[CEOs of Incubated Companies at KATECH Chungnam Cheonan–Asan InnoTown] ROWAIN, Developing Next-Generation Robotic Vertical Farming Systems

Kyeongha Lee, CEO of ROWAIN

-Flagship Item, INTELLI-FARM a robotic vertical farming system

-Capable of securing twice the production output per unit area compared to conventional vertical farms

ROWAIN is a company that addresses global challenges—such as the climate crisis and the shrinking agricultural population—through technological innovation. Grounded in the philosophy of letting robots excel at what they do best, while making human tasks more comfortable, the company was founded by CEO Kyeongha Lee in October 2022.

The flagship product of ROWAIN is INTELLI-FARM, a robotic vertical farming system. The most significant differentiator between INTELLI-FARM and traditional vertical farms is the separation of the cultivation area from the workspace.

“ROWAIN evolved by applying the logistics robot systems used in warehouses like Amazon and Coupang to vertical farming”, explained CEO Lee.

“In the cultivation area, mobile modular cultivation towers are arranged where crops are grown in multiple tiers. In the workspace, Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) automatically transport these towers, and stacker robots safely extract the beds and deliver them to the workstations.”

To optimize INTELLI-FARM, ROWAIN internally developed every component, including AMRs, stacker robots, mobile modular towers, IoT systems, nutrient solution systems, and AI-based integrated control software for both the growing environment and robot management.

CEO Lee emphasized, INTELLI-FARM’s competitiveness is focused on ensuring economic viability, which remains the final hurdle for vertical farming.

He added, “We can secure twice the productivity per unit area compared to existing vertical farms and reduce the required workforce from 3–4 people per 330 to just 1–2 people. A single AMR can manage a facility as large as 3,300. By minimizing worker aisles and increasing the number of tiers in the cultivation towers, we maximize output within the same footprint.”

ROWAIN redesigned the space from a robotic perspective. Rather than automation for the sake of automation, the strategy is to deploy robots only where they are truly necessary. Through this approach, the company has achieved a level of economic efficiency that allows for the recovery of facility investment costs within five years.

ROWAIN is currently collaborating with major conglomerates and mid-sized enterprises. This includes robotic vertical farm cooperation with Pulmuone, robot projects with Hyundai Motor Group, and the supply of remote-controlled LED solutions to Daehan Steel. On the public sector front, the company was selected as a C-STAR enterprise by Cheonan City and has signed a supply contract and MOU with Yecheon-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do, with full-scale construction set for 2026.

Regarding future plans, CEO Lee stated, “ROWAIN’s goal is to create a true turning point in vertical farming through robotics and expand into a sustainable agricultural model that solves the global food crisis. To achieve this, our short-term goal is to successfully complete large-scale demonstrations at the robotic vertical farm currently being established in Cheonan.”

Foundation October 2022
Core Business Development, sales, and operation of robotic vertical farming systems.
Key Milestones & Achievements May 2022 Ranked 1st at Korea University for the Preliminary Startup Package (Green Economy), Oct 2022 Officially incorporated as ROWAIN Co., Ltd, Oct 2022 Grand Prize at the MOLIT Smart City Startup Idea Competition, Jan 2023 Established Corporate R&D Center; selected as a KIMM Family Company, Mar 2023 Secured Seed Investment (Sopoong Ventures, Private Investment Association), Apr 2023 Selected for the 'Deep-tech Startup 1000+' Project, Jun 2023 Selected for the TIPS program (Tech Incubator Program for Startups), Feb 2024 Received the 18th Korea Green & Energy Award, Sep 2024 Selected for Hyundai Motor Group’s ZER01NE Accelerator, Oct 2024 Selected for the SME Tech Innovation Development Project (Client Pulmuone), Nov 2024 Secured Pre-A Investment (KIBO, Korea Social Investment, etc.), Mar 2025 Selected for the Climate-Tech Startup Fostering Project, Jun 2025 Selected for the Robot Startup Demonstration Support Project

reporter jinho lee
jinho2323@hankyung.com