Global cosmetics ODM (research, development, and manufacturing) corporations COSMAX(192820) said on the 5th that it obtained certification as an "outstanding corporations for employee invention compensation" from the Ministry of Intellectual Property.
The outstanding corporations for employee invention compensation certification is granted to small and midsize corporations that establish in-house compensation rules for employee inventions and operate them as a model. It comprehensively evaluates the completeness of the rules, actual payment records, and compliance with related procedures.
COSMAX paid employees more than 230 million won in compensation for a total of 1,765 employee inventions, including patents, designs, and trademarks, from 2021 through the first quarter of 2026.
It tiered the compensation system by paying compensation according to the stages of patent filing and registration and running an in-house proposal system in parallel. Through this, not only research and development staff but also employees across various operational departments, such as production and design, were encouraged to participate in invention activities.
By actively uncovering and rewarding employees' ideas, the accumulation of intellectual property also gained speed. COSMAX's cumulative number of patent applications has now surpassed 2,000, of which more than 900 have been registered. The company said its overall intellectual property capabilities, including trademark rights, are at the highest level in the cosmetics ODM industry.
COSMAX also has a dedicated intellectual property department. The dedicated department manages the entire process from establishing filing strategies by technology to securing rights, maintenance, and utilization. It was also reported to have received positive marks in the certification process for having an organization-level support system that can develop employee-proposed ideas into actual inventions and intellectual property rights.
Based on this certification, COSMAX can receive related benefits such as prioritized examination for patent, utility model, and design applications and reduced registration fees. The company plans to shorten the time it takes to convert research and development results into intellectual property rights and improve the efficiency of securing technology rights.
COSMAX has recently been stepping up technology commercialization that connects research results to patents and products. On May, it received a commendation from the Minister of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources on "Invention Day," recognizing more than 15 years of skin microbiome research and industrialization achievements. The company plans to strengthen a virtuous cycle of intellectual property that links idea discovery and compensation for employees, patent acquisition, and product application.
A COSMAX official said, "This certification is the result of steadily building an institutional foundation so that employees' creative ideas and efforts for technological innovation can lead to company growth," adding, "We will continue to strive for ongoing technology development and intellectual property creation through a fair and effective employee invention compensation system."