AI·Deep Tech Startup Companies, also ushering in a "warm wind of investment" at the end of the year... Leading in the biotech and healthcare sectors

The investment market for tech-focused startups remained active at the end of the year. In December, meaningful funding continued to emerge across several deep-tech fields such as artificial intelligence (AI) protein design, airport operation optimization, and home-based cardiac health monitoring. The technological strength and market expansion strategies of these companies attracted significant attention.

First, hormone health diagnostics startup Inito recently raised $29 million (approximately 41.7 billion KRW) through a second round of funding. The company plans to expand from its original home-use ovulation testing service for women to a general hormone analysis platform centered on AI-synthesized antibody technology, covering areas such as pregnancy, menopause, and testosterone. Its approach of “predicting the 3D structure of antibody proteins and designing them with AI, virtually analyzing millions of combinations, and only manufacturing the most stable antibodies” is considered to surpass traditional antibody development in terms of accuracy and consistency.

Swiss company Assaia, which fully integrates AI technology into the aviation industry, raised $26.6 million (about 38.3 billion KRW), attracting attention. The company successfully implemented pre-assignment of gates and parking stands and shortened aircraft ground handling times using its AI airport operation software “StandManager,” already in operation at major international airports such as JFK in New York and Heathrow in London. Its strategy is to contribute to improving the efficiency of aviation infrastructure through service expansion and feature upgrades.

Aether Bio, which develops high-performance filaments for 3D printing and proteins usable in aerospace, defense, and pharmaceutical processes, also received $15 million (approximately 21.6 billion KRW) this month. The company is developing seven new protein families through machine learning and high-speed automated robots, some of which are ready for application in actual manufacturing processes. Investors like Tribe Capital regard this as a significant milestone, calling it “the first successful case of designing proteins with AI and achieving industrial production.”

Wearlinq, focused on cardiac monitoring, secured $14 million (about 20.1 billion KRW) in funding with a wireless device capable of remote hospital-grade electrocardiogram (ECG) measurement. The device is already used in 75 cardiology clinics and offers the advantage of improving both patient needs and hospital analysis efficiency. Notably, it surpasses traditional heart rate monitors by analyzing electrical signals, which is believed to aid in detecting hidden arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation.

Finally, Built AI, headquartered in London, UK, which specializes in automating commercial real estate investment analysis, raised $6 million (about 8.6 billion KRW). The company provides a platform utilizing machine learning to analyze lease terms, tenant information, and valuation metrics within minutes. The platform has been used to analyze European assets worth $700 billion (approximately 1,007 trillion KRW). The company has officially announced its entry into the US commercial real estate market, increasing industry expectations for its impact and expansion potential.

These startups have gone beyond mere technological innovation; with validated applications in real industry settings and strategic expansion plans, they are expanding their influence in the global market. Their success across industries such as AI and biotech, logistics, and real estate demonstrates that a tech-centered entrepreneurial spirit remains effective.