(Suwon=Yonhap News) Reporter Jong-ho Choi – “No matter how good a cosmetic product is, it’s useless if it cannot penetrate the skin. This patch physically creates a space within the skin, allowing the cosmetic to seep in and deliver maximum effect.”
Hyung-ki Park (33), CEO of Mimetics, a single male engineering graduate who is neither a beauty industry expert nor a frequent cosmetic user, explained the octopus suction patch with a serious expression at the Industry-Academia Cooperation Center on the Natural Science Campus of Sungkyunkwan University in Jangan-gu, Suwon.
As the name suggests, the technology applied in the patch is inspired by octopus suction cups. The suction cup forms a dome shape; when placed on a surface, it creates a sealed space. When the muscles around the suction cup contract, the pressure in the sealed space decreases, generating negative pressure and suction.
The side of the patch that touches the skin is covered with tiny domes, each less than 3mm in diameter. When cosmetics are applied and the patch is placed on top, the domes generate negative pressure like an octopus suction cup, enhancing the absorption of the cosmetic product.
Founded in 2022, Mimetics is a biomimetic startup that develops technology inspired by nature.
The octopus suction patch was first researched in 2015 by Professor Chang-hyun Bang and his team in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Sungkyunkwan University, who also serve as technical advisors for Mimetics. The team filed a patent for the technology in 2017.
Mimetics is now commercializing the patch, with a product launch planned for next year. The company has already signed agreements with global cosmetic companies in the United States, France, and Japan to manufacture and supply the product.
Octopus Suction Patch [Courtesy of Mimetics, Reproduction and DB Use Prohibited]
CEO Hyung-ki Park stated, “I earned my Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at Sungkyunkwan University, where Professor Bang also co-founded Mimetics with me. The professor conducts the foundational research, and I commercialize the results,” he explained.
Just three years ago, Park was working at a dental materials company. At the time, he was concerned about the limited color range of dental resin, used for fillings, while natural tooth colors vary from person to person.
Park said, “I drew inspiration from chameleons, which change color according to their environment, and developed chameleon resin that naturally blends with surrounding tooth colors. Afterwards, I left the dental materials company and fully committed to the field of biomimetics.”
Park had wanted to simultaneously pursue a Ph.D. in chemical engineering and launch a startup in the biomimetics field, but multiple universities rejected his plan. Sungkyunkwan University was the only institution to allow it, and he became a student under Professor Bang.
Born and raised in Seoul, Park has since been living in Suwon, where he leads Mimetics.
When asked why he stayed in Suwon even after earning his doctorate, Park explained, “Suwon is a major city with excellent infrastructure. Developing and selling products often requires physically meeting with various partners, and Suwon offers convenient access to Seoul, Incheon, and the southern regions, making it ideal for business operations.”
Hyung-ki Park, CEO of Mimetics, Speaking at ‘Suwon Corporate IR Day PANN 1st Cohort’ [Courtesy of Mimetics. Reproduction and DB Use Prohibited]
Park added, “Even after earning my Ph.D., the Sungkyunkwan University Startup Support Center has created numerous programs to support overseas expansion, and Suwon City Hall provided a booth at the world’s largest consumer electronics and IT exhibition, CES 2024, earlier this year. With such support, there’s no reason for me to leave this area.”
Mimetics, which opened in Hangung-dong, Paldal-gu with an initial investment of 500 million KRW, recently moved its headquarters to Iui-dong, Yeongtong-gu. According to Park, the company’s current valuation is between 15 and 20 billion KRW.
In May of this year, Mimetics was selected as the top company among 60 participating enterprises at Suwon Corporate IR Day PANN 1st Cohort, a program designed to discover promising SMEs, venture, and startup companies and provide investment opportunities.
Following the octopus suction patch, Mimetics’ next biomimetic project under development is a microneedle patch for transdermal absorption inspired by bee stingers.
Park believes that biomimetic research will provide solutions essential for human survival and progress. He said, “When humanity faces major challenges, we try to solve them in various ways. There should be at least one organization proposing biomimetics as a solution. My initial goal is to create such an organization, and eventually, I hope to establish a center that supports foundational research and produces Nobel Prize winners.”
For young people aspiring to start their own ventures, Park offered advice: “If you start with the mindset of giving back to society from the benefits or achievements you receive, it reduces stress. You don’t necessarily have to launch a startup in Seoul. In fact, going to provincial areas offers more opportunities, benefits, and less competition, which can be advantageous.”
Choi Jong-ho | zorba@yna.co.kr
