This is the news of the technology transfer contract between ASK Labs and Life Insurance, a research institute established by SYP's technology brokerage. 

The Research and Development Special Zone Promotion Foundation announced on the 20th that the Korea Institute of Biotechnology and ASK Labs, a research company in Daedeok Special Zone, signed a new technology transfer contract worth a total of 1.2 billion won at the Daejeon Convention Center on the 19th. The term "research institute enterprise" means an enterprise established in a special R&D zone by investing more than 10% of its capital for the direct commercialization of development technology of public research institutes.

This technology transfer contract will be carried out on the condition of a total of 1.2 billion won in flat-rate technology fees and 3% of sales of current technology fees. ASK Labs has additionally transferred the technology of Dr. Kim Hee-sik, a promising lab of Life Research Institute, to lay the foundation for producing lutein with an eco-friendly method.

 

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Daedeok Special Zone, the Special Zone Foundation has been steadily striving to select promising labs for technology discovery and linkage projects and to advance technology commercialization based on their excellent technologies. The Special Zone Foundation has supported commercialization consulting and road map provision through corporate matching. As a result, in December 2021, Saeng Myung-yeon and ASK Company (Liman Korea's parent company) registered ASK Labs as a high-capital (1.59 billion won) research company (No. 1326). 

Dr. Kim Hee-sik's research team at the Cell Factory Research Center at the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology is leading the development of microalgae in the genus Chlorella that can produce high contents of carotenoids, including lutein, and these microalgae can be cultured using carbon dioxide and can obtain useful substances from the biomass obtained through it. 

Using the previously received technology, ASK labs plans to develop a lutein biological process using microalgae. Lutein, which is used in existing eye health functional foods, is extracted from petals called marigold (gold residue) and is entirely dependent on imports, and the market size is growing rapidly. 

Kang Byung-sam, chairman of the INNOPOLIS Foundation, said, "It is very meaningful to transfer the excellent technologies of the special zone to research institute companies this year, which marks the 50th anniversary of the Daedeok Special Zone in 2023. We will continue to provide support to create successful technology commercialization cases through the discovery and support of promising labs." 

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Seoul Economy Daily (https://www.sedaily.com/NewsView/29W16PBMGC)

Electornoic News (https://www.etnews.com/20231020000092)