▲ Head of SK Innovation Institute of Environmental Science & Technology Lee Seong-jun, (second from left) and Silicon Foundry CEO Neal Hansch (third from left) take a group photo at SK Innovation’s Open Innovation Post opening ceremony held on November 15 (local time) at Silicon Foundry headquarters in San Francisco, U.S.

With the goal to collaborate with global experts and accelerate in Green Innovation, SK Innovation and Silicon Foundry (hereinafter SiF), an American global innovation advisory company, held an opening ceremony to commemorate the establishment of the SK Innovation Open Innovation Post (hereinafter OI Post).

The opening ceremony was held on November 15 (local time) at the SiF headquarters (the Hub) in Silicon Valley, San Francisco, the U.S. The ceremony attendees included Head of SK Innovation Institute of Environmental Science & Technology Lee Seong-jun, the CEO of SiF Neal Hansch, and others.

▲ (Left) Head of SK Innovation Institute of Environmental Science & Technology Lee Seong-jun, and (Right) the CEO of SiF Neal Hansch attended the opening ceremony of the OI Post held in the headquarters of SiF, Silicon Valley, San Francisco, the U.S. on November 15 (local time).

Affiliates of SK Innovation are implementing the Carbon to Green strategy, which focuses on transitioning all industry business structures from carbon-centered to green-centered. They are also actively looking into new ventures to establish the Green Portfolio and other initiatives. SK Innovation opening an office in Silicon Valley, the epicenter of cutting-edge technologies in the face of competition more intense than ever, expresses the company’s unwavering resolve.

The OI Post will find and detect essential technologies to achieve carbon neutrality and establish a resource circular economy through so-called Tech Sensing* with local technology experts and institutions of the industry. This will accelerate the company’s acquisition of next-generation technologies through more effective and valuable cooperation designs, thus elevating SK Innovation’s global R&D competencies.

(*) Tech Sensing: Discovering and connecting necessary technologies based on understanding of a certain technology

▲ (Left) Head of SK Innovation Institute of Environmental Science & Technology Lee Seong-jun (left), and CEO of SiF Neal Hansch (right), attended the opening ceremony of the OI Post held in the headquarters of SiF, Silicon Valley, San Francisco, the U.S. on November 15 (local time) / (Right) Group shot of the OI Post staffs

The opening of the OI Post can be seen as one of the examples of ‘Open Innovation,’ which the SK Innovation Institute of Environmental Science & Technology has been pursuing since 2018. The ‘Open Innovation’ method of acquiring technology effectively reduces any uncertainty for the company regarding future technology investment through collaboration with outside experts, including consortiums with universities or research institutes. It is particularly advantageous in minimizing risk and maximizing the effectiveness of R&D through cooperation.

In conjunction with the operation of OI Post, SK Innovation plans to hire a global expert consultation group and establish a Joint R&D Lab with an American National Lab and universities to ensure more precise technology verification and proactive establishment of new competencies.

▲ (Left) Head of SK Innovation Institute of Environmental Science & Technology Lee Seong-jun (second from left), and SK staffs participated in the seminar after the opening ceremony of the OI Post on November 15 (local time) / (Right) SK staffs and industry experts in the U.S. are conducting seminar

Meanwhile, a seminar took place after the ceremony to discuss advancing in R&D and reinforce networking. The seminar featured in-depth discussion sessions with industry experts such as Imperative Ventures, an American renewable energy investment company, Volta Energy Technologies, ‘BDO,’ the world’s fifth-largest accounting firm network, and others. They discussed the operation of OI Post and factors to consider when collaborating with the national research institute.

SK Innovation OI Post will solidify its position as the main foothold of R&D through collaboration with SiF and overseas experts in Silicon Valley, the center of global innovation. As such, SK Innovation continues to acquire support for its relentless efforts to take noteworthy steps toward a sustainable future.