The 2008 global financial crisis shattered the dreams of a young aerodynamicist who was on the verge of joining the Ferrari F1 team. However, that setback became a turning point that brought a new wind to the Korean startup ecosystem 12 years later. This is the path that ADRO CEO Seunghyun Yoon has taken.
CEO Seunghyun Yoon, who graduated from KAIST Department of Aerospace Engineering and completed a master's degree in racing car aerodynamics at the University of Southampton in the UK, founded Aedro in 2020 with co-founder and Director Dongwan Yoo. Aedro, which achieved sales of 11 billion won and exports to 22 countries around the world in just four years since its establishment, is now preparing for a new leap forward by developing AI-based aerodynamic design software.
A detour from the frustration of F1 dreams to the main job
Yoon Seung-hyun’s career is full of unpredictable twists and turns. After failing to join the Ferrari F1 team, he worked on parts sourcing and innovation projects at the LG Electronics Open Innovation Team, building his practical skills in manufacturing and technological innovation. He then gained experience in manufacturing processes and quality control at a diecast manufacturer, and was in charge of business development and strategy formulation at several startups, including Enswers, Noom, and O2Palm.
“After going through various experiences, I came back to my passion and started Aedro based on this,” says CEO Yoon, explaining his motivation for starting his own business. He says that his diverse industrial experience has become the foundation for acting as a bridge between the automobile industry and the startup ecosystem, and has been an important foundation for Aedro’s development of innovative aerodynamic technology and its entry into the global market. 
Double growth every year, ambition to “conquer the global market”
Aidro's growth is remarkable. Since its establishment in 2020, sales have doubled every year, reaching approximately KRW 11 billion in sales in 2024. Exports account for 86% of total sales, and body kits are exported to 22 countries around the world.
The body kits developed by Aedro for various car models including the BMW G82 M4 and Tesla Model Y are differentiated in that they provide actual aerodynamic performance beyond simple tuning parts. In particular, the team comprised of top-level engineers and designers from global automakers such as Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai Motors, as well as former F1 aerodynamic experts, is a key competitive edge.
“In a market overflowing with low-quality aftermarket parts, we are developing parts with true functionality and performance,” says Yoon, emphasizing Aidro’s differentiation.
Representative success stories include the Tesla Model Y body kit and the BMW G82 M4 facelift project. The Model Y is the first aerodynamic kit developed by Aedro exclusively for EVs, and CFD simulations have proven that it reduces drag by 4.4%. The BMW G82 M4 project has become a viral hit in the global community by introducing the world’s first facelift bumper by reinterpreting a controversial OEM design.
Leading the Design Paradigm Change in the Electric Vehicle Era
However, CEO Seunghyun Yoon's real challenge starts now. Based on the success of its hardware, Aidro has begun full-scale development of AI-based aerodynamic design software, 'AOX'.
“With the rapid growth of the electric vehicle market, we realized that it was difficult to solve the fundamental challenge of improving energy efficiency required by electric vehicles with the existing design process centered on internal combustion engine vehicles.”
The typical complete vehicle design process proceeds in the following order: planning, sketching, clay modeling, 3D CAD modeling, physical prototype production, and post-production aerodynamic review and modification. However, in the era of electric vehicles, Yoon believes that aerodynamics and energy efficiency must be integrated as core elements from the early stages of design.
“The problem is that in the early design stages, it is difficult for designers without aerodynamic expertise to directly consider the aerodynamic performance of the vehicle, and smooth communication with engineers is also not easy.”
AOX's Innovation: 'AeroGPT for Designers'
To overcome these limitations, Aeuro developed 'AOX'. Subtitled 'AeroGPT for Designers', AOX is an AI-based aeroshape optimization software that allows designers to intuitively and quickly review and improve aerodynamic performance in the early design stages.
AOX’s biggest innovation is speed. It enables analysis that took weeks or months for traditional CFD to be performed in less than a day, with near-real-time feedback. It takes a 3D CAD model of the vehicle as input and provides design feedback on airflow and drag reduction directions, reducing design iterations and unnecessary prototyping, and dramatically reducing development time and costs.
Top-notch aerodynamicists with proven track records in various industries, including aerospace aerodynamic experts who participated in the development of Nuri and researchers from Samsung, are focusing on the development of AOX.
Above all, AOX has already proven its real performance. As a result of applying it to actual hardware development in June and July, the Tesla Model Y designed using AOX improved energy efficiency by about 4.1% with just the rear bumper. In a British track test with F1 driver Liam Lawson, the Porsche 992 GT3 shortened the lap time by about 3.7 seconds with the V2 improvement compared to the ADRO V1 front body kit.
From development of finished vehicles to Aidro’s bold vision
CEO Seunghyun Yoon’s ambitions do not stop at software development. In the short term, he aims to officially unveil AOX technology at CES 2026 and launch a beta version at the end of the first quarter, and in the mid- to long-term, he aims to develop a complete vehicle.
“Our mid- to long-term goals are to develop a complete vehicle that will demonstrate Aedro’s full-stack capabilities, prepare for an IPO, and strengthen our position in the market as a next-generation technology and engineering company.”
AOX is a technology that can be expanded beyond automobiles to drones, wind power, sports equipment, and other fields where airflow is important. “Starting with the automobile industry, our vision is to revolutionize mobility and energy efficiency across a wider range of mobility and industries,” said CEO Yoon.
The personal ordeal of failing to join the Ferrari F1 team eventually became the starting point of innovation that presented new possibilities to the Korean automobile industry. This is why we are looking forward to the blueprint for future mobility that Aedro will draw.
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