Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and the Korea Technology and Information Promotion Agency for SMEs (TIPA), an organization that supports small and medium enterprises through technological innovation, have announced a strategic partnership to collaborate on industrial technology development. 

The agreement outlines a cooperative framework to explore joint research projects, exchange researchers, and co-host academic and industry workshops that support innovation and collaboration with Korean small and medium sized companies across a wide range of technology sectors. Through this partnership, RPI and TIPA will translate academic research and engineering expertise into practical technologies that develop new materials, new biotechnology products and biomedical devices, advance technology, and improve manufacturing performance. 

RPI is well positioned to support this work through its strengths in science, engineering, innovative technology, and applied research, along with its history of collaboration with industry partners. RPI faculty conduct research in areas such as advanced manufacturing, materials science, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, data analytics, and systems engineering, fields that directly contribute to improving efficiency, quality, and productivity in industrial settings.  

“By working with TIPA, we are aligning our research strengths with real-world technology needs,” said Jonathan Dordick, Ph.D., Vice President of Strategic Alliances and Translation, and Institute Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering. “We are excited to partner with Korean small and medium sized companies to advance key industrial and manufacturing fields and working on problems that matter right now. We also look forward to establishing close, long-term partnerships with Korean industries that will ultimately benefit society, both in South Korea and the U.S.” 

“Small and medium enterprises are increasingly looking for ways to better adopt and apply advanced technologies to strengthen their R&D and manufacturing capability,” said Chulsung Bae, Ph.D., professor of chemistry & chemical biology and chemical & biological engineering at RPI. “This partnership creates a pathway for RPI researchers to work with TIPA and industry partners on applied research and knowledge exchange that can help bridge that gap.”