-Readers can block news articles they don’t want to see in Naver

Naver has introduced a feature that allows news readers to block news media they do not want to see. This is the measure taken by the Democratic Party of Korea to promote media reform towards taking the news editing power from portal sites and giving the readers the ability to choose the media they want to consume.

Users can select the media they do not want to see on the setting screen to hide it at the top right-hand side of MY News.

Articles from the media company will be hidden in “MY News” and “Recommended News” sections.

However, due to the general news recommendation algorithm, if too many media companies have been hidden, or if all of the news of the recommended and subscribed media have already been read, the news articles from the media companies set as hidden may appear.

The staff from Naver said, "We are strengthening the role of a technology platform that connects media companies and readers so that the editorial values which the media companies pursue are delivered without being distorted."

Cellico (CEO Kim Jeong-seok), the startup that develops new microelectronic eye technology for blind patients, announced that it has decided to register a patent for a “sub-type artificial retina device, and its operation and manufacturing method,” which it applied for last year.

Cellico develops an implantable artificial retina medical device that enables vision restoration by implanting a high-resolution stimulation device into the photoreceptor layer damaged by eye disease.

The patented technology registered this time is one of the key technologies for achieving high resolution of the electronic eye, as it determines the arrangement and size of the stimulation electrode and the return electrode.
Cellico proposed a new electrode production method through this patent. This is expected to overcome the limitations of miniaturization of single electrode cells and increase in the number of pixels to express high resolution and solve the problem of image blur.

Jang Yi-woon, the Head of Cellico Research Center, said, "With this patented technology, we would like to develop a microelectronic eye device with high resolution, which is impossible with current technology, and reduce the patient's cost burden by using the semiconductor manufacturing process."

-GBSA to hold webinar to teach all about entering Amazon Store

For SMEs that dream of entering global e-commerce, Gyeonggido Business & Science Accelerator (or GBSA) will hold the webinar “A to Z in entering Amazon Store” live at 4 pm on July 7.

This webinar was prepared to support SMEs that are in the Amazon Store but are having difficulty in promoting and selling due to not being familiar with the sales systems. At the webinar, participating companies can learn know-hows on Amazon delivery and marketing from the experts.

The seminar will focus on these aspectsa: Guide on GBSA SME Support Project, Amazon Store Entry Process, Delivery Guide for Amazon Store (with a speaker from a delivery company), Marketing Strategy for Product Promotion After Entering Amazon (with a speaker from marketing company), and Filling Out the Application for Store Entry, followed by a Q&A.

The seminar will be offered free of charge. To participate, click the application URL in Egbiz notification page. The application is due July 2. The URL to the seminar will be automatically sent to the email address entered when filling out the application form. Visitors will be able to enter by clicking the URL on the day of the webinar.

-K-Startup challenges the Korean government to pave the way for global startups to enter Korea

The K-Startup Grand Challenge 2021 (KSGC 2021) will be launched from August 16 to November 30 as they selects 60 global startup teams that want to expand their businesses to Korea.

KSGC 2021 is a global startup acceleration program hosted and funded by the Korean government and NIPA. The Korean government supports talented entrepreneurs and promising startups to transform Korea and Pangyo Technovalley of the creative economy into a global startup hub in Asia.

KSGC 2021 will offer a 3.5-month residency program in Korea to 60 teams and entrepreneurs. The benefits include expert guidance, co-working spaces, a state-of-the-art R&D lab, corporate partnerships, and access to Asian markets. The accelerated program takes place on the startup campus of Pangyo Technovalley, a technology hub near Seoul. The top 10 companies at the end of the competition will receive a total $320,000 in grants, and with the first-place team receiving $120,000.

First launched in 2016, the program aims to promote the expansion of the open entrepreneurship ecosystem in Asia and help Korea develop into a prominent hub for startups and businesses in the region. In 2020, the program grew 58% despite the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 2,648 teams from 118 countries applied for it last year.

Pangyo Technovalley is an innovation hub for global companies comparable to the Silicon Valley in the US, Zhongguancun in China, and STATION F in France. It is an Asia tech hub with 1,259 IT, BT, CT, and NT companies that possess innovative products and technologies. Located just south of the metropolitan area, it provides the best environment for Korean companies to do business with great transportation access and infrastructure.

Various high-tech companies are located in Pangyo Technovalley, and it is occupied by 64,000 full-time employees, many in their 20-30s. In terms of industry, the companies are engaged in information technology, contents technology, biotechnology, and nanotechnology.

With the support of innovative companies with global capabilities such as Kakao, Naver, AhnLab, Krafton, NCSoft, Nexon, and Hancom, companies in Pangyo Technovalley recorded 107 trillion won in sales last year. Investment and infrastructure growth in Pangyo is expected to continue, with the Metaverse hub entering Pangyo this year.

Source: Pangyo Techno Valley Official Newsroom 

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