An innovative and creative pathfinder in agricultural technology
About
EPINET is a venture company originating from the Plant Epidemiology Laboratory at Seoul National University established in 2002, during the year when South Korea hosted the World Cup.
By utilizing obtainable numerical data with an understanding of the physiological ∙ ecological responses between crops and diseases and insect pests influenced by weather and climate conditions, we transform into agriculturally applicable biometeorological application models by employing empirical interpretation and statistical analysis methods.
We produce digital precision maps with varying spatial resolutions and data attributes, ranging from small to large scales, by integrating real-time weather, forecast, and future climate change data with the biometeorological application models. This enables us to provide effective agricultural technology information to users.
Our capabilities contribute to supporting sustainable agriculture and the realization of a digital agricultural society.
Furthermore, we actively work on creating exemplary cases of applying digital agricultural technology to resolve agricultural issues not only domestically but also in globalsouth.
"The answer to problem solving lies in the field."
EPINET leads the way in field-oriented agricultural technology innovation.
EPINET
2002 ~ 2007
Sept., 2002.Establishment of a Corporation (Seoul National University Agricultural Life Science Business Incubation Center)
Oct., 2002.Business Registration
Jan., 2003.Launch and Registration of the First Diseases and Insect Pests Prediction S/W in South Korea (PearScab®)
May., 2003.Registration of Software Business
Apr., 2004.Award of a Plaque of Appreciation (Department of Plant Pathology at Seoul National University)
Mar., 2005.Registration of a New Technology Venture Company
Sept., 2006.Participation in the Agricultural Science and Technology Expo (The First Display of the Agricultural Digital Climate Model Domestically)
Oct., 2007.Participation in the International Crop Protection Conference and Presentation of Paper (Glasgow, Scotland)
2008 ~ 2018
Sept., 2008.Commendation from the Minister of Education, Science and Technology – The Crop Diseases and Insect Pests Prediction System
Dec., 2008.Subcontract for the Crop Diseases and Insect Pests Prediction System in Chungnam
Nov., 2009.The Technological Progress Award (Korean Society of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology)
Mar., 2011.Launch of AgCast Product - Korean Agricultural Cloud Service
Apr., 2012.Office Expansion and Relocation (Dongan-gu, Anyang City)
Oct., 2012.Establishment of a Corporate Research Institute
Feb., 2013.Registration of Research and Development Services
Apr., 2014.Participation in the Advanced Agricultural Technology Expo
Dec., 2015.Registration as a Meteorological Company (Korea Meteorological Administration)
Jun., 2016.Commendation from the Minister of Rural Development, Food and Agriculture - Agrometeorological Disaster Early Warning Service Acquisition of Venture Company Status (Research and Development Company)
Oct., 2017.15th Anniversary of the Establishment
Nov., 2017.ISO 9001 International Certification of the Quality Management System
Nov., 2017.INNOBIZ (Technology-Based Enterprises) Certification
May., 2018.Commendation from the Minister of Rural Development, Food and Agriculture -Agenda Project Excellence Award
2019 ~
Apr., 2019.Office Expansion and Relocation
Aug., 2019.Participation in the World Bank Disruptive Agriculture Technology Roadshow
Mar., 2020.Establishment of the Field Support and Education Headquarters (Located in the Agriculture and Life Science Industry Commercialization Center at Seoul National University Pyeongchang Campus)
Jul., 2021.Signing of a Scientific and Technological Cooperation MOU with Pyeongchang-gun and the Seoul National University Green Bio Science and Technology Research Institute
Jul., 2021.Patent Registration (Agricultural Decision-Making Support System)
Aug., 2021.Patent Registration (Precision Management System and Method for Crop Growth-Focused Diseases, Insect Pests, and Agrometeorological Disasters)
Dec., 2021.Registration of Agricultural Sector Computer Program Copyrights (9 items)
Jan., 2022.Registration as an Information and Communication Construction Business
Apr., 2022.GS Certification for Fire Blight Outbreak Prediction Software
May., 2022.Selection of aHidden Champion Company in South Korea (Ministry of Employment and Labor)
Nov., 2022.Two Commendations from the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (e.g., Precision Fire Blight Outbreak Prediction System)
Dec., 2022.Awarded Excellence by the Rural Development Administration
Dec., 2022.Certification of Promising Small and Medium Enterprise in Gyeonggi Province
Sept., 2023.Industry-Academia Cooperation Support Agreement with Suncheon National University SW Convergence University Project
Oct., 2023.Participation in the Suncheon International Agricultural Expo
Nov., 2023.Office Expansion and Relocation
Apr., 2024.Signing of a Business Agreement for the Dissemination of Smart Agriculture Technology in Open Fields (Rural Development Administration)
Organization of EPINET
EPINET is a research and development venture company as well as an INNOBIZ-certified enterprise, where about 50% of the team consists of experts with up to 30 years of professional experience, including outstanding agricultural environment and ecology specialists, computing program engineers, and designers. Our most valuable assets are our excellent scientific and technological capabilities and the trust we have built with our clients over more than 20 years since our founding.
I still have a lot of troubles growing red peppers though I have been doing it for years. How much will I be able to harvest this year? Will it rain a lot during the summer? Will any disease or insect pest strike my field? A series of worries keep me uneasy. But my agony goes away when I imagine the joy of harvesting the red peppers which are like my children. I whispered to them, “Please grow well this year, my children,” after planting them in the field. After that, it started to rain, which quenched their thirst. I thanked the spring rain for listening to my prayer.
An SMS was just delivered to my mobile phone before I went to the field in the morning. It read, “Beware of strong wind in Gonam-myeon area in the afternoon.” This short message was from the agricultural extension service center. It was a great reminder to me, although I had already heard that from the TV weather forecast last night. I checked and fastened the supporting sticks of each red pepper plant. I came back to the field the next day to find that everyone was safely in their seats.
It is still spring, but the muggy days have continued. I could not decide when I should spray pesticides. As you know, phytophthora blight and anthracnose are horrible diseases which can destroy an entire field. I saw my neighbor spraying pesticides yesterday. But I am still not sure because the price of pesticides has been rising. In addition, I was hesitating because the spray might lead to my pesticide residue exceeding the limit, which would prevent me from receiving eco-friendly product certification.
A few days later, I received an SMS from the agricultural extension service center. “[Caution] Red pepper blight!” It was not a warning level, but my wife and I decided to spray the chemicals. I used to follow what my neighbors did, so I frequently sprayed pesticides on the plants. But now I reduced the number of sprays and was able to control diseases at the right time thanks to the SMS alert service.
Time slipped by, and it was time to harvest my red peppers. I asked my neighbor, “Hey, how many times did you spray pesticides this year?” He replied, “I guess I sprayed 3 times more that you did. I should have followed you. I find no difference between your peppers and mine.”
It is worthwhile to save labor and money by reducing the number of times I use a chemical spray. But one of my biggest achievements was that I was able to build up trust with my customers by providing them with safer and healthier products.
