Aptero, Innovating the Korean Education Market with Web-Based Metaverse Technology
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Metaverse technology, a crucial element of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, is becoming increasingly prevalent in various industries as its applications expand. This technology has become a primary driver for digital transformation, boosting productivity through the merging of virtual reality with existing industries. In light of the rising demand for the revitalization of the metaverse market through industry convergence and synergies between different sectors, APTERO, a French start-up that specializes in metaverse technology, is setting its sights on entering the Korean market.
APTERO was recognized as an exceptional start-up team in the Korea Information and Communication Industry Promotion Agency’s ‘K-Startup Grand Challenge 2022‘ and is participating in BigBang Angels’ follow-up incubation program. Having introduced its web-based metaverse technology in 2021, Aptero offers tailored and immersive virtual experiences by combining augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies. The company utilizes WebXR technology and employs OpenAI’s AI technology to provide highly personalized and interactive experiences that are more lifelike than those of competitors.
With a view to capitalize on the South Korean government’s extensive investment in digital education and the growing demand for virtual training in the corporate sector, Aptero is targeting the $7.3 billion education market and the $1.7 billion corporate training market in South Korea. The company aims to apply its metaverse technology to schools, educational institutions, enterprises, and other industries that want to offer their users interactive learning experiences.
What problems are you trying to solve?
Edutech technology in Korea has been rapidly developing, but there are still significant challenges to providing quality education, including accessibility, high cost, and language barriers.
APTERO’s web-based metaverse technology can help address these challenges by providing a cost-effective and customizable solution that can break down language barriers and increase accessibility to quality education for students in Korea and beyond.
Additionally, APTERO’s package includes real-life lecturers who are well-versed in popular and growing tech trends such as NFTs, web3, and webXR, which can help keep students engaged and informed about the latest developments in these fields.
How are you trying to solve this problem?
In the education space, APTERO provides a fully customizable and immersive virtual classroom experience that allows educators and professors to create a more engaging and interactive learning environment for their students. This can include virtual field trips, guest lectures, and interactive activities that are tailor-made to the specific needs of their curriculum, resulting in improved student engage-ment and better learning outcomes.
In the corporate or business world, for example, APTERO provides a fully customiz-able and immersive virtual training experience that allows corporate clients to create a more engaging and interactive learning environment for their employees. This can include simulations, role-playing, and interactive activities that are tailored to the specific needs of their training program, resulting in improved engagement and reten-tion among employees, and ultimately leading to better business outcomes.
What are some of the competitive advantages that APTERO has over its competitors?
We have several competitive advantages over our competitors at APTERO in terms of technology and skills.
Our web-based metaverse technology is a standout feature that sets us apart from competitors. It offers a more accessible and cost-effective solution compared to hardware-based virtual reality systems, and is based on webXR, a platform that combines both augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) experiences.
In addition to our technology, we have the advantage of utilizing OpenAI’s AI technology in our virtual experiences. This enables us to provide users with personalized and interactive experiences that are more engaging and immersive than those of our competitors.
Moreover, our package of real-life lecturers who are experts in emerging tech trends such as NFTs, web3, and webXR is a unique advantage that distinguishes us from our competitors. This provides added value to our clients, who can access the latest knowledge and expertise in these fields.
Taken together, our web-based metaverse technology, use of OpenAI’s AI technology, and package of real-life lecturers give us a competitive edge over our competitors in terms of technology and skills.
What is your product?
APTERO is an award-winning company with a track record of innovation in web-based technology, having won accolades such as the 1st place worldwide in the Facebook challenge in 2019 and the best European startup at the Halo Awards in 2021. With partnerships established with industry giants like Yeungnam University, Paris Airport, and L’Oreal, APTERO provides virtual experiences for their education and corporate needs.
One of our key partnerships is with Yeungnam University, where we signed an MOU in the French embassy in the presence of the Minister for Digital Transition and Telecommunications, Jean-Noël Barrot, the Vice Minister of Startup & SMEs of Korea, Mr. Cho Juhyeon, and the Ambassador of France in Korea, Mr. Philippe Lefort.
We have provided virtual classroom experiences and lectures for students studying NFTs and other tech fields. Our partnership with Yeungnam University is a testament to the quality and effectiveness of our virtual experiences, and we are proud to have established ourselves as a trusted provider of virtual experiences in the education industry.
APTERO’s products and services are designed to provide a more accessible, cost-effective, and engaging alternative to traditional classroom or training sessions. The company has been providing these services since 2019, and has since partnered with several industry giants and won multiple awards for its innovative technology and virtual experiences.
What is the market size your products targeting? Who are key target customers?
The market size for APTERO’s products/services in the Korean market is significant, with the government investing heavily in digital education and companies increasingly seeking virtual alternatives to traditional training sessions. The size of the Korean Edutech market is estimated to be around $7.3 billion USD, with growth projected to continue in the coming years. Similarly, the corporate training market in Korea is also substantial, with a size of around $1.7 billion USD.
APTERO’s key target customers in the education/edutech category are universities, colleges, and schools seeking to provide more engaging and interactive learning experiences for their students.
Additionally, APTERO’s virtual experiences can be utilized by corporate clients in various sectors, including technology, finance, and healthcare, seeking to provide cost-effective and immersive training solutions for their employees. Our target clients in the corporate category are companies of various sizes, ranging from small startups to large corporations.
APTERO’s products and services are well-positioned to meet the growing demand for innovative and immersive virtual experiences in the Korean market, providing a cost-effective and customizable solution for both education/edutech and corporate business categories.
