[The Kwangwoon University 2025 Pre-Startup Package CEO] NCihy, Operating ‘SEMO,’ the Universal Platform for Fast and Easy Quotations

Young-Gak Park CEO of NCihy

-Developing a quotation network platform connected to 40,000 procurement-verified companies nationwide

-Enabling users to receive multiple real-time bids for any request upon registration

NCihy is a startup specializing in quotation platforms, operating SEMO(an acronym for ‘All the World’s Quotations‘ in Korean), a service that allows anyone to receive ’authentic quotes‘ quickly and easily. The company was founded in July 2025 by CEO Young-Gak Park (36).

NCihy was launched on a foundation of data and technology derived from an e-procurement system that has operated public notice and procurement systems for 23 years. Moving beyond simple price comparisons, the company has developed a comprehensive quotation network platform connected to over 40,000 companies with proven procurement track records across South Korea.

The flagship product, SEMO, is a platform where users can register any request and immediately receive multiple bids from companies nationwide. The platform supports a limitless range of categories, including goods, construction, services, and liquidations (second-hand corporate sales).

The primary differentiator of SEMO is that it does not rely on simple price-bidding or negotiation tactics. Instead, it provides personalized RFQ (Request for Quotation) services aligned with actual market prices, powered by a database of 200,000 public notices and a network of 40,000 procurement-verified firms.

“For B2B transactions, the most accurate ’lowest price‘ data comes not from general online marketplaces, but from procurement systems used by over 550 public institutions and 1,000 associations and agencies”, stated CEO Young-Gak Park. “SEMO is the only platform in Korea capable of providing real-time quotes based on this actual, verified data.”

SEMO has also solved the persistent inconveniences of traditional quotation processes—such as persistent sales calls, privacy leaks, and repetitive complaints—by introducing an anonymous registration feature.

“Based on 23 years of accumulated procurement big data, SEMO provides actual market and procurement prices rather than just retail market prices”, Park explained. “Our network allows for immediate connection in any field and automatically matches the most suitable supplier for each item. Furthermore, our anonymous system eliminates the stress of unsolicited promotional calls.”

SEMO boasts the versatility to handle ‘every quotation in the world’, covering goods, construction, services, and sales. CEO Park emphasized, “We have a data-driven structure that can provide the ‘true lowest price.’ While online malls offer low prices for small quantities, the lowest prices for bulk, corporate, or institutional units can only be determined by analyzing procurement data. This is the core value of SEMO.”

Regarding future plans, Park stated, “In the short term, we are focusing on stabilizing and enhancing the features of SEMO. In the long term, our goal is to become Korea’s number one quotation platform. We aim to develop a quotation price index using procurement data and eventually expand into a global quotation platform.”

Founded: July 2025
Core Business: Operation of the quotation platform ‘SEMO,’ procurement data-based services
Key Achievements: Built on 23 years of procurement system expertise with a database of 200,000 public notices, Established a network of 40,000 procurement-verified companies nationwide, Signed MOUs with: Korea University School of Law (Executive Program), Office Depot (Headquarters), and GSmBiz (a GS affiliate headquarters)

reporter jinho lee
jinho2323@hankyung.com