Global economic magazine ‘Forbes Asia’ has announced its ‘Forbes Asia 100 To Watch 2024,’ showcasing promising small and medium-sized enterprises and startups that are driving economic growth across Asia. Since 2021, ‘Forbes Asia’ has been identifying these companies based on factors such as positive industry impact, profit growth potential, investment appeal, business models, and strong storytelling. This year, a panel of experts selected 100 companies.

Among them, seven Korean companies were recognized: NEUBILITY, WADDLE, TECHTAKA, Caring, MINE, Travel Wallet, and Bitsensing.

NEUBILITY, an autonomous robot service company, was honored in the enterprise technology and robotics category. Operating the largest fleet of outdoor autonomous robots in Korea, NEUBILITY was commended for its data-driven self-driving technology and partnerships with various domestic and international firms. CEO Lee Sang-min credited their recognition to the strength of NEUBILITY’s AI-based autonomous driving technology and expressed plans for continued innovation and global expansion.

WADDLE was selected in the ‘E-Commerce & Retail’ category for its conversational AI agent, Gentoo, a B2B SaaS solution that acts as a virtual salesperson for e-commerce platforms. Gentoo boosts purchase rates by identifying consumer intent and offering personalized recommendations through multi-turn conversations. CEO Jihyuk Park expressed pride in Waddle’s recognition and shared their goal of expanding Gentoo’s presence on global e-commerce platforms.

TECHTAKA, recognized for its impact on the logistics industry, was the only logistics startup among the Korean companies selected this year. TECHTAKA’s ARGO solution allows e-commerce sellers to manage their logistics processes in real-time. CEO Sooyoung Yang highlighted their goal to strengthen global infrastructure, helping small and medium-sized businesses expand into international markets.

Caring, recognized in the biotech and healthcare category, began as a home care service and was named Korea’s first social enterprise to be recognized as a preliminary unicorn. CEO Kim Tae-seong outlined plans to expand their senior care services, including new senior welfare homes and premium nursing facilities, with the ultimate goal of enhancing the health and quality of life for seniors.