The market size for APTERO’s products/services globally is substantial, with the demand for innovative and immersive virtual experiences increasing across various sectors and industries. The global edutech market is estimated to be around $252 billion USD, with a projected growth rate of around 18% CAGR until 2026. Similarly, the global corporate training market is projected to reach around $362 billion USD by 2027.
APTERO’s key target customers globally in the education/edutech category are universities, colleges, and schools seeking to provide more engaging and interactive learning experiences for their students. In the corporate category, our target clients range from small startups to large corporations in various sectors, including technology, finance, healthcare, and more.
Overall, APTERO’s products and services are well-positioned to meet the growing demand for innovative and immersive virtual experiences globally, providing a cost-effective and customizable solution for both education/edutech and corporate business categories.
Why did you enter the Korean market?
APTERO entered the Korean market due to its rapidly developing edutech and digital education sector, and to take advantage of the substantial market size for edutech and corporate training. Additionally, the Korean market presents a significant opportunity for APTERO due to its tech-friendly culture and innovative business environment.
In the Korean market, APTERO is seeking to provide customizable and immersive virtual experiences to education and corporate clients. We aim to help Korean educational institutions provide more effective and engaging learning environments for their students, and to help corporate clients provide cost-effective and immersive training solutions for their employees.
Additionally, we seek to expand our reach and partnerships in Korea, building a strong reputation for our innovative technology and virtual experiences.
As part of our efforts to establish ourselves as a leader in the Korean market, APTERO won the highly competitive K-Startup Grand Challenge competition. This competition is run by the government agency NIPA – National IT Industry Promotion Agency, and only 60 out of 2,500 applicants worldwide were selected. This achievement is a testament to the quality and effectiveness of APTERO’s technology and virtual experiences, and our commitment to providing innovative solutions for the growing demand for immersive and engaging virtual experiences in Korea and beyond.
What is your business model?
APTERO’s business model is built around our web-based AI-powered virtual experience platform, which combines augmented reality and virtual reality experiences to create a customizable and immersive environment for education and corporate clients. Our platform is fully integrated with collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams, enabling seamless communication and collaboration among users.
We offer a subscription-based model that includes access to our web-based platform, with additional services such as real-life lecturers and technical support available for an additional fee. Our web-based platform is built using cutting-edge web technologies that enable us to provide a scalable and customizable solution for our clients.
Overall, APTERO’s business model is focused on providing an innovative and effective solution for the growing demand for immersive and engaging virtual experiences. Our web-based, AI-powered technology and customizable platform provide education and corporate clients with a cost-effective and engaging solution to their virtual experience needs, with the added benefit of seamless integration with collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams.
Can you tell me about some of the significant milestones that MotionsCloud has achieved?
APTERO has achieved numerous significant milestones since its inception, including winning the Global Winner Facebook Developer Circles Challenge in 2019.
In 2020, the company graduated from Y Combinator Startup School, received 30k euros from the BPI Innov’Up program, won the Halo awards for Best European co-working app, and participated in the Wacano Accelerator in France.
In 2021, APTERO was granted the JEI Status in France and received French grants from BPI-French Tech. In 2022, APTERO was selected as an exhibitor for CES 2023 in the US, participated in several accelerators, formed a partnership with Microsoft Teams in France and the US, and signed an official partnership and contract with Yeungnam University in Korea.
In 2023, APTERO was recognized as the Best French Startup in Korea by the FKCCI and was selected as a finalist in the BIG5 category for Start UP Chile.
These awards reflect APTERO’s commitment to innovation and providing effective virtual experiences for education and corporate clients globally. The company has established partnerships with major institutions such as Yeungnam University in Korea and has just signed an MOU with the French Minister of Digital Affairs, Jean-Noel Barrot, to expand its reach in the French and Korean markets.
What’s Your team’s competitive advantages?
At APTERO, our team is composed of experienced professionals with diverse backgrounds and expertise.
Our co-founders have extensive experience in virtual experience design, AI technology, and business development. We recently expanded our team with a seasoned country manager who brings a wealth of experience in business development, particularly in advertising and adtech. This allows us to provide a comprehensive solution to our clients, combining technical expertise with a deep understanding of the digital landscape.
Our COO, Christian, has a strong entrepreneurial background, having created multiple companies both in South America and France. He has also worked for several big brands in France as an IT consultant with Wavestone.
Our CEO, Cedric, is a multicultural individual who speaks five languages, including Spanish. He has been working in the metaverse space since 2019.
Our CTO, Pierre-Henri, has been developing software since he was 13 years old and has won multiple contests ranging from gaming hackathons to the first prize of Facebook worldwide prize in 2019 for the best remote collaboration solution. He has also worked on developing cybersecurity solutions for passports.
What do you need the most to enter the Korean market?
As an AI-powered virtual experience provider, APTERO has already established a foothold in the Korean market through vital partnerships. However, to continue expanding our reach in the Korean market, we are constantly seeking opportunities to collaborate with local partners, institutes for learning and education, and industry experts.
In particular, we are looking for opportunities to work with partners that share our vision for innovative and engaging virtual experiences, and who can provide valuable insights into the unique needs and challenges of the Korean market. Additionally, we are always open to feedback and suggestions from our clients and partners, as we strive to continuously improve and evolve our products and services to meet their changing needs.
What else do you want to say?
Aptero is bringing the French immersive webXR metaverse technology in Korea. Aptero in past year met with former French president Mr François Hollande and met the 26th April with the Minister for Digital Transition and Telecommunications, Jean-Noël Barrot. We are bridging the gap between France and Korea through our technological innovations and are looking to build the best educational package for new technologies for universities in Korea. Learn AI/metaverse/etc.. using Aptero immersive solution.
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