South Korea’s Innopolis Foundation said Monday it recently hosted the 2026 Daedeok Innopolis Korea-U.S. Advanced Biotechnology Cooperation Seminar, aimed at expanding joint research and technology commercialization between global biotechnology researchers and organizations based in Daedeok Innopolis while supporting local companies’ expansion into the U.S. market.
More than 60 participants attended the event at Hotel ICC in Daejeon, including researchers from Johns Hopkins University and Harvard University, representatives from government-funded research institutes, and biotech companies based in the special R&D zone.
Speakers included Kim Deok-ho, director of the Johns Hopkins Biomedical Innovation Center (JHBIC), Johns Hopkins professor Kang Jin-woong, and Harvard professor Lee Pyeong-se, who shared the latest developments in advanced biotechnology and discussed opportunities for international collaboration.
The seminar also highlighted a joint research project between the Korea Basic Science Institute and Japanese partners, as well as a technology licensing agreement worth $1.04 billion between startup Maptics and U.S.-based Memento Medicine. Participants discussed strategies for joint research, technology commercialization, and market entry with U.S. research institutions.
The Innopolis Foundation said it plans to strengthen partnerships with global biotech innovation organizations, including JHBIC, while continuing to promote joint research, technology commercialization, and international networking.
“Daedeok Innopolis serves as a hub connecting South Korea’s outstanding research capabilities with innovative biotech companies,” Kim said. “We hope this seminar will further strengthen collaboration between researchers and industry.”
Jung Hee-kwon, chairman of the Innopolis Foundation, said open collaboration has become essential amid intensifying global competition for technological leadership.
“We will continue expanding our global partnership network to foster Korea’s deep-tech innovation ecosystem,” he said.