Seoul Robotics

Seoul Robotics is a South Korean technology company focused on software for three-dimensional perception. Founded in Seoul in 2017, the company develops machine-learning systems that interpret data from LiDAR and related sensors, converting raw spatial measurements into information about people, vehicles, bicycles, and other objects. Its products are intended to help organizations deploy 3D sensing without having to build a complete perception stack internally. The company originated from an online study group whose members were studying artificial intelligence and deep learning. In July 2017, the group entered the Didi-Udacity Self-Driving Car Challenge as Team Korea and placed tenth among approximately 2,000 teams. The result encouraged the group to commercialize its expertise in LiDAR and autonomous-driving perception. Seoul Robotics was established the following month, in August 2017, by four members of the group, including HanBin Lee, who became the company's chief executive officer. Its central software platform is SENSR, an acronym for Smart 3D Perception Engine by Seoul Robotics. SENSR uses deep learning and 3D computer-vision techniques to detect, classify, and track objects in real time. The system is designed to recognize categories such as people, automobiles, and bicycles and to maintain their locations and movements in three-dimensional space. This capability can support applications where conventional two-dimensional cameras are insufficient or where organizations want to combine camera systems with LiDAR and other sensors. Seoul Robotics has positioned its technology as a sensor-agnostic or sensor-enabling layer for several industries. Its stated application areas include autonomous vehicles, advanced driver-assistance systems, smart manufacturing, construction, logistics, and smart cities. Rather than operating solely as a vehicle manufacturer or hardware supplier, the company sells perception software and packaged solutions intended for integration into customer systems. Its Discovery offering combines LiDAR hardware with SENSR software in application-specific kits, providing customers with a more complete route to testing and deploying 3D sensing. The company received early support from Hong Kong accelerator Zeroith.AI and South Korea's Tech Incubator Program for Startups, commonly known as TIPS. In December 2019, it announced a Series A financing round led by KB Investment, KDB Capital, Artesian VC, and Access Ventures. The funding was directed in part toward expanding operations in North America. During the summer of 2019, Seoul Robotics began proof-of-concept projects involving BMW, E-mart, and Volvo, and it subsequently promoted its technology at industry events including CES and MODEX. Seoul Robotics expanded its international footprint with regional offices in Silicon Valley, Detroit, and Munich. It formally entered the United States market in January 2021 alongside the launch of Discovery. Public reference material identified BMW, Volvo, Mercedes-Benz, Mando, and Qualcomm among the company's notable partners or customers. As of February 2021, the company was reported to have approximately 30 employees. Its business remains centered on commercializing 3D perception software and packaged sensor solutions for mobility, industrial, and infrastructure use cases.

Seoul Robotics emerged from an online study group formed by people studying artificial intelligence and deep learning. In July 2017, the group participated in the Didi-Udacity Self-Driving Car Challenge under the name Team Korea. Its tenth-place result among roughly 2,000 teams demonstrated the members' ability to work with autonomous-driving perception problems and helped motivate them to form a company. Seoul Robotics was incorporated in August 2017 by four members of the group, including HanBin Lee, who became chief executive. The new company concentrated on LiDAR and three-dimensional computer vision rather than manufacturing autonomous vehicles itself. Its objective was to create software capable of interpreting spatial sensor data and supplying usable information to downstream systems. Early financing came from Hong Kong accelerator Zeroith.AI and South Korea's Tech Incubator Program for Startups, or TIPS. This early support allowed the company to develop its perception technology and pursue commercial demonstrations. Seoul Robotics' principal platform, SENSR, applies deep learning and patented 3D computer-vision methods to object detection, classification, and tracking. The system is designed to distinguish people, cars, bicycles, and other objects and to follow them in real-world three-dimensional space. The company presented this technology as useful across multiple sectors, including autonomous vehicles, advanced driver-assistance systems, manufacturing, construction, logistics, and smart-city infrastructure. During the summer of 2019, Seoul Robotics initiated proof-of-concept projects with BMW, E-mart, and Volvo. These projects represented an effort to move from software development and demonstrations toward practical deployments with major organizations in automotive and retail-related environments. In December of the same year, the company announced a $5 million Series A investment led by KB Investment, KDB Capital, Artesian VC, and Access Ventures. Reference material states that the financing was used in part to expand North American operations. The company also pursued visibility through industry exhibitions. It showed its technology at CES in 2020 and 2021 and at MODEX 2020, events relevant to consumer technology, mobility, manufacturing, and logistics. Seoul Robotics expanded its physical presence beyond South Korea with offices in Silicon Valley, Detroit, and Munich. In January 2021, it formally entered the U.S. market and launched Discovery. Discovery was presented as an integrated hardware-and-software solution. Its kits pair LiDAR sensors with SENSR software and are configured for particular applications, reducing the amount of integration work required from customers evaluating 3D sensing. The product's name refers to the U.S. Space Shuttle Discovery. By February 2021, Seoul Robotics was reported to have 30 employees and to be headquartered in Seoul's Seocho-gu district. Its notable partners and customers were identified as BMW, Volvo, Mercedes-Benz, Mando, and Qualcomm. The available historical record describes an active specialist software company building an international business around 3D perception rather than a mass-market consumer brand.

