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Seoul Robotics

Topic: Company

 From HandWiki - Reading time: 5 min
Seoul Robotics
Native name
서울로보틱스
TypePrivate
IndustryLiDAR, Software
FoundedAugust 2017; 6 years ago (2017-08) in Seoul, South Korea
FounderHanBin Lee
Headquarters
Seoul
,
South Korea
Area served
Worldwide
ProductsSENSR M, SENSR 2.0, Discovery
Number of employees
30
Websitewww.seoulrobotics.org


Seoul Robotics (Korean: 서울로보틱스) is 3D vision software company based in Seoul, South Korea.[1] The company was founded in 2017 by CEO HanBin Lee.[2] Seoul Robotics offers solutions based around its proprietary SENSR computer vision software, a 3D vision software which uses data from LiDAR sensors to create highly-accurate, real-time models of physical locations. Seoul Robotics’ software is used for applications in fields such as autonomous vehicles, advanced driver assistance systems, smart manufacturing, construction, logistics, and smart cities.[3][4][5][2] Notable partners of Seoul Robotics include BMW, Volvo, Mercedez-Benz, Mando, and Qualcomm.[1][4][6][7]

As of February 2021, the company has 30 employees.[4][2] Seoul Robotics' headquarters is located in Seocho-Gu, Seoul, near Seoul National University of Education Station. The company has regional offices in the Silicon Valley, Detroit, Michigan, and Munich, Germany.[4]

Company history

Seoul Robotics was founded in August 2017 by members of an online study group who studied artificial intelligence and deep learning together.[2] Led by now CEO HanBin Lee, the study group entered the Didi-Udacity Self-Driving Car Challenge in July 2017 as ‘Team Korea’, and placed 10th out of 2000 teams.[2][9] The team's success in the competition was a catalyst, and they decided to start a business centered around their LiDAR expertise. Seoul Robotics was founded the next month by four founders, including Lee.[2]9]

The startup received initial seed funding from from Hong Kong accelerator Zeroith.AI, and the Tech Incubator Program for Startups Korea (TIPS).[2] Seoul Robotics announced $5M of Series A round investment in December 2019, led by KB Investment, KDB Capital, Artesian VC and Access Ventures, which is led by the former head of M&A APAC for Google.[8][9] By April, the company had raised KRW 6.5 billion (USD$ 5.7 million).[10] This funding was used to expand Seoul Robotics' North American operations.[8]

In the Summer of 2019, Seoul Robotics initiated a series of three major POC projects with BMW, E-mart, and Volvo. The company exhibited their product at the Consumer Electronics Show in both 2020[8] and 2021[5], and at MODEX 2020.[11]

Seoul Robotics officially entered the US market in January of 2021, along with the launch Discovery, an all-in-one hardware and software solution.[12]

Partners and Customers

Seoul Robotics has collaborated with global automotive OEM's and tier 1 suppliers, LiDAR manufacturers, engineering integrators, along with governments and ministries of transportation.[13]

BMW

Seoul Robotics staff at the startup HQ.

Seoul Robotics became a registered tier 1 LiDAR software provider to BMW group through the BMW Startup Garage program in February, 2020.[14][12] The two companies collaborate in R&D and technical cooperation to develop LiDAR software for future BMW models.

Mercedez-Benz

Seoul Robotics partnered with Mercedez-Benz through the 'Startup Autobahn' global startup platform in December 2020. The Startup Autobahn program aims to discover and develop startups with the capability of entering the global market in the field of future mobility.[15] Mercedez-Benz also selected Seoul Robotics to LiDAR-based provide customer analytics solutions for it's Hanam, South Korea showroom.[12]

Mando Corporation

On February 9th, 2021, Korean Tier 1 OEM Mando Corporation and Seoul Robotics announced a strategic partnership together.[4] The two companies signed an MOU for the 'commercialization of autonomous driving 3D LiDAR technology' and a technological alliance.[16]

Ouster and Velodyne

Ouster, a major LiDAR manufacturer in the Silicon Valley, signed an MOU with Seul Robotics in April 2019. The agreement came from a desire to integrate the Seoul Robotics perception software with Ouster's LiDAR, and for both parties to collaborate to facilitate LiDAR's faster market adaption. Seoul Robotics entered a similar business partnership with Velodyne Lidar, one of the world's leading LiDAR manufacturers in June of the same year.[3] Together, Velodyne Lidar and Seoul Robotics developed a proof of concept demonstrating how LiDAR solutions can advance manufacturing automation and safety.[11]

Technology

SENSR

A point cloud generated by SENSR M shows vehicle traffic on a street in Seoul.

SENSR (Smart 3D Perception Engine by Seoul Robotics) is the primary software of Seoul Robotics. SENSR software interprets raw LiDAR data and constructs a high-density point cloud digital twin models.[1] SENSR contains AI based algorithms which use deep learning techniques to categorize humans, automobiles and bicycles.[13]

SENSR software is compatible with almost all commercially available LiDAR sensors.[1]

Discovery

Discovery is the primary commercial product of Seoul Robotics. Discovery kits contain both hardware (LiDAR sensors) and software (SENSR) and are specified for specific applications and uses.[12][7] The product is named after the U.S. Space Shuttle Discovery.

