In a technology-driven society, art is becoming a strategic force. Art startups are increasingly positioning themselves as key partners in the business strategies of large corporations, spearheading customer experience, organizational culture, and brand sensibility. Beyond simple collaboration, art content is moving customers' emotions, transforming organizations internally, and expanding into a global revenue model. CUZ (CUZ), MoonDa, and AXOO (AXOO), chosen by major corporations like Samsung Electronics, KT, LG Chem, and Nike, are at the very heart of this transformation.
Companies that use art as a tool for technology are redefining the industry.
CUZ, selected as one of Samsung Electronics' seventh C·Lab Outside program, redefines art as an emotional design tool. Their "Visual Meditation" content, developed by the team, is a visual meditation experience that promotes emotional stability, immersion, and recovery, rather than mere appreciation. CUZ uses AI-based spatial simulation to rapidly present and refine content, and was the first in the world to integrate this content into Samsung's Tizen TV operating system. This is a prime example of artistic content entering the global device ecosystem.
The collaboration with Samsung, in particular, played a crucial role in expanding the business. Since its launch, over 90% of its total sales have come from the North American market, prompting CUZ to refocus its global strategy on North America. Jin Sam, CUZ's Director, explained, "North American users responded strongly to the meditative message and visual composition of the content, which led to the realignment of CUZ's global strategy to focus on North America." CUZ is currently discussing partnerships with a US hotel chain, a luxury residence in the Middle East, and a European digital signage company.
MoonDa is incorporating art into corporate culture through its performance content brand, "BRAVI." Collaborating with over 100 organizations, including KT, LG Chem, and the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) Tower, MoonDa is strengthening employee emotional stability and organizational unity through everyday artistic experiences like lunchtime lobby concerts and on-site concerts. In fact, KT reported a 72% increase in employee satisfaction after implementing Bravi. Beyond simple performances, MoonDa is also building a system that incorporates data from post-performance surveys and on-site feedback analysis into future plans.
AXOO is a performance planning startup that translates a brand's sensibility into art. Collaborating with brands like Nike, KFC, and Google Play, they embody the brand's core values through visual art and performance content. A prime example is a campaign they collaborated with Nike, where they combined contemporary dance and installation art to convey the brand's core message of "challenge and overcoming." This campaign is considered a prime example of maximizing emotional connection with consumers by meticulously crafting the intersection between the artist's sensibility and the brand's story.
Why Big Businesses Are Paying Attention to Art Startups
There's a reason why large corporations are choosing to collaborate with art startups beyond simple cultural marketing. "Emotional technology," which can precisely design emotional and sentimental domains that cannot be interpreted through technology, is increasingly needed across a wide range of areas, including corporate branding, internal organizational culture, and user experience. CUZ integrates AI-based emotional simulation with visual meditation content to design the emotional functions of devices and spaces. MoonDa uses performance content to address emotional indicators in organizational culture and HR, and AXOO expands brand identity through the language of art.
CUZ, in particular, defines art as a "scalable experience solution," emphasizing the ability to transform the emotional structure of a space through emotional technology, the global scalability of installations and operations, and the ability to simultaneously design both artistry and universality. They are transcending the project-centric operational model of traditional art firms, transforming art into technology through a data-driven, repeatable structure. Director Jin Sam stated, "AI-based simulations have actually accelerated the slow processes of large corporations, leading to rapid decision-making and improvements."
AXOO views collaboration as an "emotional connection between artist and brand." CEO Ahn Ji-sung explained, "For each project, we analyze the brand's core message, select the artist who can most persuasively interpret it, and connect their worldviews." In a collaboration with Google Play, the brand collaborated with young creators to produce a performance themed on creation and consumption in the digital age, forging a connection with MZ generation consumers.
MoonDa is integrating customized corporate performances into its HR strategy. By regularly conducting post-performance employee satisfaction surveys, analyzing emotional changes, and holding program improvement meetings, the company is designing performances to function as emotional assets, not just simple events. CEO Shin Ji-hyun stated, "We're seeing a metric that demonstrates that arts and culture lead to tangible organizational performance, leading to repeat contracts."
Connecting with a Supporting Ecosystem Becomes a Springboard for Industrialization
These companies are arts businesses that have established a foundation for growth by participating in the "2025 Arts Startup Leap Forward Support Program," hosted by the Korea Arts Management Service. These companies have taken their business capabilities to the next level through joint support from accelerators Painters Ventures and Venture Square.
CUZ participated in the Innovation RCA program, a global initiative of the Royal College of Art's startup accelerator program, where it refined its content UX and flow based on local user interviews and emotional experience research. The Visual Meditation series, born from this process, was featured on Samsung TVs and subsequently led to significant sales in North America. AXOO held its first showcase exhibition through the program, promoting the company to brand customers and driving increased orders.
AXOO CEO Ahn stated, "The corporate financial consulting with accountant Lee Jae-yong was particularly helpful. By translating emotional planning into numbers, our commercialization strategy became clearer." MoonDa also systematized its initial collaborations with the Federation of Korean Industries and KT, leveraging the program's meetup opportunities with large and medium-sized companies. It is also evolving Bravi into a regular performance service through collaborations with the private sector. Recently, the company has been expanding its reach, offering programs exclusively for employees and programs linked to new employee orientations.
The beginning of an era where art becomes strategy
According to IDC, the global wellness content market is growing at an average annual rate of over 10%, and in particular, demand for emotionally-driven content is rapidly expanding in the healthcare, education, and space service sectors (Source: IDC, 2025 Wellness Tech Report). In line with this trend, CUZ is building an "AI x Art x Wellness" ecosystem through collaborations with American hotel chains, Middle Eastern luxury residences, and European digital signage companies.
AXOO is preparing to expand into public art projects, experimenting with structures that allow artists to interact with cities, spaces, and communities. MoonDa is also planning art-based emotional well-being programs in collaboration with hospitals, public libraries, and local governments, in addition to corporations. Everyone is viewing art as a strategically designed and measurable asset, moving beyond mere appreciation.
They are not content creators, but emotional designers and strategic planners. Through art, they are creating new possibilities for emotionally driven industries, and within a network encompassing the public, private, and global sectors, they are achieving real-world results and growth. The evolution of art startups is transcending industry boundaries.
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