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MakinaRocks

Category: AI Infrastructure

A leading Industrial AI company providing an enterprise-grade MLOps platform and specialized AI solutions to optimize manufacturing processes and machine operations through data-driven intelligence. MakinaRocks was founded in 2017. The company is led by Andre S. Yoon (Seongho Yoon). Based in Seoul, South Korea. Team size: 100-150. Total funding raised: $38.3M. Latest round: Series B Extension (Pre-IPO). Key investors include SK Telecom, Hyundai Motor Company, Applied Ventures, Samsung Venture Investment, LG Technology Ventures, KDB Bank, GS Holdings, Hanwha, POSCO Capital.

Founded
2017
Headquarters
Seoul, South Korea
Team size
100-150
Total funding
$38.3M

Value proposition

Accelerates 'AI Transformation' (AX) by reducing cloud costs by 30% and improving workflow efficiency by 50%, enabling the stable operation of thousands of industrial AI models at scale.

Products and solutions

Runway™ (Enterprise MLOps & LLMOps Platform), Industrial AI Solutions (Anomaly Detection, Predictive Maintenance, Process Optimization), Industrial LLM & AI Agents (Industrial-specialized Large Language Models), Anomaly Vision (AI-based visual inspection for manufacturing), Physics-Informed Machine Learning (PIML) Modules

Unique value

A rare focus on high-fidelity industrial sensor and machine data rather than common web/text data, allowing for precise control and optimization of physical manufacturing assets.

Target customer

Global industrial conglomerates, manufacturing enterprises (tier-1 suppliers and OEMs), defense agencies, and heavy industry R&D departments.

Industries served

Automotive & Robotics, Semiconductor, Secondary Battery, Energy & Refining, Defense & Aerospace, Chemicals & Steel

Technology advantage

Technical leadership in Physics-Informed Machine Learning (PIML) that combines physical laws with AI for higher accuracy; managed over 5,000 commercialized models, demonstrating unparalleled industrial scalability.

How they differentiate

Focuses on the 'Runway' MLOps platform specifically tailored for industrial sensor and machine data rather than generic business data. It distinguishes itself through Physics-Informed Machine Learning (PIML), which combines physical laws with AI to improve accuracy in physical manufacturing environments.

Main competitors

C3 AI, Gauss Labs, Falkonry, SparkCognition

Key partnerships

Hyundai Robotics (Strategic collaboration for industrial robot anomaly detection), KUKA Subsidiary (Device Insight) (Joint development of industrial AI solutions in Europe), Agency for Defense Development (ADD) (MLSecOps environment construction for defense AI), Strategic Investors/Partners: Samsung Venture Investment, Hyundai Motor Company, LG Technology Ventures, SK Telecom, GS Holdings, and Hanwha

Notable customers

Hyundai Robotics, LG Electronics, SK Innovation, Samsung Electronics, Applied Materials, Hanwha Solutions

Major milestones

Applied for preliminary KOSDAQ IPO screening in Nov 2024, Received 'A, A' ratings from independent technology evaluators for IPO eligibility in 2024, Named to the CB Insights 'AI 100' as the only Korean industrial AI company in 2023, Recognized as a World Economic Forum (WEF) Technology Pioneer in 2021

Growth metrics

Achieved a cumulative investment of 50 billion KRW as of late 2024; currently in the final stages of a KOSDAQ IPO following 'A, A' ratings in technology evaluations.

Market positioning

Leading industrial AI transformation (AX) specialist for high-complexity manufacturing and heavy industries.

Geographic focus

South Korea, North America (Silicon Valley), and Japan (Tokyo).

Patents and IP

Holds over 100 core patents; ranked 2nd in South Korea (only behind Samsung Electronics) for patents in the 'AI-based Design and Optimization' category.

About Andre S. Yoon (Seongho Yoon)

Andre S. Yoon is a highly specialized AI leader with a Ph.D. in Physics from MIT. Before founding MakinaRocks, he served as a Lead Data Scientist at SK Telecom (2016-2018), where he led industrial machine learning projects. He also worked as a Senior Researcher at Samsung Electronics (2012-2016), specializing in high-performance storage systems and intelligent SSD development. His work focuses on applying complex physics and data science principles to solve real-world industrial challenges.

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