- The Group’s open innovation platform ZER01NE participates in CES for the fourth consecutive year, with promising startups showcasing cutting-edge technologies
- Startups supported by ZER01NE, Hyundai CRADLE and internal incubation programs feature at the event
- 10 startups demonstrate innovations in AI, energy solutions, and robotics
- Aims to expand global partnerships, identify new business opportunities, and promote startup excellence on an international stage
ZER01NE, the open innovation platform of Hyundai Motor Group, is set to spotlight groundbreaking technologies from innovative startups at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026 in Las Vegas, running from January 6 to 9.
Marking its fourth consecutive CES appearance since 2023, ZER01NE collaborated with Hyundai CRADLE to support startups specializing in artificial intelligence (AI), energy, robotics and quantum computing.
"ZER01NE continues to strengthen Hyundai Motor Group’s open innovation capabilities by collaborating with creative partners worldwide. We aim to spotlight the excellence of startups participating in this year’s CES and further contribute to the growth of the global startup ecosystem.” – Kyuseung Keith Noh, Vice President and Head of ZER01NE Group at Hyundai Motor Group
What Startup Innovations does ZER01NE Showcase at CES 2026?
A total of 10 startups fostered by the Group participated in CES 2026. These include one internal startup nurtured through ZER01NE’s Company Builder program, four external startups advanced via the ZER01NE Accelerator, and five companies collaborating with Hyundai CRADLE.
Notably, half of the startups are in partnership with Hyundai CRADLE, highlighting ZER01NE's increasing global influence. These startups are focused on the Group’s key future growth areas of AI, energy and robotics, adding significant relevance to the exhibition.
Through CES 2026, ZER01NE aims to showcase its open innovation initiatives, providing participating startups with opportunities to:
- Build connections within an extensive global network.
- Strengthen collaboration frameworks.
- Discover and explore new business prospects to enable their growth as global enterprises.
This year’s startups showcase pioneering solutions across energy, AI and robotics:
- aiOIa: Voice-agentic workflows solution
- CaPow: Power-in-Motion solution for automation fleets
- DataKrew: Power-in-Motion solution for automation fleets
- DeepInsight: Embedded AI-driven 3D imaging solution for high-precision spatial perception
- Electric Fish: Charging solution combining distributed energy storage and ultra-fast EV chargers
- GenGenAI: Domain-specific generative AI for synthetic visual data in AI training and evaluation
- IdeAOcean: AI-driven design software and modular hardware development solution based on autonomous mechanism design technology
- Qunova: Quantum Application Software
- Solarstic: Solar module solutions using plastic packaging materials
- 3DC: Next-generation battery material development based on Graphene MesoSponge
How is ZER01NE Revolutionizing Global Startup Collaboration?
Since its establishment in 2018, ZER01NE has been fostering both internal and external startups to develop an open innovation ecosystem. The program supports Hyundai Motor Group employees with creative ideas through its ZER01NE Company Builder, which has successfully spun off 40 independent startups to date.
In addition, through the ZER01NE Accelerator, ZER01NE identifies and invests in highly capable external startups, validating and commercializing innovative technologies. To date, it has invested in 109 startups and executed 150 collaborative projects, solidifying its role as a key driver of innovation.
Together, these programs underline ZER01NE’s commitment to fostering impactful innovation both within Hyundai and across the broader startup ecosystem.
