Six Korean startups take the stage at Industrial AI Expo 2026 as Qualcomm expands its push into on-device AI and industrial automation
Key Takeaways
- Qualcomm has set up a dedicated “QAIPI Pavilion” at Industrial AI Expo 2026 at KINTEX in Goyang, South Korea, running for three days from October 21, 2026.
- Six Korean startups are exhibiting under the Qualcomm AI Innovator Program (QAIPI): Energize, WithRobot, Undermilli, Clika, Plaid Labs (2026 cohort) and Sagak (2025 cohort), alongside five industrial IoT partners.
- The startups’ technologies span edge AI applications, including on-device AI compression, real-time voice translation, and AI-powered vision inspection for small and medium manufacturers.
- The Robotics Zone, operated by OSCO, is demonstrating two partner robots: a quadruped robot from Rainbow Robotics powered by the Qualcomm Dragonwing IQ-9075, and an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) from SL built on the Arduino VENTUNO Q.
- The five Korean startups were selected from a pool of 15 across South Korea, Japan, and Singapore, each receiving six months of mentorship and support worth up to $10,000.
- Next up: the QAIPI-APAC 2026 Demo Day in Tokyo on December 2, where participating startups will present their technologies and business results to industry leaders, system integrators, and investors.
GOYANG, South Korea — October 21, 2026 — Qualcomm Technologies is putting Korean startups front and center at Industrial AI Expo 2026, using its platform to demonstrate how edge AI and robotics are moving from concept to factory floor. The company announced Tuesday that it has established a dedicated “QAIPI Pavilion” at the three-day event at KINTEX in Goyang, showcasing six Korean startups and five industrial IoT partners building on Qualcomm technology.
The QAIPI Program: A Launchpad for Edge AI
The pavilion centers on the Qualcomm AI Innovator Program (QAIPI), an Asia-Pacific initiative launched in 2025 to help startups develop scalable AI applications using Qualcomm’s platforms, including Snapdragon for mobile and Dragonwing for industrial IoT. Participating companies receive access to the Qualcomm AI Hub, technical training, and one-on-one mentoring, with the goal of accelerating commercialization.
Six startups are exhibiting this year: Energize, WithRobot, Undermilli, Clika, and Plaid Labs, all selected for the 2026 cohort, alongside Sagak, selected last year. Their technologies span a range of edge AI applications from on-device AI compression and real-time voice translation to AI-powered vision inspection for small and medium manufacturers. Five partners ICbanQ, Sapphire Stream Technology Korea, AccessLab, MathWorks, and OSCO are also participating, reflecting Qualcomm’s push to support deployments at actual industrial sites.
Robotics Zone: From Quadrupeds to Autonomous Mobile Robots
The Qualcomm Robotics Zone, operated by OSCO, is demonstrating two partner robots that illustrate how Qualcomm’s low-power, high-performance computing translates into real-world mobility. Rainbow Robotics is showing a quadruped robot equipped with the Qualcomm Dragonwing IQ-9075, while SL is displaying an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) built on the Arduino VENTUNO Q. These demonstrations underscore Qualcomm’s strategy of extending on-device AI beyond smartphones into industrial automation, where low latency and reliable performance without constant cloud connectivity are critical.
Why It Matters for Korean Startups
The expo comes as Qualcomm deepens its engagement with the Korean startup ecosystem. The five Korean companies selected for QAIPI 2026 were chosen from a pool of 15 startups across South Korea, Japan, and Singapore, each receiving six months of mentorship and support worth up to $10,000 upon successful completion. For Qualcomm, the program is a way to seed its platforms into the next generation of industrial AI solutions. For Korean startups, it offers a bridge to global markets—a point emphasized by Sang-pyo Kim, President of Qualcomm Korea.
“As AI spreads across industries, the capability to apply innovative technologies in real environments and commercialize them is becoming more important,” Kim said. “This Industrial AI Expo is a meaningful venue for domestic startups participating in QAIPI to showcase innovative technologies in edge AI and robotics.”
What’s Next
Qualcomm will hold the QAIPI-APAC 2026 Demo Day in Tokyo on December 2, where participating startups from across the region will present their technologies and business results to industry leaders, system integrators, and investors. For the Korean startups at this week’s expo, that event represents the next step in a journey that began with a Qualcomm development board and a promising idea and now has a global stage.
