□ Two faculty startups from DGIST (President Lee Kunwoo) were selected for the 2025 R&D support program of the Scale-up TIPS (Tech Incubator Program for Startups) managed by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups. The selected companies are CTCELLS Co., Ltd. (CEOs: Kim Minseok and Lee Jungmin), a precision medicine biotech firm founded by Professor Kim Minseok of the Department of New Biology, and Solitact Co., Ltd. (CEO: Lee Hochun), an all-solid-state battery startup founded by Professor Lee Hochun of the Department of Energy System Engineering.
□ Scale-up TIPS is a private investment–led R&D program managed by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups. When a private operator invests first in a promising company with technological capability and growth potential under this program, the government provides a matching R&D fund. The key characteristic of this arrangement is that it combines the private sector’s market validation with government R&D support to accelerate the growth of technology-based companies.
□ CTCELLS was selected for the program through a recommendation by LSK Investment, thereby securing a total R&D fund of KRW 1.52 billion (government support: KRW 1.14 billion). CTCELLS is developing an artificial intelligence–based (AI-based) liquid biopsy platform that can detect and analyze circulating tumor cells (CTC) and tumor microenvironment (TME) cells simultaneously, which are present in extremely low quantities in blood. Liquid biopsy refers to a technology that analyzes cancer information using only a blood test. This technology offers the advantages of enabling precise diagnosis and reducing patient burden.
□ Through this program, CTCELLS plans to advance its clinically linked, AI-based diagnostic software (SaMD: Software as a Medical Device), which can simultaneously classify CTC and TME cells by automatically analyzing approximately 100,000 cells from blood images. This software is considered a next-generation platform, which enables cell-based precision diagnostics and diverse biological information analysis, overcoming the limitations of conventional ctDNA (circulating tumor DNA) liquid biopsies. CTCELLS is currently collaborating with several major medical institutions in South Korea, including the National Cancer Center, Korea University Hospital, Severance Hospital, and Asan Medical Center. The company is also conducting joint research with the MD Anderson Cancer Center in the U.S., the National Cancer Center in Japan, and the global pharmaceutical company Daiichi Sankyo.
□ Solitact was selected for the program based on an investment and recommendation from Mirae Holdings. It will receive a total of KRW 1.52 billion (government support: KRW 1.14 billion) for R&D over the next three years. Founded in October 2022, Solitact is a startup that specializes in all-solid-state batteries. It is developing technology that achieves high safety and energy density simultaneously through all-solid-state batteries that use solid electrolytes, instead of liquid electrolytes.
□ Through the Scale-up TIPS, Solitact will fully launch its project, “Development of a 350 Wh/kg-Class All-Solid-State Battery with Silicon Anodes.” This next-generation battery technology is expected to store more energy than conventional lithium-ion batteries while significantly reducing fire risks. It is anticipated to be utilized in various fields, including electric vehicles (EV), energy-storage systems (ESS), electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (eVTOL), military applications, and humanoids. This technology is particularly expected to contribute significantly to extending EV driving ranges and enhancing the safety of large-capacity ESS.
□ These two startups, which were selected for the Scale-up TIPS, are regarded as prime examples of how DGIST faculty startups tie core technologies developed in laboratories to actual industrial competitiveness. It is also highly significant that they simultaneously received recognition for world-class technological capabilities in the two distinct fields of bio and energy.
□ Kim Minseok, CEO of CTCELLS, stated, “We will completely build a world-class precision cancer diagnostic solution through the automation and standardization of the entire liquid biopsy analysis process.” Lee Hochun, CEO of Solitact, said, “With the Scale-up TIPS selection as a catalyst, we will accelerate the advancement of our all-solid-state battery technology and the creation of tangible business results.”
□ In the future, DGIST plans to continue supporting technology-based startups and the commercialization of technology by its members. It also plans to accelerate the cultivation of innovative companies that will lead future industries.
