The University of Seoul has been leading youth entrepreneurship and regional innovation since 2022, under the vision of 'Seoul Impact' with the motto 'The Most Seoul-like Influence, The Most Global Value'. It particularly supports startups in AI-based urban innovation and social impact sectors, creating a sustainable startup ecosystem where technology and social value harmonize. The university was selected as an excellent case in the regional revitalization field of the Seoul Campus Town project and received an A+ grade in the 2024 Seoul Campus Town performance evaluation. IT Donga introduces the growth stories and innovative achievements of AI startups fostered by the University of Seoul.


People are exposed to numerous chemicals in daily life. From cosmetics, detergents, disinfectants to industrial chemicals, the variety is countless. However, the problem is that only a few of these substances are used with proper knowledge of their toxicity. As seen in the 2011 humidifier disinfectant incident, products believed to be safe can pose threats to human health and the environment.

Traditionally, animal testing was relied upon to assess the safety of chemicals. However, animal testing involves costs ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions of KRW and takes several months to years. Moreover, due to ethical issues, the movement to ban animal testing is spreading, particularly in Europe and the United States, with the U.S. announcing plans to reduce and eventually cease animal testing from April this year.


In this context, 'preventive toxicity prediction' based on artificial intelligence (AI) and big data has recently emerged as an alternative. Using New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) that replace animal testing, 'Safe-by-Design', which predicts toxicity from the product development stage to ensure safety, has become a global trend.

In Korea, ChemBAI Co., Ltd. has emerged in line with this trend. ChemBAI aims to solve the problems of slow and inaccurate traditional toxicity assessments through its AI-based toxicity evaluation platform, supporting the securing of safety from the chemical design stage to realize social value.

20 Years of Research Assets into Social Value

ChemBAI was founded by CEO Choi Jin-hee based on over 20 years of research achievements at the Environmental Systems Toxicology Laboratory of the University of Seoul. This includes mechanism toxicity research based on Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP), which explains the entire process of a chemical causing biological damage starting at the molecular level, and predictive toxicology research combining AI and big data. Driven by a belief in contributing to solving real social problems based on lifelong research, she decided to commercialize after the 'inhalation toxicity prediction model' was selected as one of the top 20 excellent achievements in the Ministry of Environment's R&D project.

CEO Choi Jin-hee stated, "As scientific evidence increases that human diseases originate from interactions with environmental harmful factors, a fundamental change in the safety evaluation system for the substances we use is needed," adding, "Technological innovation is important, but without securing safety, entering the global distribution network is difficult. ChemBAI will help establish a sustainable chemical system with digital toxicity evaluation technology based on scientific evidence."

'Digital Toxicity Evaluation' Predicting with AI and Explaining with Data


ChemBAI's main services include ▲AI-based toxicity prediction platform 'ToxBAI' ▲Next-generation risk assessment platform 'ChemBAI NGRA (Next Generation Risk Assessment, evaluating chemical risks using NAMs)' ▲Smart chemical safety management education.

ToxBAI is ChemBAI's core engine for toxicity prediction. Based on an AI model trained on public toxicity data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), it predicts the potential for chemicals to cause toxicity. The core technology applies the Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP). AOP systematically explains the series of processes from chemical exposure through biological mechanisms to toxicity. ToxBAI uses this to provide information on whether a chemical is toxic, its mechanism of action, disease association, and priority information for regulatory response.

ChemBAI's biggest technological differentiation lies in 'Explainable AI'. CEO Choi Jin-hee said, "Existing AI toxicity prediction models had opaque result derivation processes. For AI prediction results to be adopted in the regulatory science market, presenting scientific evidence is essential," adding, "ToxBAI scientifically explains 'why toxicity occurs'. This allows it to serve as a digital toxicity evaluation tool that replaces animal testing."


The ChemBAI NGRA platform, equipped with the ToxBAI engine, provides a total solution for the next-generation risk assessment framework. It supports implementing and precisely evaluating the safety of chemicals in a digital twin environment by integrating actual exposure scenarios, big data, NAMs, and expert knowledge. For example, by inputting a chemical of interest, it collects and analyzes toxicity information and evaluates high-reliability data to provide policy decisions. CEO Choi Jin-hee stated, "The NGRA solution helps companies preemptively block toxicity risks from the new material development stage and supports the design of safe alternative materials and processes."

Additionally, ChemBAI provides smart chemical safety management education for professionals or the general public. For field workers and regulatory agency staff handling chemicals, it offers AI-based toxicity prediction and NAMs utilization practice courses to enhance practical capabilities. For the general public, it provides life-oriented education to help correctly understand chemical safety in daily life. CEO Choi Jin-hee emphasized, "No matter how innovative the technology, growth is difficult without personnel to utilize it and social understanding, so we included education services as a core business. Social awareness transformation is crucial at this point."

Wide Range of Applications in Cosmetics, Manufacturing, Regulatory Agencies

ChemBAI targets the regulatory science market (B2G) based on scientific reliability and the industrial innovation market (B2B) based on the utility of its technology. For government regulatory agencies and public institutions, it provides AI-based scientific evaluation as a tool for setting priorities for hazardous substances and supporting policy decision-making.

For companies, it offers solutions for safety verification before new material development and exploring eco-friendly alternative substances. Chemical, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and advanced new material development companies can significantly reduce costs by preemptively predicting toxicity risks in the early stages of development. CEO Choi Jin-hee added, "By exploring safe alternative substances, we support the development of eco-friendly products and ESG management. This leads to compliance with strengthened global regulations and export support, enhancing corporate competitiveness."

Standardization of 'Safe-by-Design' in Korea... Aiming for Overseas Expansion

After faculty entrepreneurship in 2024, ChemBAI completed a technology transfer worth KRW 1.2 billion from the University of Seoul in April 2025, securing core toxicity prediction algorithms and databases. In June, it was officially incorporated as a subsidiary of the University of Seoul's technology holding company, embarking on full-scale platform development based on research personnel and technical support.

ChemBAI aims to enhance ToxBAI, currently at TRL4 (technology verification stage in the laboratory), and release it as a beta service in January 2026. CEO Choi Jin-hee said, "In the future, we aim to establish it as the standard service in the domestic regulatory science field through demonstration projects with public institutions and industries." Expansion into the U.S. and European markets is also being prepared. The plan is to expand into an internationally harmonized toxicity prediction platform linked with international regulatory systems.

ChemBAI has built its growth foundation through the University of Seoul's Campus Town. CEO Choi Jin-hee stated, "We received startup space, mentoring, business plan consulting, and networking opportunities from the University of Seoul. Especially thanks to the connection with the technology holding company, the technology transfer process proceeded smoothly, and joint projects with internal researchers and students at the university were actively continued. This university-startup-public support linkage structure greatly contributed to ChemBAI's rapid growth."

Ultimately, ChemBAI plans to expand its AI-based toxicity prediction results into a 'Safe-by-Design' solution applied at the actual chemical design stage. CEO Choi Jin-hee emphasized, "The biggest challenge is to inform people of the value of technology and change perceptions," adding, "Innovation that considers safety is true innovation. Realizing Safe-by-Design, which internalizes safety from the chemical design stage, is important." She also stated, "ChemBAI aims to establish itself as a digital toxicity evaluation specialist company connecting academic research and industrial sites, contributing to creating a safe society for people and the environment."

IT Donga Reporter Kim Ye-ji (yj@itdonga.com)

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