[SeoulTech x ITDongA Joint Project] Seoul National University of Science and Technology (hereinafter SeoulTech) operates various support programs to help startups grow, including preliminary and early-stage startup packages, makerspaces, and global collaboration. In addition, together with ITDongA, it provides global news to support startups’ overseas promotion and expansion, introducing promising deep-tech startups at home and abroad.

Complaints and conflicts arising from illegal parking increase every year. In particular, when rental cars, which usually do not display the driver’s contact information, or drivers who hesitate to post their contact details due to concerns about personal data leakage park illegally, there is no way to contact them, causing difficulties. In such situations, the damage is borne entirely by other vehicle owners, eventually becoming the seed of disputes. A startup has emerged that aims to resolve this common inconvenience through technology. The company is Q’PIN, a mobility solution provider. It plans to transform the long-used parking contact plate into a new platform with “Design’k,” which combines electronic paper (E-INK) and solar power technology.

“Why is there no contact number on the car?”… Problem awareness that emerged while using a rental car in Jeju

The founding of Q’PIN by CEO Park Hyun-geun was motivated by an inconvenience experienced firsthand.

He said, “According to data from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, 9 out of 10 rental cars do not use parking contact plates. When I actually traveled to Jeju Island and used a rental car, I found that many other rental cars were parked illegally. I saw numerous people struggling because there was no way to contact the drivers,” and added, “When I asked rental car operators why they do not provide parking contact plates, they replied that the drivers change frequently, so they cannot display contact numbers. It is also rare to find pens and paper placed inside rental cars, making it difficult to write and display contact numbers. Beyond rental cars, the number of people who avoid using parking contact plates has surged recently due to frequent cases of personal data misuse. I concluded that this situation is a key reason why parking-related complaints and disputes are not declining, and decided to start a business to solve this problem.”

The product Q’PIN is currently developing is the Design’k parking contact plate. Design’k uses four-color electronic ink (E-INK), a low-power display, and a solar panel, making it suitable for use in vehicles without concerns about power consumption. It combines a QR safety number, a random safety number, and a design area to help users create a personalized parking contact plate.



CEO Park explained, “For those who do not use parking contact plates due to concerns about personal data leakage, we adopted QR codes. The service is being configured so that scanning the QR code will directly place a call to the vehicle owner, eliminating any concern about number exposure,” and emphasized, “Since it is continuously charged via solar power, it operates without issue even when the engine is off. A Bluetooth chipset is also built in so that when the QR web page is opened and the user approaches the vehicle, information is recognized automatically. It can also be easily used in conjunction with an app or web interface.”

Q’PIN is repeatedly refining the design to launch a highly complete product. For example, it is reducing product thickness by adjusting the positions of the solar panel and connector, and is embedding neodymium magnets to increase mounting strength.

Park said, “We are applying the improvements identified in the 2024 prototype to the 2025 pilot product. We replaced the existing small screen with a large E-ink display and upgraded the inconvenient old USB port to a USB-C port,” adding, “We also improved the mounting method from an unstable cradle type to a fixed mount type. The product is currently undergoing long-term testing in vehicles, and we are collecting feedback from actual users.”

Q’PIN asserts that the Design’k parking contact plate can overcome the limitations of the existing QR plate market.

Park stated, “Existing QR parking contact plates are mostly made of paper or plastic, making them prone to discoloration. The QR codes themselves are fixed, so they are difficult for multiple users to share. They also revealed issues such as maintenance costs for relay fees and customer center operations, and the fact that elderly users find them difficult to use,” and continued, “Because the Design’k parking contact plate is based on electronic paper, it can be used semi-permanently. QR codes can be regenerated, and the product can be used without installation, via a simple web link. We also plan to provide integrated functions such as parking memos, safety numbers, and design cards.”

He added, “Although the product has not yet been officially launched, we have signed a supply MOU with SD Rent Car and a PCB manufacturing agreement with Sig Corporation. We have also held meetings to sign contracts with large corporations that have expressed interest in adoption,” and said, “Through the preliminary startup package operated by Seoul National University of Science and Technology, we conducted IR production and investor meetings. We also received support for prototype production, which is now in its final stages. Starting with the SeoulTech preliminary startup package, we have achieved results such as participation in a Ministry of Science and ICT R&D project, winning the top prize at the ICT Smart Device Competition, and advancing to the finals of the Hongneung Innopolis IR Competition.”

Lastly, he shared Q’PIN’s future plans.

Park said, “Starting from a small question aimed at resolving everyday inconveniences, we are now focusing on research and development to improve technology, design, and usability in order to present a high-quality product,” and continued, “After launching the product next year, for B2B we intend to supply it to rental car and car-sharing companies; for B2C, as parking contact plates for individual users; and for B2G, as apartment parking permits and access passes for public institutions. We have already hired sales staff and plan to first target regions such as Jeju Island and Gangwon Province, where there are many small rental car companies, and then expand partnerships to large corporations such as SOCAR and Lotte Rent-a-Car.”

He added, “If the Design’k parking contact plate is adopted not only by rental cars but also by private vehicles nationwide, apartment parking permits, and public sectors, it will be possible to establish a parking culture that is safer and more efficient than today,” and said, “We will do our utmost to enable anyone to conveniently express their vehicle while safely protecting their personal data.”

ITDongA reporter Kim Dong-jin (kdj@itdonga.com)

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