Yanghoon Kim, CEO of Xeonos (Unicorn incubation company at DDM Youth Startup Center)
Its competitive strength lies in being not a tool that users have to learn, but a ‘tool that understands the user’
Its competitiveness comes from being specialized in repetitive tasks rather than pursuing general intelligence
The company’s flagship product is the workflow automation agent ‘Xeona.’ It is a next-generation automation tool that overcomes the usability limitations of existing RPA (Robotic Process Automation) and no-code tools. For example, when a user says, ‘Log in to the shopping mall seller page every morning, check new orders, and issue shipping labels,’ the AI performs the request directly within a virtual web browser by clicking, scrolling, and entering data on its own. Xeona is not just a simple macro-level automation tool but is characterized by its ability to understand the screen and respond appropriately like a real person.
The first competitive strength of Xeona lies in the fact that it is not a tool users have to learn, but a ‘tool that understands the user.’ While existing RPA and no-code tools require users to learn how to use them, Xeona automatically performs tasks when given instructions in natural language, just as one would direct a person.
The second strength is that it specializes in repetitive tasks rather than general intelligence. The current limitation of AI, represented by LLMs, is the lack of consistency in responses. However, Xeona focuses on automating tasks that are used in actual work and typically performed manually by humans, as well as on repetitive operations, giving it a competitive edge in engineering that compensates for the randomness of AI.
“I believe we need to develop sales channels in a way that effectively showcases the strengths of our product. If an agent is to take over human tasks, it must earn the user’s trust and reliability. Since Xeona is an agent capable of acting like a human on the web, we are currently conducting experiments in which it actively promotes itself through social media activities.”
Furthermore, the CEO is providing free automation consulting through Xeona, mainly within communities directly related to AI and workflow automation. Through this, he closely communicates with potential customers and identifies new use cases. Through this process, the company is refining the product by focusing on a few automation use cases that people are genuinely willing to pay for.
What made CEO Kim decide to start the company? “Since I was young, I have dreamed of leading my own business based on expertise in a specific field. From university to graduate school and the workplace, I nurtured that dream through startup competitions and team projects. After many trials and errors, I finally settled on my current product and officially began the business. The initial funding was raised through personal savings and government support programs.”
After founding the company, Kim said, “I find fulfillment in the very process of identifying the needs and challenges of potential customers and solving those challenges through technology.” “Above all, the process of realizing a long-held dream brings me great joy. I have personally learned that entrepreneurship is a challenging journey, and it becomes difficult to endure if you become obsessed with quick results. I believe it is important to enjoy the journey of entrepreneurship while consistently reflecting on the true essence of the business.”
Regarding future plans, the CEO said, “As a for-profit company, I believe the most important thing is to generate revenue while genuinely solving what people truly need,” adding, “Rather than being obsessed with technology, we plan to focus on the real needs of users.” He added, “As an early-stage company, our immediate goals are to secure reliable core team members and reach BEP by next year.”
Date of Establishment: July 2024
Main Business: AI agents that perform repetitive web tasks on behalf of humans
Achievements: Selected for the 2024 Pre-Startup Package, Next Local 6th Batch (Stage 1), SBA Team Building Support Program, SBA Commercialization Support Program, finalist in the 13th Youth Entrepreneur Competition, Grand Prize at JOIN 2024 Rookie Demo Day, 2nd Place at the 2024 Campus Town Pre-Startup Competition (Soongsil University), Encouragement Award at the Grand-K Startup Competition, unicorn incubation at DDM Youth Startup Center
reporter jinho lee
jinho2323@hankyung.com
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