1. 2021U.S. market entry and Discovery launch

   The company formally entered the United States market in January and launched Discovery, an integrated LiDAR and SENSR hardware-software offering.

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2. 2020International technology-event appearances

   Seoul Robotics exhibited at CES 2020 and MODEX 2020, promoting its 3D perception technology to mobility, industrial, and logistics audiences.

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3. 2019Proof-of-concept collaborations begin

   The company began three major proof-of-concept projects involving BMW, E-mart, and Volvo during the summer.

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4. 2019Series A financing is announced

   Seoul Robotics announced a $5 million Series A round in December, led by KB Investment, KDB Capital, Artesian VC, and Access Ventures. The financing supported expansion, including in North America.

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5. 2017Team Korea places tenth in the Didi-Udacity Self-Driving Car Challenge

   The artificial-intelligence study group that later created Seoul Robotics ranked tenth among approximately 2,000 participating teams, helping establish the technical and entrepreneurial basis for the company.

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6. 2017Seoul Robotics is founded

   Seoul Robotics was established in August by four members of the study group, including HanBin Lee.

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A specialist 3D perception-software provider that helps mobility, industrial, logistics, construction, and smart-city organizations turn LiDAR and other sensor data into real-time operational intelligence.

• SENSR3D perception software

  SENSR, short for Smart 3D Perception Engine by Seoul Robotics, is the company's primary software platform. It uses deep learning and three-dimensional computer-vision methods to detect, classify, and track objects in real time. The platform is designed to identify categories such as humans, automobiles, and bicycles and to translate LiDAR and other sensor data into spatial information that can be integrated into autonomous-driving, industrial, logistics, construction, and smart-city systems.

• DiscoveryIntegrated LiDAR hardware and software solution2021

  Discovery is Seoul Robotics' primary commercial package, combining LiDAR sensors with the SENSR perception platform. The kits are configured for particular applications and use cases, giving customers a more complete starting point for evaluating or deploying 3D sensing. The offering was launched in connection with the company's formal entry into the U.S. market in January 2021 and was named after the U.S. Space Shuttle Discovery.

• 2021CES 2021 product promotion

  United States · International

  The company exhibited at CES 2021 while promoting its 3D perception technology and Discovery solution.

  Outcome. No specific campaign-performance figures are identified in the available source material.

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• 2020CES and MODEX technology demonstrations

  United States · International

  Seoul Robotics used CES 2020 and MODEX 2020 to demonstrate and promote its LiDAR-based 3D perception capabilities to audiences in consumer technology, mobility, manufacturing, warehousing, and logistics.

  Outcome. The events increased the company's public exposure, although the available reference material does not provide quantified commercial results.

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• 2021Launch Discovery as an integrated commercial solutionProduct launch

  Customers evaluating 3D perception may require both sensing hardware and software, as well as a simpler path from evaluation to deployment.

  What changed. Seoul Robotics introduced Discovery, packaging LiDAR sensors with its SENSR software, alongside formal entry into the U.S. market.

  Aftermath. Discovery gave the company a more complete commercial offering for application-specific deployments in the United States and other markets.

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• 2019Expand through customer proof-of-concept projectsStrategy

  The company needed to demonstrate that its 3D perception software could operate in practical commercial environments.

  What changed. Seoul Robotics initiated proof-of-concept projects with BMW, E-mart, and Volvo during the summer.

  Aftermath. The projects broadened the company's relationship base across automotive and commercial applications, although detailed deployment outcomes are not provided.

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• 2017Commercialize LiDAR and 3D perception expertiseStrategy

  After Team Korea's strong result in the Didi-Udacity self-driving challenge, the study-group members had a basis for turning their autonomous-driving and LiDAR expertise into a business.

  What changed. The group formed Seoul Robotics and focused the company on perception software rather than developing a complete autonomous vehicle.

  Aftermath. The strategy developed into SENSR and supported applications across mobility, industrial, logistics, construction, and smart-city markets.

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• 2021Seoul Robotics formally enters the United States market with Discovery

  Seoul Robotics announced its formal U.S. market entry and launched Discovery, a packaged solution combining LiDAR hardware with the company's SENSR perception software.

  Product launch
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• 2021Seoul Robotics returns to CES

  Seoul Robotics exhibited at CES 2021 as it promoted its 3D perception technology and Discovery solution to an international technology audience.

  CampaignProduct launch
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• 2020Seoul Robotics exhibits at CES and MODEX

  The company exhibited its technology at CES in 2020 and at MODEX 2020, increasing exposure for its LiDAR and 3D-perception offerings in mobility and logistics contexts.

  Campaign
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• 2019Seoul Robotics announces Series A financing

  The company announced a $5 million Series A round led by KB Investment, KDB Capital, Artesian VC, and Access Ventures. The financing was intended to support expansion, including growth of the company's North American operations.

  Other
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• 2019Seoul Robotics begins proof-of-concept projects with BMW, E-mart, and Volvo

  The company initiated a series of three major proof-of-concept projects during the summer, applying its 3D perception technology in collaboration with BMW, E-mart, and Volvo.

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1. Seoul Robotics
2. Seoul Robotics official website