precise silicon materials, including silicon powder, nano-silicon, and micro-silicon

Second, the Grand Innovation Award winners in the Robotics category are:
• AETECH, a developer of the crewless robotic recycling center AIRO-MRF
• TWINNY, a provider of autonomous robot-based picking solutions

Lastly, the Grand Innovation Award winners in the ABB category are:
• Phantomics Inc., a developer, and supplier of the AI-based automatic diagnosis solution Myomics
• VISIONSPACE, a supplier of real-time robot monitoring and integrated control services using AI and digital twins
• ILias AI, a developer of an Olfactory AI digital sniffer dog

The award-winning companies will receive various fostering (accelerating) programs, including ESG consulting and technology assessment consulting, U-CONNECT IR pitching and VC networking opportunities, and recommendations as candidates for the ‘Glocal Startup Support Program.’ They will also have opportunities for online promotion through prominent domestic and international media, as well as chances for buyer-matching consultations at the FIX 2024 exhibition. Additionally, they will benefit from discounted participation fees for the following year’s FIX event.

Daegu City stated, “The companies awarded the FIX Innovation Awards were selected based on professional and rigorous standards set by global VC and specialized institutions.” They added, “This awards program aims not only to discover companies with outstanding technologies but also to actively support the awardees in growing and developing into capable firms that can lead new industries on a global stage through various programs.”

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