SK Telecom, Hana Financial Group jointly nurture AI startups

SK Telecom Co. and Hana Financial Group are strengthening their collaboration in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). They are jointly fostering AI startups with high growth potential and pursuing super AI collaboration through AI-related investments, business cooperation and joint marketing.

The two companies announced on Wednesday that they held the opening ceremony for the "AI Lab for Startup" at COEX in Seoul on the previous day. The facility, spanning 430 square meters, consists of offices, meeting rooms and seminar rooms, accommodating over 160 people. It serves as a space for the ongoing AI Startup Accelerator program, which started in April.

Fifteen AI startups, including Upstage, which provides AI solutions for B2B services and chatbot services, and NationA, which develops AI-based 3D data production solutions and TOrder, a tablet-based order placement platform, have moved into the AI Startup Lab.

Since exchanging a large stake worth 400 billion won ($310 million) in July last year and forming a strategic partnership, SK Telecom and Hana Financial Group have been collaborating in various fields. They are working on combining pseudonymous customer data to launch new AI data products and next-generation credit rating models in the second half of the year.

Hana Securities is considering a strategic investment in Sapeon, SK Telecom's AI semiconductor subsidiary. SK Telecom and Hana Bank are also preparing a space that integrates telecommunications and financial services.

"SK Telecom and Hana Financial Group are creating synergies through their respective strengths in AI technology," CEO of SK Telecom Ryu Young-sang said. 

"Collaboration with SK Telecom plays a catalytic role in achieving ICT-based financial innovation," Chairman of Hana Financial Group Ham Young-joo said.

Write to Seung-Woo Lee at leeswoo@hankyung.com