[SeoulTech x DongA.com Joint Planning] Seoul National University of Science and Technology (hereafter SeoulTech) operates various support programs to assist the growth of startups, including preliminary and early startup packages, maker space, and global collaboration. Furthermore, in collaboration with DongA.com, it provides global news to aid startups in overseas promotion and expansion, introducing promising deep tech startups both domestically and internationally.

Portzone operates the alumni networking-based referral recruitment platform 'SchoolMeets.' SchoolMeets is a platform where alumni can share updates and network freely. To support the reliability of alumni verification and efficient networking, Portzone has applied technologies such as Decentralized Identity (DID), Large Language Model (LLM)-based recommendation algorithms, and data-driven matching.

SchoolMeets launched last June and currently has about 12,000 members. This achievement was made solely through word-of-mouth on social media without any separate marketing activities. Portzone plans to introduce a corporate recruitment matching service in the second half of this year alongside service enhancement. The corporate recruitment matching service allows companies to post job openings, and individuals can apply directly or recommend acquaintances. Additionally, it is preparing to expand overseas to countries with strong alumni networks, such as the United States, Japan, and China.

Meeting with Song Jun, CEO of Portzone, who wishes to create a culture of free exchange among alumni based on strong bonds, discussions were held about Portzone and SchoolMeets.


Portzone Building a Trust-Based Network

IT DongA: Hello, CEO Song Jun. Please introduce yourself.

CEO Song Jun: Hello, I am Song Jun from Portzone. I grew up in Yeongheungdo, Incheon, until I was 20 years old. Due to the regional characteristics of being an island, I felt a considerable educational gap. During my time at SeoulTech, I engaged in educational volunteer activities such as after-school classes for elementary, middle, and high school students, which led me to think about creating a system where everyone can enjoy equal opportunities regardless of region or environment.

During my university years, I took on various external activities and leadership roles, and after enlisting, I served as an officer managing 200-300 soldiers, experiencing how a systematic approach significantly enhances people's satisfaction and performance. Based on this, I founded Portzone immediately after being discharged from the military in 2023.

IT DongA: What kind of company is Portzone?

CEO Song Jun: Portzone is a platform company that builds a trust-based network under the philosophy that 'relationships create opportunities.' The company name combines the English words 'Port,' meaning harbor, and 'Zone,' meaning space. It embodies the idea of becoming a harbor-like space where people gather, connect, and create new opportunities. We are currently operating the alumni networking-based referral recruitment platform SchoolMeets.

Systematic Alumni Network Building, SchoolMeets

IT DongA: What motivated you to develop SchoolMeets?

CEO Song Jun: Alumni networks have great potential. However, their connection structure is dispersed, and there is a lack of practical communication channels. Without an established systematic approach, reliability and sustainability are diminished, making it difficult to expect benefits or opportunities from participating in alumni networks.

I believe alumni should know what each other is doing and be able to network freely. Therefore, I wanted to create something that continues to build as an asset rather than disappearing after graduation. This led to the creation of SchoolMeets, where graduates and current students can connect in trust and exchange information and create opportunities.


IT DongA: Please introduce SchoolMeets. What are its features?

CEO Song Jun: SchoolMeets is a platform where alumni can share updates and network freely based on trust. It secures trust through thorough alumni verification and combines data-driven matching technology to ensure safe and efficient networking for users. Additionally, it converts activities within the network into data and experiences, creating a structure where both alumni and companies can gain value.

The features of SchoolMeets include thorough alumni verification and interest and career-based recommendation functions. For this, we require submission of a graduation certificate upon joining. False information cannot be used to join. We have applied technologies such as DID, LLM-based recommendation algorithms, and data analysis-based matching.

DID is a technology that uses blockchain to prevent data tampering, leakage, and misuse. It is applied to alumni verification to enhance data reliability and protect personal information, fundamentally blocking the misuse of alumni information. Users can selectively disclose only the information they wish to share. Only after DID verification can users view alumni profiles and confirm their workplaces and roles.

LLM-based recommendation algorithms and data analysis-based matching connect alumni with similar hobbies, skills, or interests or recommend suitable talents to companies seeking recruitment. These features are currently under development and are expected to be introduced as early as the second half of this year.

