The largest number of domestic ventures and startups that won the Innovation Award at CES 2024 held in Las Vegas from the 9th to the 12th were counted as 116, the largest ever. In particular, domestic startups are drawing attention by sweeping innovation awards in the “Human Security for All (HS4A)” field, a key theme of CES.

The U.S. Consumer Technology Association (CTA), which is responsible for the CES, has selected human security as an important topic at this year’s CES as well as last year. Human security is a concept in which dignity and peace are protected only when human life is enriched in various ways such as △ food △ medical care △ environment △ safety.

Although some pointed out that it does not match CES, a high-tech exhibition hall, human security is drawing attention as an important pillar of the future industry after the CTA embodied it as a concept suitable for CES, saying, “It is solving problems with high-tech technology in terms of sustainability.”

According to the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the CTA on the 7th, 313 companies (379 products) around the world received the CES 2024 Innovation Award in 28 fields, including artificial intelligence (AI), digital health, smart city, and robotics, as of the 4th. Among them, 134 Korean companies (158 products), including large and medium-sized ones, accounted for 42.8 percent of the total. The number of award-winning companies is expected to increase further as additional announcements are still to be made.

Among the domestic companies that received the Innovation Award, 116 ventures and startups were awarded last year (111). The number of ventures and startups that received the Best Innovation Award also increased from five last year to seven this year.

In particular, a total of 16 companies were listed in the field of human security among the innovation awards, and as many as 12 companies (75%) were found to be domestic startups. The CES Innovation Award is an award given to products with excellent technology and innovation among products submitted at CES.

LynkSolutec, a medical device manufacturer using nanotechnology, has developed a special coating technology that can prevent blood adhering or fogging to endoscopic lenses, obstructing a doctor’s vision. According to the CTA, this can improve surgical safety and the accuracy of patient treatment.

“At this year’s CES, the concept of human security that solves global problems with technology will become important in terms of sustainability,” CTA CEO Gary Shapiro said. “I believe that many human and human security issues can be solved with technology. Technology can be a solution for innovation.”

Meanwhile, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups plans to increase support, saying that 91 (78.4%) out of 116 ventures and startups that won the Innovation Award participated in start-up support projects such as “TIPS,” a private investment-led technology development support project, and commercialization support.

Oh Young-joo, Minister of SMEs and Startups, said, “Our venture and start-up were able to achieve the highest performance ever at CES 2024 because of the company’s innovative efforts and government support,” adding, “We will support domestic start-ups to show excellent technology and innovation capabilities around the world and create new business opportunities overseas through CES.”