‘AETECH’, which developed a robot that sorts recyclable waste based on artificial intelligence (AI), was awarded the global award by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), known as the 'Nobel Prize of Patents', last year, becoming the first in South Korea to do so. Since its founding in 2020, it has been strategizing on intellectual property (IP) including patents and has been working hard to protect its technology. It holds 17 registered patents in South Korea and 9 PCT applications overseas.

Ryu Jae-ho, the director (Chief Strategy Officer) of AETECH, stated in an interview with Asia Economy on the 6th, "Since WIPO is an organization under the UN, it places significant importance on 'sustainability'" and added, "I think 8Tech has given a sense of expectation that it could contribute to solving global environmental problems."

The 'Atron' developed by AETECH is an AI robot that replaces the manual sorting of recyclable materials. When waste is placed on a conveyor belt, robotic arms swiftly move to separate and process plastics, bottles, cans, etc. It boasts a maximum sorting capacity of 96 items per minute and a sorting accuracy of 99.3%. It has been supplied to Namyangju and Seongnam in Gyeonggi Province, Incheon City, and Songpa District in Seoul, gradually replacing the aging workforce in sorting tasks.

In the meantime, AETECH has actively utilized the IP research and development (R&D) projects by the Korean Intellectual Property Office. Partners with IP experts for 3 to 5 months, the company has worked on solving its technical challenges with patents and developing patent strategies that differentiate it from competitors. CSO Ryu explained, "AETECH focused on a system that integrates and manages unmanned robotic sorting facilities across the country," stating that it was able to build a portfolio of intellectual property rights by analyzing related patents by country and company and establishing strategies. He further advised, "It is essential to have a balanced plan for utilizing intellectual property rights that presents strategies not only focused on quantitative outcomes but also from a business perspective."

Since 2022, WIPO has been awarding annual prizes to small and medium-sized enterprises/startups that have achieved innovation and performance through the use of IP. Last year, over 700 companies worldwide applied, with 9 of them receiving awards. Awarded companies receive benefits such as one-on-one mentoring. Director Ryu shared, "We hold online workshops with IP experts who work at WIPO once a month," adding that they have introduced experts for global market research and created opportunities for matching with overseas investors (VCs).

Last month, a briefing session was held at the request of the Korean Intellectual Property Office, gathering domestic companies aiming for the award. At this meeting, AETECH explained what preparations it had made to have a solid IP strategy, including its know-how for winning awards. It is said that aligning with the 17 goals the UN has committed to achieving for sustainable development, such as poverty eradication, gender equality, climate change, and energy, increases the chances of winning awards. By the end of this month, WIPO will accept applications for the 2025 global awards, and evaluation panelists will review them, narrowing down the candidate companies to three times the number in April to May. Then, in June, the award recipients will be notified, and the awards ceremony will take place at the WIPO General Assembly in July. CSO Ryu emphasized, "I believe it is essential to take steps carefully following the WIPO award," indicating that if there are plans to expand the business into the global market, it could provide a meaningful foundation for entering overseas markets through the WIPO award.

While enhancing its products based on patents, AETECH is focusing on proprietary technology patents and aiming for a KOSDAQ listing through a technology special listing next year. CSO Ryu noted, "If a company gets entangled in large-scale patent disputes, its fate can change," stating that, just as a country must possess power to protect its citizens, they are building a stronghold of technology protection through patents.

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