zolv is a company that researches and commercializes the preservation technology for maintaining the freshness of agricultural products. CEO Seunghun Song (22) and Vice CEO Jaehyeok Lee (22) founded the company in June 2024.
CEO Song said, "Zolv is a startup that addresses issues of spoilage and pesticide residues occurring during the storage and distribution stages of agricultural products," and added, "We develop and produce our products directly at our own laboratory and factory."
The 'zolv pad,' which helps maintain freshness during the storage and distribution of agricultural products, is the company’s core product. The zolv pad utilizes oxidizing agents to eliminate more than 99.99% of microorganisms, such as mold and bacteria, that proliferate on the surface of fruits and vegetables.
Additionally, it rapidly breaks down ethylene gas, which accelerates spoilage, thereby helping to maintain freshness. The zolv pad can be applied to both refrigerated and room-temperature conditions, and is currently undergoing field testing with various agricultural products in Jeju, Taiwan, and the United States.
"We have ensured safety in humans by using ingredients certified by the WHO. The zolv pad holds various certified test results for microorganism elimination. Above all, the zolv pad’s successful mass production has enabled cost competitiveness, which is its key strength. Another strength is that it can be applied to all agricultural products without the need for farmers to introduce additional processes."
zolv is currently conducting field tests on tangerine-producing farms and distributors in Jeju, as well as in Taiwan and the United States, while seeking to expand supply. CEO Song said, "We are supplying products to major distributors to conduct PoC," and added, "We are also expanding contact points with consumers and overseas buyers by participating in various exhibitions and global programs."
"zolv has secured everything in-house, including factories, facilities, and patents, without any external investment. With the support of the U.S. subsidiary of a major Korean conglomerate, we were able to travel to the United States to establish a factory. Now, we are preparing to attract investment for global expansion and the expansion of mass production facilities."
How did CEO Song come to start the business? "We started our business with eco-friendly packaging materials that remove pesticide residues from fruits and vegetables. The idea came from the inconvenience of having to wash fruits due to concerns about pesticide residues. The moment I realized the process of discarding fruit nets and then washing fruits with baking soda, I thought, 'What if the fruit net itself dissolved in water and worked like baking soda?' Believing that this could also solve the problem of non-recyclable fruit packaging materials, we immediately began drafting a patent specification and started the business.”
After founding the company, CEO Song said, “I feel deeply rewarded whenever I visit farms, listen to their concerns, and receive feedback that fruits stayed fresher longer and incomes increased when they used the zolv pad," and added, "I take pride in being able to contribute to real change through technology."
zolv is led by a passionate team that stays and works on-site, supported by Ph.D.-level technical directors and advisors in food engineering and food safety, along with dedicated marketing, sales, and production teams. CEO Song emphasized that "skilled professionals and R&D collaboration with farms, academia, and industry are strong growth drivers."
Regarding future plans, CEO Song said, "In the short term, we will diversify our product line in the domestic tangerine and strawberry markets," adding, "In the long term, through technological advancement, we aim to enter global markets such as ASEAN and the United States." He continued, "Ultimately, we want to become the standard solution provider for agricultural product distribution and freshness management."
Founded: June 2024
Main Business: Research and commercialization of agricultural product freshness preservation technology
Achievements: Grand Prize at the Chung Ju-yung Startup Competition, Challenge!; K-Startup Minister of SMEs and Startups Award (8th place); Minister of Environment Award (Grand Prize) at the Environmental Startup Competition; Hult Prize Local Competition Winner; Global Summit Top 6; Mayor of Seoul Award at the Seoul Climate Tech Competition; President of the Gyeonggi Business & Science Accelerator Award at the Gyeonggi-do Startup Contest; President of the Gyeonggi Business & Science Accelerator Award at the Gyeonggi-do ESG Competition; President of the Gyeonggi Agro-Fisheries Promotion Agency Award at the Korea Food Tech Contest; Selected for UN Citypreneurs; Selected as a Social Venture; Successful mass production of over 20 tons at our own factory; Ongoing product validation in 7 countries; and Open Innovation agreement with NongHyup
reporter jinho lee
jinho2323@hankyung.com
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