December 02, 2023

hankyung

By Jinseok Choi, Correspondent iskra@hankyung.com

 

Voinosis recognized for its mobile-based early dementia prediction technology.
The global event hosted 10 finalists and drew an audience of 2,500 venture capitalists and industry professionals.

 

 

South Korean startup Voinosis has secured second place at a global startup competition hosted by a Silicon Valley venture capital (VC) firm. Voinosis specializes in developing technology that predicts the likelihood of dementia using mobile phones.

 

On the 1st (local time), Pegasus Tech Ventures hosted the “Startup World Cup” at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square in California. This annual event, organized by Pegasus, provides a global stage for startups to present their cutting-edge technologies and business strategies after advancing through regional qualifiers. The winning startup, as selected by a panel of judges, is awarded a $1 million investment.

 

The event featured a final showdown among 10 startups that successfully navigated the regional qualifiers and the semi-finals held on the 29th of last month. Each finalist was given 4 minutes to pitch their company, followed by a 2-minute Q&A session evaluated by six judges.

 

The 10 finalists represented a diverse array of countries, including the United States, Japan, and Colombia. Heavily influenced by the recent boom in generative AI, the majority of the finalists showcased various innovations utilizing artificial intelligence. Among them was South Korea’s Voinosis, which presented its proprietary technology capable of predicting the early onset of dementia by analyzing a user’s voice through a mobile phone.

 

The ultimate winner of the competition was Aillis, a Japanese startup focused on flu and COVID-19 diagnostics. Aillis introduced an AI-driven technology capable of identifying the flu and COVID-19 in just 15 seconds. The company received high marks from the judges, particularly for reducing diagnostic costs to a third of conventional methods. As the champion, Aillis secured the promised $1 million investment prize from the host, Pegasus Tech Ventures.

 

Voinosis tied for second place, an honor awarded to two teams. Shin Jeong-eun, CEO of Voinosis, remarked, “I am thrilled to receive this award on behalf of South Korea at such a prestigious competition. The greatest takeaway from this event is the opportunity to network extensively with VCs and other industry professionals.”

 

The event was a massive success, drawing an audience of approximately 2,500 attendees, including global venture capitalists and startup representatives.

 

original article : South Korean Startup Voinosis Secures 2nd Place at the ‘Startup World Cup’ in San Francisco