More small and medium-sized corporations are complaining about damage from technology theft. According to the Ministry of SMEs and Startups' '2024 Technology Protection Status Survey,' the annual number of technology infringements among domestic small and medium-sized corporations reached approximately 299 cases in 2023. This is due to the low capability of small and medium-sized corporations to protect their technology. There is a lack of dedicated personnel, and the ratio of non-disclosure agreement (NDA) signing is low, resulting in frequent technology leaks by internal employees or third parties.
In this situation, the startup Redwit, which operates the electronic research note 'GOONO' service that helps systematically manage research data for small and medium-sized corporations, is gaining attention.
Redwit was founded in August 2019 by CEO Kim Ji-won, who was pursuing a master's degree at KAIST. GOONO helps manage data systematically from the early stages of research, reducing the risk of technology leaks and duplication of research, thereby weakening corporate competitiveness. CEO Kim noted, 'I believed that merely recording initial data could solve the technology theft problem for small and medium-sized corporations and enhance R&D outcomes.'
One advantage of the GOONO service is its excellent usability. CEO Kim stated, 'Compared to established products used by large corporations, the cloud service GOONO has a user-friendly UI and UX,' adding, 'By focusing on essential features, we have achieved an average usage rate that is over 20% higher than that of competing services.'
Another benefit is that data sharing internally and externally is straightforward, based on excellent security. GOONO encrypts originals using blockchain and enhances safety with a distributed cloud system and dual encryption structure. Based on this safety, it provides authority settings for sharing and NDA templates, allowing for secure sharing of confidential data.
GOONO is currently focusing on AI development. The goal is to enhance the utility of data beyond just collecting and storing it. It is developing functions to draft reports based on data and to engage in Q&A sessions. Additionally, it is working on assessing the contributions of project participants and 'visualizing' how much technical value the data holds.
CEO Kim predicts that the market size for global intellectual property (IP) management software will grow to $41.49 billion (approximately 57.72 trillion won) by 2032. She highlighted that the need for data management will increase as corporations consistently invest in R&D and adopt new technologies to maintain competitive advantages. In particular, she noted that the importance of IP management will grow not only for large corporations but also for small and medium-sized corporations, leading to market expansion.
As of 2024, Redwit's revenue is 1.28 billion won. The cumulative revenue since its founding is approximately 3.5 billion won. Currently, there are over 2,000 customers using their solutions. The number of R&D projects Redwit has exceeded 20,000, and the number of research notes has surpassed 650,000. Recognized for its growth potential, Redwit secured seed funding in 2019 and received Series A funding in 2025.
Redwit plans to secure 3,000 customers by adding IP valuation features by 2026. After that, it will establish a marketplace for transactions of R&D data between technology holders and demanders. Based on this, the company aims to expand into overseas markets, including the United States and Japan. It also plans to pursue an initial public offering (IPO) in 2028.