By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo

The Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KGCCI), led by President & CEO Marie Antonia von Schönburg, awarded DolbomDream, Terracle, and TROUND Inc. as the Innovators of the Year at the 11th KGCCI Innovation Awards, held on November 20 at The Ambassador Seoul – A Pullmann Hotel.

The annual awards recognize outstanding companies that have introduced groundbreaking technologies and solutions advancing innovation and strengthening Korean-German business cooperation.

Officially supported by Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS), the KGCCI Innovation Awards, launched in 2015, are to support companies that create value in the Korean market through innovative products, processes, and technologies, while also promoting new business collaborations between Korea and Germany. This year’s event was sponsored by Henkel Korea, Merck Korea, and Robert Bosch Korea.

Minister Han Sung-sook of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups praised the strong innovation partnership between the two countries in a video message: “Korea and Germany have long been close partners built on strong cooperation in manufacturing and technological innovation. The Innovation Awards provide a meaningful platform for companies from both countries to create new value through creativity and a spirit of challenge. The Korean government will continue to support innovative enterprises so they can grow and compete on the global stage.”

The finalists were selected based on five criteria: △Degree of innovation △Proven market success △Influence on company △Benefit for society △Diversity and inclusion by a Korean-German panel of distinguished judges from business, academia, and research.

The event featured special guests, including H.E. Georg Schmidt, German Ambassador to South Korea, and the keynote speaker Ji Eun Chung, CEO & Co-Founder of CODIT, who shared insights on technology-driven sustainability and global startup growth.

Marie Antonia von Schönburg, KGCCI President and CEO, stated, “Innovation drives progress across our economies and societies. This year’s finalists show what’s possible when creativity and collaboration come together. From AI to healthcare, mobility, and sustainable materials, their work demonstrates how new ideas can make a lasting difference in the way we live and work.”

2025 KGCCI Innovation Awards Winners
Five finalists presented their innovative technologies and business models during a live pitching session before the jury and audience, who then voted electronically to select the winners.

1st Prize: DolbomDream — Carearly
DolbomDream received the top prize for Carearly, the world’s first non-invasive pneumatic-BCG (ballistocardiography) system for continuous cardiopulmonary monitoring in daily life. Unlike traditional ECG or camera-based systems, Carearly uses air-pressure sensors embedded in a cushion or wearable form to measure subtle chest micro-movements caused by heartbeat and respiration. The AI algorithm interprets these signals to predict health risks such as arrhythmia, sleep apnea, and heart failure. Its accuracy has been clinically validated through collaborations with medical universities and hospitals. Combining comfort, precision, and early warning capability, Carearly empowers seniors to manage their health proactively while reducing caregiver burden and healthcare costs.

“It is a great honor to be recognized among the top innovators driving the future of healthcare,” said Jihun Kim, CEO of DolbomDream. “We will continue to advance Carearly’s technology to ensure that every senior can live safely and independently through non-invasive, intelligent health monitoring.”

2nd Prize: Terracle — Terra-X™
Terracle was awarded second prize for Terra-X™, a chemical recycling process that depolymerizes waste PET into TPA and EG under low-temperature, atmospheric-pressure conditions. It removes dyes and adhesives without complex pretreatment and maintains 99.9% purity. The process reduces carbon emissions by over 50% compared with virgin TPA and, through continuous operation, treats larger waste volumes efficiently while recovering wastewater and by-products.

“We are grateful for this opportunity to demonstrate the potential of chemical recycling to a wider audience,” said Hyeonmin Lee, Project Manager at Terracle. “We will continue to advance our technology and expand our business to contribute to building a truly sustainable plastic circularity system.”

3rd Prize: TROUND Inc. — SoundXR Chair
TROUND Inc. received the third prize for its SoundXR Chair, which delivers home-theater–level spatial audio within a compact personal chair. Featuring a curved speaker frame positioned 30cm from the user, it creates a precise sound “sweet spot” with unreflected multi-channel audio. Its real-time Sound-to-Tactile Haptic system converts sound data into synchronized vibrations in the backrest and seat, enabling users to both hear and physically feel the audio. Certified testing confirmed a 16.78% increase in immersion, offering an unprecedented auditory-tactile fusion experience beyond conventional media devices.

“Just as Apple created the 'smartphone' product category with the 'iPhone',' TROUND is creating the 'Sound Chair' product category with the 'SoundXR Chair,” said JB Park, CEO of TROUND. “It is certainly a path filled with many challenges for a small startup to take on the role of a Category Creator for a product that did not previously exist. However, we are 'challenging' precisely because the task is difficult. Today's award is even more meaningful and appreciated, as it feels like 'cold ice water' handed out in the cool shade of a tree along the challenging marathon course of our journey.”

The winning companies will enjoy a range of benefits, including enhanced visibility, valuable networking opportunities, and access to potential investors and partners through KGCCI’s extensive business network. As an additional benefit, winners will be granted one-year access to KGCCI’s German office, providing them with a prime opportunity for closer engagement with the German market and its network. Additionally, non-member winners will be granted a one-year complimentary KGCCI membership, unlocking opportunities to engage with German companies and explore markets in Germany.