"For several years, we were a research lab with no results. Yet, Samsung patiently waited for our research outcomes to materialize," said Kim Jang-Woo, a professor at Seoul National University’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. He expressed gratitude to Samsung for its support during years of long-term research at the Samsung Future Technology Initiative's 2026 Annual Forum held on November 5 at the Westin Chosun Seoul in Gangnam. Based on this support, Kim founded the AI semiconductor startup 'MangoBoost' in 2022, which is now recognized for its global data processing unit (DPU) technology and is targeting the next-generation AI infrastructure market alongside Samsung Electronics, AMD, and Intel.
Samsung is expanding the scope of its Future Technology Initiative, launched in 2013, beyond simple research support to include commercialization. This shift is seen as a reflection of Lee Jae-Yong's management philosophy that emphasizes investing in technologies that do not yet exist.
Guk Yang, chairman of the Samsung Future Technology Foundation, stated during the Outstanding Researchers award ceremony, "The question we posed when preparing for the business was, 'What is true innovation?' It was not about who did it, but rather what questions were being asked. The answer lay in finding those who challenge questions that no one else has dared to ask."
According to Samsung, over the past 14 years, it has invested a total of 1.2 trillion won in 916 projects, involving more than 17,000 participants, including professors and graduate researchers. This long-term investment approach, prioritizing technology over immediate results, is taking root in the domestic research ecosystem.
On this day, the Samsung Future Technology Foundation selected 10 'Outstanding Researchers' for the first time after reviewing 644 completed projects over four months. Among the honorees was Professor Oh Sung-Jin from UC Berkeley, who mathematically solved a complex problem related to black holes.
Professor Kim Bong-Soo from Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) developed an additive that maintains the original properties of materials even when only one-tenth of the usual amount is used, successfully transferring the technology to Samsung Electronics and continuing joint research with Samsung Display.
Professor Yoo Chang-Sik from Sungkyunkwan University utilized his industry experience to implement a new type of analog circuit in silicon. He expressed his desire to contribute to establishing South Korea as a semiconductor powerhouse through collaboration between academia and industry. Professor Choi Jang-Wook's team at Seoul National University is gaining attention for identifying the causes of performance degradation in water-based batteries, which are considered a promising technology for large-scale energy storage systems (ESS).
The boundaries between basic science and industry are also being blurred. Professor Jung Won-Seok from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), who has been researching brain immune cells, remarked, "I used to think that as a basic scientist, my research was far from drug development, but I realized that distinguishing those boundaries is unnecessary."
Samsung plans to systematically provide tailored support programs for researchers, including the honorary title of 'Outstanding Researcher of the Samsung Future Technology Initiative,' technology consulting, industry exchanges, startup and intellectual property mentoring, and follow-up research support.
Park Hong-Keun, president of Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT), stated, "The Samsung Future Technology Initiative not only supports basic science and nurtures young scientists but also leads to the creation of startups. I believe it creates genuine value for both academia and industry."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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