Real World (RLWRLD, CEO Ryu Joong-hee), which aims to become a leader in global Robotics Foundation Model (RFM) technology, has officially launched by attracting seed investment of 21 billion won.
This investment was made with the joint participation of major manufacturers and global venture capitalists from Korea and Japan, and Realworld plans to lead the global physical AI market by securing faster and more practical RFM technology competitiveness based on real-world data.
In 2012, Ryu Joong-hee, an AI expert who founded Olaworks, the first company in Korea to be acquired by Intel, resigned from his position as CEO after 13 years of founding Futureplay and is devoting himself to the management of the newly established Realworld. Futureplay is a venture capital and accelerator specializing in startup investment and nurturing, investing in innovative startups in various fields including deep tech, lifestyle, and content, and providing close support from the preliminary startup stage to the growth stage. Realworld, led by Ryu, is developing RFM (Robotics Foundation Model) that can be directly applied to industrial sites based on the strengths of Korean and Japanese manufacturing.
◆ Strategic cooperation with global manufacturers… Joint development of AI technology based on real-world use
In addition to leading venture capitals such as Hashed, Mirae Asset Venture Investment, Global Brain (GB), and PKSHA Technology Capital, many major Japanese CVC funds, including LG Electronics, SK Telecom, and DRB Dongil in Korea, as well as KDDI, ANA Holdings, Mitsui Chemicals, and Shimadzu Corporation, are participating as strategic investors, and Real World has established a solid foundation for advancing into the global market.
Real World plans to utilize real-world data accumulated in manufacturing sites for AI learning through collaboration with them, and aims to achieve practical innovation in labor productivity centered on the field. While the existing LLM (large-scale language model) has played a role in supplementing human knowledge labor in the digital world, Real World is expanding the scope of AI applications by applying its self-developed RFM to embedded robots to increase the efficiency of physical labor.
◆ RFM, the next-generation AI competition stage based on real-world data
CEO Ryu Joong-hee emphasized, “AI, which has grown rapidly based on Internet data such as language, is now evolving into physical AI that understands real-world data and converts it into physical actions,” and “Unlike LLM, which is dominated by global big tech, the RFM market is just opening, and the data and field experience of manufacturing powerhouses such as Korean and Japanese companies will be the key to this competition.”
In fact, Korea has a research capability that ranks third in the world in terms of the number of RFM-related global academic papers, and Real World collaborates with top-level talents through AI professors and researchers at top domestic research institutes such as KAIST, Seoul National University, and POSTECH.
“In a situation where RFM research has been slow due to a lack of infrastructure such as GPUs and robotics hardware, Real World provides a rare environment that can bridge the gap between research and the field,” said Chief Scientist Jinwoo Shin, a professor emeritus at KAIST’s AI Graduate School. “Truly competitive AI will emerge from a foundation that can directly utilize real-world data.”
In addition, with the addition of industry veterans such as CPO Hyung-gyu Ryu, formerly CTO of Curly, CTO Jae-kyung Bae, formerly AI Product Lead of Upstage, and CBO Kang-wook Lee, formerly Managing Director and Partner of BCG, Real World has established a solid core organizational structure on both the technology and business sides.
◆ RFM ecosystem completed with new technology architecture and industry collaboration
Real World is researching and developing RFM that can be used directly in industrial settings through ▲unique AI architecture, ▲manufacturing data-based learning platform, and ▲AI-robot interoperability technology.
In addition, Realworld is currently forming a strategic partnership with Werobotics and is jointly developing a next-generation reference humanoid robot for RFM development, and plans to collaborate with robot companies such as ▲Robotis ▲Wonik Robotics ▲Rainbow Robotics to develop RFM that can be applied to various robots. In addition, it is increasing the technological perfection through the RFM ecosystem by collaborating with sensor companies ▲SOS Lab ▲Aidin Robotics ▲Beatsensing and AI companies ▲Deepening Source ▲Flyleaf ▲Seoul Robotics.
◆ Investor Evaluation and Global Strategy
“Real World will drive innovation in the manufacturing industry by combining real-world data and technology,” said Hashed CEO Kim Seo-jun. “Collaboration with global manufacturers is the most powerful driving force in advancing the commercialization of RFM technology.”
Mirae Asset Vice Chairman Kim Eung-seok said, “FuturePlay’s deep tech experience, real world vision, and combination with the industry will create great significance in the global market.”
“Real World is a key axis connecting Japan’s manufacturing industry and AI technology, and has great potential to grow into a global leader in the RFM field,” said Yasuhiko Yurimoto, CEO of Global Brain.
◆ Future Vision: Building a Global RFM Standard
Real World plans to launch PoCs in industrial settings starting in late 2025 and pursue demonstration-based technology verification in major markets such as Korea, Japan, and the United States.
CEO Ryu Joong-hee said, “Real World will develop the world’s fastest and most practical RFM based on the data and practical experience that Korean and Japanese manufacturers have accumulated over a long period of time,” and “We plan to grow into a company that leads physical AI innovation in the global market.”
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