Development of ‘AI-Based Hydrogen Safety Smart Sensor Solution for Carbon Neutrality’



[The Power, Reporter Choi Sung-min] Korea Polytechnic University Business Incubation Center (KPU-BI) announced that its resident company, Innotecho Co., Ltd., has been selected for the 2025 Startup Leap Package (Investment-Linked Track) program.



Innotecho is a technology-based startup that develops and commercializes sensors and IoT-based monitoring systems capable of precisely detecting various gases such as hydrogen, ammonia, and carbon monoxide.



The Startup Leap Package is a flagship program of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups designed to help companies in the growth stage (3–7 years after founding) overcome stagnation and accelerate commercialization. The program is divided into three tracks: General, Large Corporation Collaboration, and Investment-Linked.



As a selected company in the Investment-Linked Track, Innotecho will receive up to KRW 2 billion in commercialization funds (approximately KRW 1.5 billion on average), along with a 1:1 matching investment of up to KRW 4 billion through a conditional equity acquisition contract (SAFE) provided by Korea Venture Investment Corp.



Through this project, the company plans to develop an AI-based hydrogen safety smart sensor solution for carbon neutrality, and to commercialize hydrogen sensors and systems applicable across the entire lifecycle of green hydrogen production, storage, transportation, and utilization. In particular, as hydrogen-based facilities in Korea are classified as explosion-risk environments requiring explosion-proof certification, the project aims to achieve explosion-proof design, obtain international certifications, and launch products in global markets.



Innotecho CEO Kim In-ho stated, “Hydrogen is increasingly recognized as a next-generation energy source in the global effort to address the climate crisis, and the importance of sensor technology is growing accordingly. With government support, we will advance our technology, secure international certifications and patents, and lay the foundation for entering global markets.”



Meanwhile, Innotecho has also demonstrated continuous achievements beyond this program, including becoming a subsidiary of the Korea Polytechnic University Technology Holdings, attracting venture capital investment, and being selected for the TIPS program, further validating its technological capabilities and growth potential.



Reporter Choi Sung-min, The Power (news@thepowernews.co.kr

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