[E-Daily Reporter JAEMIN SONG ] “Research is, by its very nature, the process of discovering what we don’t yet know. I believed that we could solve bigger problems only by stepping outside our comfort zone.”

Professor Oh Seong-jin of the University of California, Berkeley, who was selected as an outstanding researcher at the “Samsung Future Technology Promotion Program 2026 Annual Forum” held on the 5th at The Westin Seoul Parnas in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, shared his thoughts on research. Professor Oh is known for his mathematical research contributions to understanding instabilities within black holes. Samsung’s long-term research support enabled him to break away from conventional research methods and tackle new challenges.

SamsungElectronics’ Future Technology Promotion Program, which has been ongoing since 2013, is yielding results ranging from solving intractable problems in basic science to developing future industrial technologies. The program is led by the private sector to support research where immediate outcomes are difficult to predict, fostering a science and technology ecosystem where researchers and industry grow together.

On this day, with approximately 450 attendees—including researchers and key figures from the domestic science and technology community—Samsung shared the research achievements of the past 14 years and, for the first time, selected and honored 10 outstanding researchers in the fields of basic science, materials, and information and communications technology (ICT).

◇ From Black Hole Puzzles to Next-Generation Batteries… The Fruits of Challenging Research

Professor Oh elucidated how the solutions to the “Yang–Mills equations”—which describe the fundamental forces of the universe—change over time. This research provides a key to understanding the instabilities that arise in extreme environments, such as inside black holes. Professor Oh explained that, thanks to Samsung’s support, he was able to exchange ideas with international researchers, attend academic conferences, and expand his research network.

Since launching Korea’s first private-sector-led basic science research support program in 2013, Samsung has invested a cumulative total of 1.2 trillion won in 916 research projects. Approximately 17,000 participants, including professors, postdoctoral researchers, and master’s and doctoral students, have taken part. This year, for the first time, the company selected 10 outstanding researchers who achieved significant results for both academia and industry among the 644 completed research projects.

The research achievements introduced that day are also being applied in industrial settings. Professor Choi Jang-wook of Seoul National University identified the causes of performance degradation in aqueous batteries using water-based electrolytes and developed new materials. These batteries pose a lower fire risk than existing lithium-ion batteries and are attracting attention as a core source technology for next-generation energy storage systems (ESS).

Professor Kim Jang-woo of Seoul National University developed Data Processing Unit (DPU) technology to resolve server bottlenecks in artificial intelligence (AI) data centers. He subsequently founded the startup “MangoBoost” with his students to commercialize the research findings.

“It took several years, and during that time, we were, in a sense, a lab with no track record,” Professor Kim said. “Samsung’s support not only provided long-term, large-scale research funding but also involved projects where they patiently waited for our research results.”

◇ Beyond Research Funding to Technology Startups… An Ecosystem of “Growing Together”

Samsung’s Future Technology Incubation Program goes beyond simply providing research funding; it focuses on building an ecosystem where researchers and industry can grow together. The program supports researchers so they can pursue challenging research without being constrained by short-term results, while also helping those achievements expand into new technologies and businesses.

Park Hong-geun, President of SamsungElectronics SAIT, who served as a presenter at the event, said, “The Samsung Future Technology Promotion Program supports basic science, discovers and nurtures young scientists, and has led not only to research but also to the creation of startups.” He added, “I have always believed that this program’s direction creates true value for both academia and industry.”

SamsungElectronics supports the entire research and development process, including expert mentoring, technology exchange with industry, securing intellectual property (IP) rights, and startup support. “PROTEINA CO., LTD.,” a biotech company established with SamsungElectronics’ research support, was listed on KOSDAQ last year, and MangoBoost is also expanding its business in the AI data center infrastructure sector.

Samsung also plans to support the outstanding researchers selected this year with follow-up research, technical consulting, and industry exchanges. Following last year’s decision to open the forum to the public for the first time, this year’s event introduced awards for outstanding researchers, further expanding opportunities for academia and industry to share research achievements and collaborate.

Kuk Yang, Chairman of the Samsung Future Technology Promotion Foundation, stated, “Over the past 14 years, the accumulation of researchers’ creative and challenging work has yielded meaningful achievements that are driving a leap forward in South Korea’s science and technology.” He added, “We will continue to provide strong support so that researchers can freely explore new possibilities and broaden the horizons of future science and technology.”