AI revolutionizes healthcare startups at Seoul's NextRise 2026 expo

The NextRise 2026 global startup expo, held June 18-19 at COEX in Seoul, brought together over 540 startups, with a significant contingent of around 40 focusing on the healthcare and bio sectors. A dominant theme among these companies was the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into tangible business models, moving beyond mere buzzwords to practical applications.

Startups showcased a clear trend toward transforming healthcare delivery. Treatments are shifting from traditional pills to software-based solutions, diagnostics are moving from hospitals to everyday devices, and manufacturing is evolving from standardized processes to personalized approaches. AI was a pervasive presence, not just as a descriptor but as a fundamental component of innovation in the sector.

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We have packed the technology of hundreds of millions of won worth of motion capture cameras into one iPad.

AI is lowering the barrier for diagnostics and prediction. Eight Studio's 'Medistep' offers a markerless gait analysis solution using a mobile camera. This Class 1 medical device analyzes gait speed, stride length, and joint angles, generating detailed reports in about a minute. The system boasts 95% accuracy compared to gold-standard equipment and is designed for use anywhere, from health centers to outdoor locations, making advanced gait analysis more accessible.

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The performance of AI-based dental prosthetic solutions is greatly influenced by the quality of training data and field applicability.

Mediphamsoft is developing AI-based systems that predict the risk of atrial fibrillation and arrhythmia up to 12 months in advance using electrocardiogram (ECG) data. Their core software, 'PAPS,' utilizes an explainable AI (XAI) algorithm trained on vast patient data, providing clinicians with detailed contributing factors for its predictions. The company also offers a hardware solution, the 'CAI 300' patch, which continuously monitors ECG for up to 14 days and automatically detects 13 types of arrhythmias.

Realityus, a dental tech startup, has developed an AI-driven automatic design solution for prosthetics. Leveraging clinical data from their own dental lab operations, their platform significantly reduces design time from 20-30 minutes to a single click. This Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution streamlines the workflow from AI design to fitting and output, aiming for global accessibility. Able Therapeutics is exploring dementia detection through language analysis, showcasing the diverse applications of AI in healthcare.

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As more quality clinical data is accumulated, the accuracy of AI-generated results and learning will be further enhanced.