By using SchoolMeets, users can expand their network safely and efficiently by sharing information and opportunities based on trust with alumni. Companies can also conduct targeted marketing and partnerships at a low customer acquisition cost (CAC) through a verified alumni network, enhancing campaign effectiveness.

Rapid Growth with 12,000 Members in Two Months

IT DongA: When was SchoolMeets launched? Please share the current membership status.

CEO Song Jun: SchoolMeets launched its web version on June 12, and the app version is scheduled for release on August 22. The current membership is about 12,000, with an average daily increase of 150-200 members. Despite not conducting separate marketing activities, it has rapidly increased since July through word-of-mouth on social media.

Currently, about 4,500 school channels are active. With approximately 12,000 elementary, middle, high schools, and universities in Korea, this accounts for about 37.5%. For reference, channels for elementary and high schools are created based on graduation year, while university channels are based on admission year.

Our goal is to secure 1 million members by the end of this year. I believe it is entirely possible. The bond of alumni is stronger than expected, and since anyone can join and communicate, I am confident it will grow faster than existing workplace or business card-based community services. We are also preparing friend invitation events and corporate recruitment matching services, which I expect will achieve significant results.


IT DongA: Please share the current business progress.

CEO Song Jun: Last year, we secured seed investment of KRW 100 million from SeoulTech Holdings and received a guarantee of KRW 200 million from the Korea Technology Finance Corporation. We have established a growth foundation through various support programs, including selection by the Youth Startup Academy. Additionally, we have partnered with 120 student organizations, including major university student councils, club federations in Korea, and international student associations in China, Japan, and the United States. Based on these achievements, our revenue in 2024 grew 3.4 times compared to 2023. This year, our goal is to grow more than 10 times compared to 2023.

IT DongA: You are receiving support from SeoulTech's global corporate collaboration program. What support have you received?

CEO Song Jun: From the early stages of our startup, we have received practical and continuous support from SeoulTech. Through various support programs, we received commercialization funds for initial service development, patent applications, and marketing pilot operations. Additionally, through the Entrepreneurship Support Center, we received mentoring across business planning, tax and accounting advice, legal consultation, and management. We were also provided opportunities to participate in various networking events and startup competitions on campus.

Currently, we are participating in a global corporate collaboration program with Amazon Web Services (AWS). Through this, we received AWS solution education and credits. We were introduced to solutions necessary for us, which helped resolve our lower technical capabilities as a startup. It was also very helpful in actual service construction. In May, we visited AWS headquarters in San Francisco, USA. During that time, we met companies from Singapore and India, confirmed the global expansion potential of SchoolMeets, and secured a local network in the United States.


Service Expansion with 'Corporate Recruitment Matching Service'

IT DongA: Lastly, please share your future plans and goals. If there are any new features to be added to SchoolMeets, please introduce them as well.

CEO Song Jun: In the second half of the year, we plan to add a corporate recruitment matching service. While operating Portzone, I personally received many requests for talent recommendations. I recommended suitable talents according to the criteria required by companies. There were cases where I recommended international students in Korea or Korean students abroad. As a result, both the talents I recommended and the companies were highly satisfied. The corporate recruitment matching service applies this experience to SchoolMeets. It is designed so that when a company posts a job opening, individuals can apply directly or recommend acquaintances.

Additionally, we plan to introduce features such as coffee chat services between companies and alumni, an automatic matching system for offline networking events, and more. We are also preparing to establish a collaboration hub between global universities and companies and operate overseas alumni networking programs.

We are also pursuing global expansion. SchoolMeets is well-suited for overseas expansion. In countries like the United States, Japan, and Europe, there is a stronger culture of valuing alumni networks. We plan to solidify the alumni-based network in the domestic market and expand into overseas markets such as the United States, Japan, and China as early as the second half of this year.

Through SchoolMeets, which can systematize alumni networks, it is hoped that a culture will be created where everyone can form networks with their alumni and provide and receive help.

IT DongA Reporter Han Man-hyuk (mh@itdonga.com)

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