There is a small but strong startup aspiring to achieve a “super gap”—a level of competitiveness that is difficult for others to follow. Redefining innovation across industries that will shape the present and future, including biotech, healthcare, mobility, semiconductors, AI, and robotics, these companies are creating deep-tech innovations that set them apart.

 Celebrating its 12th anniversary, Business Post, which has long conducted in-depth coverage of corporate strategies and CEO decision-making, identified 30 “Super-Gap Startups” expected to lead the future of Korean industry in the era of Seongsu-dong, Seoul. Through a year-long series of relay interviews with the CEOs of these startups, the publication sheds light on the present and future of sustainable technological innovation.

2026 is expected to mark a critical turning point for Korea’s export-driven companies. This is the year when environmental regulations in the European Union, including the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), will be fully enforced. In particular, companies exporting consumer goods must pay close attention to the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which will come into effect in August.

The PPWR applies to all packaging used for products distributed within the European Union and includes strict requirements such as limits on excessive packaging and mandatory reuse obligations. The penalties are severe, ranging from fines to shipment suspensions and even market exclusion.

Korean companies exporting products to the EU are no exception to these regulations.

“The transition to eco-friendly packaging is no longer a choice—it is a necessity.”

Minseong Lee, CEO of REVATION, emphasized that companies must fundamentally change how they perceive product packaging in order to survive tightening environmental regulations.

REVATION is a startup that provides eco-friendly packaging solutions based on sustainable material technologies such as paper molds and bioplastics.

CEO Minseong Lee spent approximately 12 years at LG Household & Health Care, working in product development for cosmetics and household goods. In 2021, he founded REVATION after identifying a business opportunity emerging from the global movement to reduce plastic usage.

“While working in product development at LG Household & Health Care, I was later assigned to packaging development using new materials. Through that experience, I realized how different the development directions of global giants like L’Oréal and P&G were compared to those of Korean companies. ESG may be a common term today, but global leaders had been investing in eco-friendly transitions such as plastic reduction long before ESG became a buzzword.”

Lee predicted that Korea would not be able to avoid this global shift toward plastic reduction and sustainability. Rather than seeing it as a challenge, he viewed it as an opportunity to apply his accumulated expertise.

“Having directly experienced the gap in development strategies between Korea’s leading consumer goods companies and global frontrunners, I became confident that I could accelerate the transition away from plastic by leveraging my capabilities and market insights. That conviction led me to establish REVATION.”

His judgment proved to be correct.

REVATION was selected as a partner company in the first cohort of LG’s ‘Superstart Incubator’ startup support program and has been recognized for its innovation through awards such as the Minister of Environment Award, selection for the Deep Tech Value-Up Program by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, and designation as a ‘First Penguin’ company by the Korea Credit Guarantee Fund. The company has also demonstrated product competitiveness by obtaining GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certification and winning the Seoul Design Award, among others.

REVATION has secured more than 100 client companies, including major Korean corporations such as LG Household & Health Care, LG Electronics, T’way Air, HYBE, SK Telecom, Yuhan-Kimberly, and Amorepacific, as well as numerous mid-sized enterprises.

“REVATION has surpassed KRW 6 billion in cumulative revenue. For a startup only four years into its journey, this demonstrates that our business model has been sufficiently validated by the market. At the same time, we have achieved meaningful quantitative environmental impact by reducing approximately 742 tCO₂eq and replacing around 323 tons of plastic usage during the same period.”

Lee believes that the full-scale implementation of the European Union’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) beginning next year will accelerate the transition toward eco-friendly packaging across Korean companies.

This is because the overall level of preparedness among Korean companies for switching to sustainable packaging remains insufficient.

“Most Korean companies are export-oriented. Ultimately, they have to operate globally and comply with international standards, but many are still underprepared. I hope REVATION can play a significant role in helping Korean companies respond to eco-friendly packaging regulations.”

Lee recently launched RESTUDIO, a one-stop service that provides end-to-end support—from material planning to production—for companies transitioning to eco-friendly packaging.

RESTUDIO embodies Lee’s vision of delivering practical solutions that genuinely support companies pursuing sustainable packaging transitions while also creating social value.

“RESTUDIO is focused on establishing packaging transition standards that can be applied globally. Through continued research and development, we plan to expand our material technologies and product lineup so that REVATION can become a hub company leading the global shift away from plastic.”

[Read the article]

https://www.businesspost.co.kr/BP?command=article_view&num=424225