Startups beat out 432 teams... Vehicle security and AI healthcare finance firms win G-Valley grand prize

[Financial News] Startups developing vehicle security solutions and artificial intelligence (AI)-based medical finance services won the grand prize at the G-Valley Startup Competition hosted by Korea Industrial Complex Corporation. A total of 432 teams from across the country entered this year’s competition, where startups in emerging industries tested their technological capabilities and business potential.
 According to industry sources on the 5th, Korea Industrial Complex Corporation held the demo day and awards ceremony for the 2026 10th G-Valley Startup Competition (G 2026) on the 4th at the Seoul Digital National Industrial Complex (G-Valley).
 The G-Valley Startup Competition was launched in 2017 to energize the startup ecosystem at the Seoul Digital National Industrial Complex and identify promising startups in emerging industries. This year, Korea Industrial Complex Corporation hosted the event, with eight organizations participating jointly, including the Seoul Metropolitan Government, Guro District, Geumcheon District, Korea Credit Guarantee Fund (KODIT), Korea SMEs and Startups Agency (KOSME), Soongsil University, the Seoul branch of the Korea Industrial Complex Managers Association (KIBA), and Seoul Business Agency (SBA).
 A total of 432 teams entered this year’s competition, including aspiring entrepreneurs and companies founded within the past seven years. Eligibility was broadened to allow companies in emerging industries to participate if they had been founded within the past 10 years. The 12 teams that passed the document screening completed an acceleration program that included business diagnostics, one-on-one consultations with experts, and mock investor relations (IR) presentations. In the end, nine teams advanced to the demo day and presented their business models and growth strategies to investors and judges, including venture capitalists (VCs) and accelerators.
 The grand prizes—the Seoul Mayor’s Award and the Korea Industrial Complex Corporation Chairman’s Award—went to Mobilwithus and Lazenca AI, respectively.
 Mobilwithus develops embedded security solutions for automotive electronic control units (ECUs). It has technology that uses the security functions of semiconductors installed in vehicles to provide vehicle security without requiring separate hardware modifications. As vehicle electrical and electronic systems grow more complex and the shift to software-defined vehicles (SDVs) accelerates, security for in-vehicle electronics and communication systems is becoming increasingly important, and the company is targeting this market. It currently supplies its solution for more than 30 mass-produced vehicle models, and the cumulative number of vehicles it has been installed in has topped 800,000.
 The other grand prize winner, Lazenca AI, is an AI-based healthcare fintech company. Focusing on the funding gap between when medical institutions submit claims for National Health Insurance benefits and when they receive the actual payments, it developed MediBaro, a working-capital liquidity service. The service helps medical institutions raise the working capital they need by using their claims receivable for National Health Insurance benefits.
 The number of medical institutions using the service has also grown since its official launch in July. As of the end of September, applications for working capital had exceeded 10 billion won. The company is pursuing business expansion by applying AI technology to financial services that ease the burden of managing funds for medical institutions.
 Quantum Hitech and BioBites took the gold prizes. The silver prizes went to Hieo Corporation and Olive Works, while the bronze prizes went to Unit Lab, EJM Company, and A.Dot Cure.
 Korea Industrial Complex Corporation also plans to connect the winning companies with follow-up commercialization support. The nine winning companies received a total of 32 million won in prize money, along with awards from the participating organizations’ heads. They will receive bonus points when applying to move into startup incubator facilities at Korea Industrial Complex Corporation and Soongsil University, as well as opportunities to meet with large and mid-sized companies through open innovation. Support will also include follow-on investment, recommendations for the Tech Incubator Program for Startup (TIPS), and connections to KODIT’s U-CONNECT program.
 The aim is to establish a support system that helps startups move beyond the initial technology development stage to enter the market and attract investment. In particular, the plan is to help early-stage companies secure sales channels and financing through collaboration with large and mid-sized companies and connections with investment organizations.
 Park Jong-bae, head of Korea Industrial Complex Corporation’s Seoul Regional Headquarters, said, “Now in its 10th edition, the G-Valley Startup Competition is G-Valley’s flagship startup platform, having consistently identified competitive startups in emerging industries such as AI, biotechnology, and security.” He added, “We will continue to work hard on follow-up support, building on cooperation with participating organizations and investors, so that outstanding startups can expand into global markets.”

/ Jointly planned by Financial News and Korea Industrial Complex Corporation

[email protected] Lee Ju-mi Reporter