VisCure – Changing the World with Visible-Light Curing Technology
Shortly after the NAACst STEP #7 Demo Day concluded, several participating teams and members of the SNAAC organizing team gathered for a small after-party. As they shared drinks and reflected on the challenges of the program and the final results, Seokju Lee, CEO of VisCure, quietly smiled and made a brief remark:
“I’m a manufacturing person.”
That simple statement felt like the most accurate description of the team.
Behind those words were the CEO’s energy, sense of responsibility, and the vivid reality of the business VisCure is building.
Breaking the Stereotype of Lab-Based Startups
Among more than 60 applications and IR decks, VisCure stood out as one of the most impressive teams.
The company originated from a materials science laboratory at Seoul National University, with the professor joining as a co-founder. Combined with the fact that the company had already been selected for LG Display’s open innovation program “LG Dream Play,” it was difficult not to pay attention.
Of course, there were initial concerns.
The team appeared to be a typical “lab startup,” composed entirely of engineering researchers. The assumption was familiar: strong technology, but perhaps weaker in communicating with the market or customers.
However, meeting the team quickly dispelled those assumptions.
When pitching the product, CEO Seokju Lee focused less on the technology itself and more on the problem it solves. Rather than diving into the complex chemistry of adhesives, he emphasized the inefficiencies customers face in manufacturing processes.
Even people with no background in materials science could clearly understand why the technology was necessary.
The technology itself may be complex, but the explanation was clear and the logic consistent.
Although the product had not yet reached mass production, the milestones toward commercialization were clearly defined.
Most notably, the CEO spoke with a quiet but firm confidence.
That is why his remark — “I’m a manufacturing person” — did not sound like a joke.
It felt more like a declaration: that the company is already engaging with customers, participating in industry, and intends to continue doing so.
A Team That Hustles Beyond the Laboratory
Recently, the startup Doers gained attention for emphasizing a “hustle culture” that values dedication and effort. VisCure shares a similar spirit.
Behind every achievement lies time and effort, and every team member willingly invests their time in growth.
During the eight-week growth program, VisCure was the team that scheduled meetings at 8 a.m. — consistently.
This was not just the CEO’s habit.
The entire team, including the researchers, moved according to the same rhythm.
Starting the day early was more than a lifestyle choice.
It was a clear sign of how much time the team invests in both technology development and business preparation.
Admittedly, the team’s core focus remains technology development.
They may be more accustomed to careful evaluation and gradual progress rather than rapid experimentation.
Yet the discipline of waking up at the same early hour each day and maintaining a consistent routine created a clear sense of focus and momentum.
This is a team that chooses consistent action over grand statements, and time investment over mere plans.
A Startup That Is Already Moving
In the startup ecosystem, we often encounter teams that rely heavily on the word “potential.”
They stand before audiences with incomplete products, no customers yet, and markets still to be explored, explaining everything with the promise that “it will work someday.”
Some survive on government grants or PoC projects, often conducted only within the laboratory.
Such teams may appear alive on the surface, but in reality they hardly move forward.
In the startup world, these teams are sometimes called “zombie startups.”
They possess technology but lack business momentum.
VisCure is different.
The team is already moving based on technology.
They are building a rhythm for business.
They are preparing not for a distant future, but for today’s market.
Beyond Adhesives
Although this article cannot cover everything, VisCure is not merely an adhesive company.
Adhesives are only the starting point.
Their core technology — visible-light curing — has the potential to expand into a wide range of industries.
Even the company name “VisCure” reflects this vision:
“Vis” for visible light and “Cure” for healing or transformation.
The scope of the problems the team aims to solve turned out to be much broader and deeper than initially expected when reviewing their application.
“I’m a Manufacturing Person.”
That phrase no longer sounds like a joke.
It carries confidence in mass production, conviction in sales, and the determination to step into the often rugged world of manufacturing.
VisCure is clearly a team building its own position within industry.
In that sense, perhaps they truly are what the CEO described:
A team of manufacturing people.
https://blog.snaac.co.kr/저-제조업-하는-사람이에요-63439#연구실을-넘어-진짜-hustle하는-팀-1
