- Published 2026.09.29 10:08
Return Zero wins top prize at intellectual property startup competition
AI return inspection dramatically reduces disposal rate
Return Zero Co. won the top prize at the 2026 Intellectual Property Startup Competition for its technology to automate return inspections using artificial intelligence (AI).
The Korean Intellectual Property Office held an awards ceremony on Sept. 29 at the Korea Intellectual Property Center in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, recognizing 10 outstanding intellectual property-based startups. The competition was organized by the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the Korea Invention Promotion Association, the Korea Credit Guarantee Fund (KODIT), and the Banks Foundation for Young Entrepreneurs (D.Camp) to identify promising companies in national strategic technology fields.
Return Zero, which received the top prize, developed and patented technology that uses AI to quickly and accurately inspect products returned to online stores. The technology shortens inspection time and has reduced the disposal rate of returned goods from 25% to around 6%.
The excellence prizes went to Olive Works Co., Holt Energy Co., and InnoKeep Co. Olive Works presented an AI-based integrated and shared security foundation for information and communication resources, while Holt Energy showcased a clean hydrogen power generation device using unused biogas. InnoKeep won for its AI facility management foundation technology.
The innovation prizes were awarded to six companies: Allosscope Co., Brain Cheese Co., Dadadak Healthcare Co., AEAC Bio Co., Nova Bio Co., and X-Up Co.
The winners had time to present their companies for investment attraction and also earned a spot in the finals of the K-Startup 2026, a pan-ministerial startup competition. In the finals, they will compete for the presidential award and a prize of 500 million won (about $369,000).
Kim Il-kyu, director general of the Intellectual Property Policy Bureau at the Korean Intellectual Property Office, said, "Intellectual property-based startups have a higher success rate than companies without intellectual property," adding, "We will spare no support, including investment attraction and market development, so that intellectual property-based startups can bear good fruit."
(Dollar figures are approximate, converted automatically at 1,000 won = $0.738, the rate on Nov. 9, 2026.)
※ This article is an AI translation of the Korean original published by Korea Credit News; it was checked by automated quality guards and published by the English edition desk.
