image: Professor Minseok Kim, Department of New Biology, DGIST (CEO of CTCELLS Co., Ltd.) view more
Credit: DGIST
CTCELLS, established by Prof. Minseok Kim of the Department of New Biology, DGIST, was selected for the '200 Baby Unicorns Fostering Project' organized by Ministry of SMEs and Startups(MSS) and Korea Institute of Startup & Entrepreneurship Development(KISED), recently.
MSS recently selected and announced 60 baby unicorns in 2021 as a part of the '200 Baby Unicorns Fostering Project.' In Daegu/Gyeongsangbuk-do region, CTCELLS was reportedly the only company selected. The companies included in the final selection are entitled to various benefits, such as the special mortgage and funds including 300 million won for market pioneering, and privileges relating to R&D related businesses.
CTCELLS Co., Ltd. was established in April 2018 based on the liquid biopsy technology with an aim to provide a total solution for cancer diagnosis and treatment. Since the foundation, CTCELLS Co., Ltd. has joined significant national projects including the Source Technology Development Project and Science and the Engineering Fundamental Research Laboratory Project organized by the Ministry of Science and ICT(MSIT), the Tech Incubator Program for Startup(TIPS) by MSS, and the Bio Core Facility by National Research Foundation of Korea.
Also, during the Series-A Investment, which ended in success in this April, Enlight Ventures, LSK Investment, Chungnam National University Technology Holdings, UTC Investment, and KB Securities invested. Especially, SK Bioscience joined as a strategic investor(SI) and this is their first case of investing in an outside company.
Professor Minseok Kim, Department of New Biology, DGIST (CEO of CTCELLS Co., Ltd.) said, "Much is expected of the 200 Baby Unicorns project because it can be the first step in commercializing the past research outcomes," and added, "We will collaborate with the world-renowned research groups, such as Klaus Pantel, to realize the advanced technologies that can give strength to cancer patients."
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