– Combining AI search, passport-based verification and payments to help foreign nationals access services in South Korea
– Global Startup Commercialization Support Program supports technology development, local testing and market validation
Konnect, led by CEO Ravi Shankar Pandit, is developing an AI platform that brings together information search, identity verification and payments to address difficulties foreign nationals face in South Korea.
Pandit came to South Korea about five years ago for a master’s degree. After experiencing many of the barriers faced by foreign nationals in daily life, he started Konnect to address them.
Ravi Shankar Pandit, CEO of Konnect.
◇ AI search, passport verification and payments in one place
Konnect is connecting an AI search engine, passport-based identity verification and a payment system. The platform is being developed to let foreign nationals search for information, book services and pay with cards issued overseas in one place.
In particular, it aims to give foreign nationals access to South Korean digital services using a passport, without a Korean phone number, bank account or residence card. Pandit said Konnect stands out by bringing functions that are currently separate into a single integrated system.
◇ Technology development and local validation through the Global Startup Commercialization Support Program
Konnect is participating in the Global Startup Commercialization Support Program as it develops its AI search and passport verification systems.
Pandit said that when the company joined the program, it needed both funding for technology development and local resources to test the technology in South Korea. With those resources secured through the program, it is continuing to turn its idea into a product and a business.
The company is also using mentoring to assess how well the product meets market needs. “The mentoring we needed helped us identify market fit and build product-market fit for our product,” Pandit said.
The Konnect team.
◇ Plans to expand to Japan, India and the U.S. after validation in South Korea
Although Konnect operates in South Korea, its main customers are foreign nationals, so it is targeting global markets over the longer term.
Pandit said the company plans to establish its service in South Korea before expanding to Japan and other countries, including India and the United States. It aims to address similar barriers elsewhere, where requirements such as local identification or a bank account make it difficult for foreign nationals to access digital services.
“I want to build a global product that foreign nationals can use anywhere in the world,” he said. “Our goal is to become the next Google for travel abroad.”
Company name: Konnect
Contact name: PANDIT RAVI SHANKAR
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://konnect.kr/
Country: India