[Dongguk University Campus Town X IT Donga] Dongguk University has participated in the Seoul Campus Town project since 2022, creating a startup ecosystem in the northwestern urban area. By supporting deep tech and cultural content startups, it has been selected as an excellent case of entrepreneurship development for two consecutive years and received an A+ grade in the 2024 Seoul Campus Town performance evaluation. IT Donga introduces promising startups developing alongside Dongguk University Campus Town.

The pet market is rapidly growing. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, by 2024, the number of households raising pets in Korea has exceeded 3.13 million, accounting for over 25% of the total, and the market size has grown to about KRW 6 trillion.

Notably, the focus is diversifying beyond just food and supplies to include medical care and pet tech. There is potential to solve issues such as noise between floors, separation anxiety, and barking problems with technology, which cannot be resolved by products or training alone. Amid these changes, attempts to scientifically manage the emotional health and living environment of pets continue.


CareforU, which pursues the goal of 'caring for pets' minds with technology', is a representative example. Initially, CareforU started as a manufacturer of pet houses with soundproofing features, but it is now focusing on developing solutions that combine IoT sensor modules to monitor pets' health in real-time. In the future, it aims to evolve into a customized healthcare platform by analyzing daily pet data with artificial intelligence (AI) to detect behavioral changes or health risks early.

Warm Technology for Pets, Noise-Blocking Pet House

CareforU was founded based on CEO Junyong Kim's experience with his pet dog, which was sensitive to external noise over 17 years. He personally experienced the problem of his pet dog being unable to sleep deeply and showing anxiety due to stress, and he developed a functional pet house to solve this issue.

CEO Junyong Kim stated, "We have implemented noise reduction performance of over 60-70% compared to living noise standards, adding vibration reduction, lighting, and air purification functions," and introduced that "CareforU's products aim to provide 'happy rest for pets'." Currently, Tailody has eight product lines (Mute Buds, Mute Square, Mute Compact, Mute Bunker, Mute Premium, etc.). Depending on size and shape, they can be used by small to large dogs, and they have recently received positive feedback from pet owners of parrots as well.

Technology Development Initiated by the Need to Fill Care Gaps


CEO Junyong Kim explained that he identified market demands by listening to customer feedback after starting product sales. He said, "The main reason for purchasing Tailody houses is due to separation anxiety or howling issues, but customers commonly complained that it is difficult to track how well pets are doing when they are not at home," explaining that "existing pet cameras or automatic feeders show momentary situations but have limitations in mechanically operating according to absolute time." He added, "Tailody Mute is expanding into a care solution that interprets 'hourly behavioral data' rather than just an observation tool."

CareforU began focusing on developing smart solutions to fill 'care gaps'. It monitors pets' health in real-time and provides reports. CEO Junyong Kim stated, "While other products focus on design or convenience, Tailody differentiates itself by expanding into a data-based mental and physical care solution for pets." He particularly noted that the environment where pets stay in the pet house for more than eight hours a day is a stable prerequisite for data collection.

Real-Time Monitoring with IoT Sensor Modules, Prediction with AI Analysis


The IoT sensor modules provided with the Tailody pet house automatically collect environmental indicators such as temperature, humidity, air quality, and illumination along with pets' biometric indicators. There are plans to expand the measurement range to include weight and oxygen saturation in the future. This data will be provided to guardians in the form of reports. CEO Junyong Kim stated, "We have gone through a demo stage of the monitoring and reporting system internally, and we plan to commercialize it in the first half of next year."

The ultimate goal of the Tailody solution is to secure predictability. By having AI learn and analyze the collected data, it aims to develop into an intelligent care platform that detects behavioral changes or health risks in pets early. CareforU's software technology manager explained, "By maintaining homeostasis based on appropriate environmental values for each animal and inferring emotions through cameras, we can also predict symptoms that may appear over a long period by analyzing patterns."

CareforU is preparing a healthcare platform that provides suggestions to users based on AI. By learning the daily patterns of pets and introducing a large language model (LLM), it is developing into a service that provides customized advice to guardians, such as 'Today, the stress index is low, so try increasing the walk by 30 minutes.' CEO Junyong Kim stated, "This report can also be used as an auxiliary indicator to find causes when visiting the hospital for a consultation."

Establishing a Domestic Base and Expanding to the Global Market


Established in 2019, CareforU has continued to grow steadily through product sales. This year, it aims for sales of about KRW 700 million, a growth of over 150% compared to the previous year, and has surpassed 3,300 cumulative customers in Korea. It has also completed more than 10 domestic and international patent, trademark, and design applications and registrations.

CareforU plans to commercialize its AI-based pet care solution in the first half of next year through UX/UI design and AI algorithm advancement. Additionally, to secure data, it plans to collaborate with large shopping malls such as Hyundai Department Store and Starfield to establish a new offline space model called 'Time-Care Zone'. This is a time-based care service model that helps pets rest safely in Tailody houses while guardians shop.

CEO Junyong Kim stated, "Especially from this year, CareforU is proving its technological and design competitiveness in the global market beyond establishing domestic recognition." In Korea, it held offline pop-up events at Hyundai Department Store Bucheon Jungdong Branch and Seoul Design Week in October 2025. Additionally, it reported selling out all exhibition products at ▲Singapore (SG Pet Festival) ▲Hong Kong (pawradise pet kindergarten product purchase) ▲Taiwan (Chanchao Taipei Pet Show) ▲Canada (Canada Industrial Pet Show).

CareforU laid the foundation for business growth with support from Dongguk University Campus Town. CEO Junyong Kim stated, "We received practical help, including support for office space, investment IR consulting, promotion, and technical advice," adding, "We strengthened our online promotion channel by receiving support for building an XR virtual exhibition hall through the XRVP program. Thanks to networking support, we were able to connect with various partnerships and government support projects."

CEO Junyong Kim emphasized, "While facing challenges such as production efficiency and workforce expansion to meet rapidly growing global demand alongside technology development, we will advance step by step to develop into a customized healthcare platform," adding, "CareforU wants to be remembered not just as a pet tech company but as a company that understands pets' minds through sound, space, and data."

IT Donga Reporter Yeji Kim (yj@itdonga.com)

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