[2026 The CEO of Catholic Kwandong University Early-Stage Startup Package] RECRA, A company developing high-rise building exterior wall cleaning robots and automated building maintenance solutions

Dongju Lee, CEO of RECRA

-Flagship item is 'ROBO-PURGO,' a high-rise building exterior wall cleaning robot that automatically cleans building facades in conjunction with mobile cranes.

-Developed a product integrated with a dual-brush system and remote control technology to minimize hazardous, high-altitude operations for human workers.

RECRA is an advanced robotics enterprise dedicated to developing robot solutions that enhance the safety and efficiency of high-rise building exterior wall cleaning. Through its current mainstay product, ‘ROBO-PURGO’ the company aims to mitigate the inherent dangers of conventional rope access or gondola-based operations, thereby fostering a safer and more efficient exterior wall cleaning environment. The company was founded in June 2024 by CEO Dongju Lee(56).

The company's flagship item is ‘ROBO-PURGO’, a specialized robot designed for cleaning the exterior walls of high-rise buildings. Operating in tandem with mobile cranes, ROBO-PURGO automatically cleans building facades. By implementing a dual-brush system and remote control technology, the product successfully minimizes the need for workers to perform hazardous tasks at extreme heights.

“Our solution can clean buildings that lack pre-installed gondolas, thereby overcoming the critical limitations of conventional cleaning methods”, introduced CEO Lee. “Moving forward, we plan to integrate AI-based autonomous driving technology to evolve this into a fully automated exterior facade management solution.”

“The primary competitiveness of ROBO-PURGO lies, first and foremost, in safety”, Lee emphasized. “Because it utilizes a robot instead of having workers suspended directly from exterior walls, it can drastically reduce the risk of industrial accidents. Second is its economic viability; it cuts building maintenance costs by shortening operational hours and optimizing human resource efficiency. Third is its broad scope of application. It can be deployed on buildings that are otherwise difficult to manage using existing gondola systems, which gives it high market scalability.”

RECRA is currently driving B2B-focused sales targeting building facility management corporations, professional property management firms, and large-scale construction enterprises. The company is actively validating its product performance by conducting Proof of Concept (PoC) testing at actual building sites. “We are steadily expanding our market recognition through participation in domestic and international exhibitions, online promotions, and the production of video content”, Lee explained.

Currently, RECRA is advancing its product optimization by leveraging government startup support projects alongside its own capital. To accelerate upcoming product commercialization and overseas expansion, the company is evaluating the attraction of Strategic Investors (SI) and Financial Investors (FI), while simultaneously pursuing investment collaborations for entry into global markets.

“RECRA is currently pushing forward with international expansion, with a primary focus on the Middle East and North American markets”, An noted. “We are in discussions with local partners in countries such as Qatar, the UAE, and the United States, and are preparing for market entry by establishing localized distributorships and agent networks. We have designated nations with a high density of high-rise buildings and robust demands for building maintenance as our primary target markets.”

Regarding future roadmaps, CEO Lee stated, “In the short term, our goal is to complete the commercialization of ROBO-PURGO and successfully penetrate the major domestic property management market. In the medium to long term, we intend to evolve this into a next-generation exterior wall management robot equipped with AI-powered autonomous navigation, positioning RECRA as a world-leading robotics company specializing in building maintenance.”

Date of Establishment: June 2024
Core Business: Development of high-rise building exterior wall cleaning robots and automated building maintenance solutions
Key Achievements: Completed the development of the ROBO-PURGO prototype, Conducted on-site Proof of Concept (PoC) testing for high-rise building exterior wall cleaning, Established an AI technology cooperation framework with Kwangwoon University, Selected for the Early Startup Package, Initiated international market expansion into the Middle East and North America

reporter jinho lee
jinho2323@hankyung.com