Company Culture

Despite being based in South Korea, the internal language of Seoul Robotics is English. CEO HanBin Lee says that this is to maintain a non-hierarchical, horizontal organizational structure within the company.[17] This approach is unique, as Korean companies are typically known for their strict organizational hierarchies.[18]

Approximately 30% of the employees at Seoul Robotics are non-Koreans, including nationals of Canada, Vietnam, Germany, and Iceland.[19]

CEO HanBin Lee is known for his relaxed leadership style, and he wears Crocs in the Seoul Robotics headquarters almost every day.[19]

Awards and Recognition

In 2019, Seoul Robotics was selected as a K-Global DB-Star top startup by the Korean Ministry of Science and ICT.[20]

Template:DMCFACT

References


  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Annunziata, Marco. "Seoul Robotics: A 3D Vision Of The Future" (in en). https://www.forbes.com/sites/marcoannunziata/2021/01/07/seoul-robotics-a-3d-vision-of-the-future/. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 "이한빈 서울로보틱스 대표". 2020-09-23. http://jmagazine.joins.com/forbes/view/331465. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "서울로보틱스, 라이더 업체 '벨로다인'과 제휴 - 로봇신문사" (in ko). http://www.irobotnews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=18670. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 ""자율차 AI 눈 세계시장 석권할 것"…서울로보틱스, 벤츠·BMW 이어 만도와 손잡아" (in ko). 2021-02-09. https://www.hankyung.com/it/article/2021020959391. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "CES: Seoul Robotics, Mobileye Enable Lidar for Smart Cities" (in en-US). 2021-01-20. https://www.etcentric.org/ces-seoul-robotics-mobileye-enable-lidar-for-smart-cities/. 
  6. ↑ "Velodyne Joins the Qualcomm Smart Cities Accelerator Program" (in en). 2020-12-21. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201221005093/en/Velodyne-Joins-the-Qualcomm-Smart-Cities-Accelerator-Program. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Brown, Dalvin (January 16, 2021). "Lidar tech on the rise at CES to power future smart cities, autonomous cars". The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/01/16/lidar-smart-cities-autonomous-cars/. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 "Seoul Robotics Secures $5M Funding for Product and North American Market Expansion" (in en). Bloomberg.com. 2019-12-19. https://www.bloomberg.com/press-releases/2019-12-19/seoul-robotics-secures-5m-funding-for-product-and-north-american-market-expansion. 
  9. ↑ "'서울 로보틱스', 500만 달러 투자 유치 - 로봇신문사" (in ko). http://www.irobotnews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=19152. 
  10. ↑ "이한빈 서울로보틱스 대표". 2020-09-23. http://jmagazine.joins.com/forbes/view/331465. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Velodyne and Seoul Robotics showcase lidar solutions at Modex". https://www.mmh.com/article/velodyne_and_seoul_robotics_showcase_lidar_solutions_at_modex. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 "Seoul Robotics Democratizes LiDAR With Breakthrough Perception Software Platform" (in en-US). https://finance.yahoo.com/news/seoul-robotics-democratizes-lidar-breakthrough-140000274.html. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Jung, James (2021-03-05). "Top Korean startups leading the autonomous driving technology sector" (in en-US). https://www.koreatechdesk.com/top-korean-startups-in-the-autonomous-driving-technology-sector/. 
  14. ↑ 이석원 (2020-02-26). "서울로보틱스, BMW그룹과 협력 강화한다" (in ko-KR). https://www.venturesquare.net/803362. 
  15. ↑ Jaehoon Lee (2020-12-10). "서울로보틱스 등 유망 스타트업, 벤츠코리아와 손잡고 글로벌 진출" (in ko). https://www.etoday.co.kr/news/view/1972448. 
  16. ↑ Yeon Seon-Ok (2021-02-09). "만도·서울로보틱스, 자율주행기술 핵심인 '라이다, 이미지 레이다' 상용화에 협력" (in ko). https://biz.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2021/02/09/2021020900778.html. 
  17. ↑ "[이종철의 딥테크 From Seoul with Love, 서울로보틱스"] (in ko-KR). 2021-02-22. https://byline.network/2021/02/22-115/. 
  18. ↑ Ahrens, Frank. "South Korea’s Corporate Hierarchies Are Breaking Down" (in en-US). https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/11/19/south-korea-corporate-hierarchy-breaking-down-chaebol/. 
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 (in en) 6억 연봉을 포기하고 만든 BMW가 쓰는 자율주행 기술, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boNBr3Yxb4g, retrieved 2021-03-22 
  20. ↑ www.etnews.com (2019-11-13). "데이터산업진흥원 'DB-스타즈' 대상에 서울로보틱스" (in ko). https://www.etnews.com/20191113000405?SNS=00002. 
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