Happynarae, a social enterprise established by SK, announced the selection of nine companies for the first SK Impact Booster cohort and the launch of full-scale business collaboration and growth support with SK member companies. Terracle was selected in recognition of its technology in the environmental and energy sectors and its potential for business collaboration.
A Scale-Up Program for Growth-Stage Social Ventures
SK Impact Booster is an impact-startup scale-up program organized by the Social Value Committee of the SK SUPEX Council and jointly operated by Happynarae. It identifies social ventures that pursue both business growth and solutions to social challenges, providing them with practical collaboration opportunities with SK member companies and business support funding.
Each selected company will receive KRW 10 million in business support. Companies that proceed with a proof of concept with an SK member company may receive up to an additional KRW 60 million. Follow-up support will also include expert mentoring, legal and public-relations guidance, and connections to investment opportunities.
Nine Companies Selected from More Than 300 Applicants
More than 300 social ventures applied to the program. SK selected the final nine companies through three stages of evaluation: expert document review, assessment by working-level departments at SK member companies, and interviews. The evaluation considered growth potential, the likelihood of business collaboration, and possible synergies.
The final cohort consists of Deeping Source, Starstech, AIM Intelligence, Enz, NT, Oldowan, Jeklin, Terracle, and FirstLab. These companies are pursuing technology-based solutions to social challenges across fields including environment and energy, industrial safety and security, and artificial intelligence.
Terracle to Develop Carbon-Reduction and Circularity Partnership Models
SK plans to connect the business needs of working-level departments at its member companies with the technologies of the selected ventures. The goal is to develop collaboration models in areas including safe AI adoption, carbon reduction, circular resource use, the removal of hazardous substances from industrial sites, and workplace safety.
Based on its chemical-recycling technology that returns waste plastics to the raw-material stage, Terracle will explore opportunities for business collaboration and technology validation with SK member companies. Through this selection, the company plans to expand the on-site application of its circularity technology and work with industrial partners to deliver measurable carbon-reduction outcomes.
Happynarae stated that it will continue providing practical support, including collaboration with SK member companies and financial assistance, so that social ventures at a critical stage of growth can advance to the next level.
