10 Exciting Startups Take Centerstage in the Hyundai-Kia ZERO1NE Pavillon at CES 2023

Startups exhibit innovation in digital therapy for ADHD and advanced camera technology for smart robots among others

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Pioneering startups that have slowly made their mark in various industries will be the highlight of Hyundai and Kia’s ZERO1NE Creative Talent Platform pavilion at the world’s most influential tech event in Las Vegas, the CES 2023, this weekend.

The ten startups, chosen by the leading Korean car manufacturers, are exhibiting in the ZER01NE pavilion as they develop solutions for a diverse range of challenges. These modern-day challenges range from digital therapy for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to advanced camera technology that provides a human-like wide field of view to smart robots.

Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation’s ZER01NE Platform highlights Hyundai and Kia’s strategy of building relationships with and nurturing an ecosystem for creators and startups. This year’s ZER01NE Pavilion will be located at Venetian Exo 1st floor Eureka Park in Las Vegas.

The 10 startups displaying their projects and innovative concepts within the ZER01NE pavilion at CES 2023 are:

  1. eMotiv

eMotiv develops digital therapeutics for children with ADHD using mobile game and AI. The company improves cognitive status and behavior by using a fun game that patients can play on a daily basis and is also planning to expand its services to people with autism and dementia.

  1. 60Hertz

60Hertz develops technologies and services to use and manage eco-friendly energy sources. The company’s Virtual Power Plant (VPP) software connects and manages renewable energy power plants such as solar and wind power as well as   distributed energy resources such as EV, ESS, and fuel cells by using technologies such as AI, Big Data, and Cloud.

  1. ArgosVision

ArgosVision develops an ultra-wide 3D depth camera,  ArgosVue, to provide a human-like wide field of view to smart robots. It can capture the whole human body within 0.5 meters, enabling interaction between humans and robots at a close distance.

  1. Cellplus

Cellplus Korea, an edge computing company specializing in autonomous vehicles, develops cameras, ISP, autonomous sensors, car platforms, and ultra-fast interfaces for S/W, H/W, O2O. This facilitates the acquisition & processing of data based on AI through a high-quality, low-cost solution.

  1. XYZ

XYZ is a service robot startup that applies AI and robotics technology to everyday life. It develops user-centered products through AI-based robots and data and provides products and services to enable people to focus on valuable tasks.

  1. VODA AI

VODA AI provides an AI machine vision platform service to the manufacturing industry. It makes the quality control process smarter by enabling manufacturing companies to do everything on a single platform. The all-in-one service provides affordable AI inspection systems to accelerate smart factory development.

  1. Difon

Difon Inc. is a startup spun off from Hyundai Motor Group to provide smart glass film solutions. Difon is also building up a new supply chain with strategic partner companies such as vehicle OEMs, glass makers, and construction companies.

  1. Fittrix

Fittrix is the first digital healthcare venture company to spin off as an in-house startup of Hyundai Motor Group. Fittrix provides a cloud-based body data information platform service for the customer experience of customized counseling, product suggestions, and coaching, using more than 50 data points.

  1. Wondermove

Wondermove is a solution/service group creating new value in business activities by providing business strategies and services based on automotive expertise, innovative business strategies, and cutting-edge IT technologies. The company is currently providing a white-label mobility platform in 10 European countries.

  1. AutoL

AutoL is a LiDAR manufacturing startup spun off from Hyundai Motor company’s in-house venture program last year. With an original method that simplifies product structure while maintaining resolution and detection range through optical signal control, it solves the challenges of lidar, such as durability and size.

In a joint statement, the Korean automakers said the ZER01NE initiative is presented at CES 2023 within an exclusive ZER01NE Pavilion, which features an open-plan layout and an array of interactive zones. The pavilion is divided into four zones which include the Startup Zone for the ten startup companies.

Five of these startups are presented by the ZER01NE Accelerator program, operated by Hyundai Motor and Kia, which nurtures relationships with and fosters the growth of external startups worldwide. The remaining five startups have been formed internally within the Group, based on ideas and innovations that have come from employees, and are promoted by the Group’s internal ZER01NE Company Builder program.

“Many of the disruptive breakthroughs that are shaping the transformation of mobility are coming from startups operating outside the automotive industry. Therefore, it is essential that Hyundai Motor Group leaves no avenue unexplored when researching future technologies,” said Dr. Yunseong Hwang, Vice President and Head of Open Innovation Execution Group at Hyundai Motor Group.

“The ZER01NE initiative enables the Group to engage with the best and brightest next-generation startups to develop innovative solutions. The influence of the ZER01NE Creative Talent Platform reaches far beyond the automotive and mobility sectors to accelerate the development of technology that will also deliver benefits for humanity as a whole.”

Startup funding and development

Each of the external startups has benefited from participation in the Hyundai Group’s ZER01NE Accelerator program enabling them to apply to one of 38 projects derived by the company’s internal teams under seven key themes: auto tech, in-car user experience (UX), charging, mobility services, smart logistics, smart construction, and materials.

Since Hyundai Group introduced the ZER01NE Accelerator in 2018, 125 teams from 11 affiliates and 96 startups have worked together on 80 collaborative projects. This has led to 51 startups successfully receiving equity investments from the Korean automaker.

The five startups exhibiting at the pavilion this week that are also participating in the ZER01NE Accelerator program under the ZER01NE Team are eMotiv, 60Hz, Argosvision, Cellplus Korea, and XYZ.

The Hyundai-Kia partnership also encourages its employees to think creatively and get involved in developing pioneering ideas. The Group’s ZER01NE Company Builder initiative is designed to take the very best of those ideas and progress them further by providing guidance from external experts to help develop their startup teams and their ideas.

The five startups under the ZER01NE Company Builder program exhibiting at the ZER01NE pavilion at CES 2023 are VODA AI, Difon, Fittrix, Wondermove, and AutoL.

Within the ZER01NE Pavilion at CES, each of the 10 startups has its own individual exhibition area, where visitors can meet personnel and learn more about the innovations that the startup is developing. Further information on the ZER01NE initiative is provided in the pavilion INFO Zone, where visitors can participate in Q&A sessions. The ZER01NE Zone, which is spread across three individual areas, provides further information and brand identity touch points.

Looking forward, Hyundai Motor and Kia will continue their investment in and commitment to the ZER01NE Creative Platform as it nurtures early-stage startups and transforms their concepts into reality. This will enable the Group to cement its lead in fields such as AI, Smart Mobility, Smart City, New Energy, Logistics, and Robotics.  As always, the reach of ZER01NE will extend much further than the automotive and mobility sectors, as it seeks to deliver technological solutions that benefit all of humanity.


Read More Stories: CES 2023: What to Expect at the World’s Most Influential Tech Event

 

 

 

 

 

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JM Agreda
JM Agreda
JM Agreda is a freelance journalist for more than 12 years writing for numerous international publications, research journals, and news websites. He mainly covers business, tech, transportation, and political news for Businessner.