KAIST Startup 'Barreleye' Secures 14 Billion KRW in Global Investment

[Financial News] Barreleye, a medical artificial intelligence (AI) solution company fostered by the KAIST Startup Institute, has secured a strategic Series A investment of approximately 14 billion KRW (USD 10 million) from leading global healthcare companies. This achievement is regarded as a representative success story within KAIST's Deep Tech startup ecosystem.
According to KAIST on the 13th, the KAIST Startup Institute operates a comprehensive support system for technology commercialization, startup incubation, investment linkage, and global expansion, aiming to create an innovation ecosystem through science and technology-based entrepreneurship. Centered on the 'K-Global Deep Tech Startup Strategy,' the institute accelerates the market entry of research outcomes and global investment attraction, establishing itself as Korea’s leading Deep Tech startup hub.
Barreleye, which recently succeeded in attracting investment, was founded in 2021. The company is developing an innovative diagnostic solution that enables the extraction of quantitative tissue information from ultrasound images—previously only possible with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)—using AI-based Quantitative Ultrasound Analysis Technology. With this ultrasound image-based AI diagnostic technology, Barreleye has entered the global healthcare market and secured a strategic investment of 14 billion KRW.
This investment is seen as recognition of Barreleye’s ultrasound image-based AI diagnostic technology as being commercially viable in global clinical and industrial settings. The investing company is a global leader in medical imaging and diagnostics, and both parties plan to establish a strategic partnership for joint technology development and overseas market expansion.
Barreleye is developing AI diagnostic solutions that detect subtle tissue changes inside the human body at high resolution, based on deep learning and Radio Frequency Signal (RF Signal)-based Quantitative Ultrasound Analysis Technology. The company is currently expanding its applications to various clinical fields, including breast cancer, thyroid disorders, liver diseases, and cardiovascular diseases.
Hyeon-Min Bae, Director of the KAIST Startup Institute and CEO of Barreleye, stated, “This investment demonstrates that the technology developed through research at KAIST is recognized as competitive in the global market. The Startup Institute will further strengthen its comprehensive support system for Deep Tech startups to ensure that researcher-driven technology entrepreneurship can be successfully connected to industry.”
Over the past five years, KAIST startups have attracted a cumulative total of 3.5 trillion KRW in domestic and international investment.
Kwang Hyung Lee, President of KAIST, remarked, “KAIST’s K-Global Deep Tech Startup Strategy is establishing a Korean-style Deep Tech startup model where research achievements lead to industrial innovation. Going forward, KAIST will continue to drive national innovation and growth through science and technology-based entrepreneurship.”

jiany@fnnews.com Yeon Ji-an Reporter