Seoul Robotics Sets Up Office at Curiosity Lab

Korea-based Seoul Robotics has set up an office at Curiosity Lab in Peachtree Corners as it eyes further growth in North America.

It’s a fitting move for a company whose connected, LiDAR-based systems and software provide 3D imaging of intersections, including the movement of both pedestrians and vehicles, to help cities better manage traffic flows in real-time and improve safety. Seoul Robotics is also in the process of testing with BMW a solution that will use mesh networks of sensors to drive autonomous fleet vehicles without the installation of new hardware on the cars.

Curiosity Lab calls itself a “living laboratory” for smart-city technologies, and it has carved out a niche with international firms in the sector by offering them a chance to test their solutions on city-run roads.

Brandon Branham, City of Peachtree Corners assistant city manager and CTO as well as Curiosity Lab’s executive director, said Seoul Robotics is simply the latest international firm to realize the power of the city’s platform.

“Their cutting-edge technologies not only support city managers in improving everyday lives but will also work to enhance our smart city streets through actionable 3D insights,” Mr. Branham said. “With experience in serving as a launch pad for multiple international companies, we are also looking forward to supporting Seoul Robotics as they continue to expand into the U.S. market.”

Beyond autonomous driving and smart cities, Seoul Robotics’ tracking tech can also be used in other applications like security, retail analytics and factories where they can monitor worker and machine movements. Founded in 2017, the company has offices in Seoul, Munich and Irvine, Calif. According to Crunchbase, the company has raised more than $43 million from investors, including a $25 million Series B in November led by KB Investment, one of Korea’s largest investment funds, with participation from Korea’s FuturePlay, Australia‘s Artesian Venture Capital, Korea Development Bank, Noh and Partners and Hong Kong’s Access Ventures.

The move to metro Atlanta is not the first foray in the South for Seoul Robotics, or even the first living laboratory with which it has partnered. Chattanooga, Tenn., recently announced it would use $4.5 million in U.S. Department of Transportation funding to outfit 86 intersections with its 3D perception systems, a move the company billed as “the largest Internet of Things deployment of its kind in the United States.”

Companies from France, Israel and other countries retain offices at CuriosityLab, attracted by the entrepreneurial ecosystem and a government that puts up very little bureaucratic resistance to new ideas. Peachtree Corners leaders this week are participating in the Autonomy Mobility World Expo in Paris.