Aslon Wins Excellence Award at 2025 GG Bio Hub Startup Competition

The Gyeonggi-do Economic Science Promotion Agency (GEPAs) announced on the 24th that it held the finals of the “2025 GG Bio Hub Startup Competition” at the Gwanggyo Bio Center in Suwon on the 23rd, selecting outstanding biotech startups based on their technological competitiveness and business potential.

A GEPA official explained in an interview that the competition is part of the “Gwanggyo Bio Hub” program, designed to discover promising biotechnology startups with innovative items and to build a structured support system for their growth. Applications opened in April, attracting a large number of early-stage biotech startups and prospective entrepreneurs nationwide, all within three years of founding.

Following a first-round document screening, 12 teams were selected based on technological capability and team competence. Each company then received one-on-one consulting to further refine their business models. After an initial presentation round, six finalists advanced to the final stage, where the winners were ultimately determined.

The six finalist teams included:• Hard Science, developing stem cell-based neuroregenerative wound treatments• Sleepy Co., Ltd., proposing a non-pharmaceutical digital sleep and anesthesia platform• Mpios Co., Ltd., specializing in inorganic nanospheric drug delivery technology• NeuroBB Co., Ltd., developing an oral treatment for Alzheimer’s disease• Aslon Co., Ltd., presenting AI-driven early diagnostic technology for myocardial infarction prevention• Current B&C Co., Ltd., developing pharmaceutical patches and functional cosmetics using bio-derived materials

The Grand Prize was awarded to Mpios Co., Ltd., which has been developing long-acting drug delivery systems based on novel inorganic nanospheric technology since its founding in 2022, and is currently in discussions with domestic pharmaceutical companies for technology transfer and joint research.

The event also attracted strong interest from venture capital firms and investment institutions, raising expectations for follow-up investment opportunities and collaborative R&D initiatives. Mpios was additionally granted priority admission to the Bio Hub “Lab Station 2” program.

Hard Science received the Top Excellence Award, while Aslon Co., Ltd. was honored with the Excellence Award. NeuroBB, Sleepy, and Current B&C each received Encouragement Awards. Award-winning companies will receive prize money as well as additional benefits for future admission to the Gwanggyo Bio Hub Lab Station 2 program.

The awards ceremony was attended by key officials including Lee Jae-young, Chairman of the Gyeonggi Provincial Council’s Future Science Cooperation Committee, Assembly Member Kim Mi-sook, and GEPA President Kim Hyun-gon, who congratulated and encouraged the winning companies.

President Kim stated, “This year’s GG Bio Hub Startup Competition brought together outstanding innovative technologies from leading biotech startups, allowing us to identify truly high-potential companies. We will continue to strengthen follow-up support and investment connections so that Gwanggyo Bio Hub can firmly establish itself as a central growth platform for Korea’s biotechnology industry.”

Meanwhile, applications for the Lab Station 2 incubation program remain open until the 29th, with plans to further enhance infrastructure and networking support to accelerate growth for biotech startups.