Monthly Power Korea · Nov 25, 2025

Revolutionizing Reforestation with Mass Production of Stem Cell-Based Seedlings The rapid growth in energy consumption driven by AI is projected to accelerate global carbon emissions even faster. AI data centers consume vast amounts of power for their extensive computing processes, emerging as a new environmental variable that emits correspondingly significant levels of carbon. Beyond technologies to reduce emissions, we urgently need solutions that can continually absorb and break down the carbon already in the atmosphere. Dr. Taeyoon Kim, CEO and founder of the Sogang University spin-off New Spring, is finding that answer in trees. Kim said, "While many current carbon reduction projects rely on industrial methods, such as distributing cookstoves or improving process efficiency, it is often difficult to accurately quantify their actual reduction impact. In contrast, nature-based carbon sinks like trees, crops, and seaweed allow for the scientific calculation of carbon absorption, making them the highest-integrity solution in the carbon neutrality market. The most reliable way for Earth to heal itself is through trees. New Spring is developing technology to supply these trees faster, more accurately, and in the exact amount needed." A New Reforestation Method Starting from Stem Cells New Spring's core technology is a stem cell-based solution for large-scale seedling production. Since 2008, CEO Kim has been conducting plant stem cell research, establishing a process that isolates tree tissues under sterile conditions, differentiates them into stem cells, and generates cultured seedlings with an identical genotype. Kim said, "A tree grown from a seed resembles its parent genetically but is not identical, because genes are newly recombined during seed formation." In contrast, New Spring's method multiplies the parent tree's own cells to produce genetically identical individuals, so-called "clone seedlings." This technology enables the stable replication of elite tree species resistant to pests, heat, and drought, while securing reforestation seedlings in a much shorter time than conventional methods. New Spring has registered four domestic patents related to stem cell-based seedling cultivation, secured patents in the United States and Canada, and is pursuing additional applications. Forest Regeneration and Economic Forest Development: A Solution to National Challenges Over 70% of Korea's forests are more than 40 years old, showing growth stagnation and a sharp decline in carbon absorption. While the government is promoting economic forest development through the 6th Basic Forest Plan, the biggest bottleneck in practice remains the speed of seedling supply. New Spring has chosen larch as its primary target among economic tree species. Larch grows quickly, absorbs carbon efficiently, and has high timber value, but its long seed cycle and low germination rate make large-scale supply difficult. Kim said, "The expansion of economic forests depends on how quickly and uniformly superior species can be supplied. New Spring's technology delivers the required species to reforestation sites with predictable speed and quality." He added, "Beyond the conventional seedling supply standards, a new procurement system is needed, one that acclimatizes cultured seedlings in soil for one to two years before deployment to the field." Transforming Technology into Industry, Accelerating Expansion into Domestic and International Markets New Spring has received a transfer of foundational technology from the National Institute of Forest Science and is collaborating with the institute. It is also preparing to enter the government procurement market by obtaining NET (New Excellent Technology) certification and registering innovative prototypes. Since its founding in August 2024, New Spring has completed its seed funding, including investment from Yonsei University Technology Holdings and Mira Ventures, and is now preparing for a Pre-A round. The company was selected for the Ministry of SMEs and Startups' TIPS program, recognizing both its technological and business potential. It has also been chosen for the Startup-Centered University Gangwon Regional Program and the TIPS Overseas Marketing Program, laying the groundwork for expansion into the Korean and U.S. markets. Kim said, "In the U.S. and Canada, climate change has caused widespread die-offs of economic tree species, while the voluntary carbon market (VCM), driven by big tech companies, is expanding rapidly. Our clone seedling production technology can serve as a direct solution for this market." "Technology for the Next Generation: A Task Someone Must Take On" Having majored in molecular biology and integrative biomedical engineering, CEO Kim chose to move beyond the path of a researcher and founded New Spring to tackle humanity's environmental challenges through technology. "Environmental change is accelerating much faster than in the past, and deterioration is more likely than improvement," Kim emphasized. "Responding to climate change is not optional but essential, and New Spring aims to help slow this pace through a technology-driven approach using trees." He added, "New Spring's goal is not just to produce seedlings. Our vision is to become a climate tech company that designs sustainable forests. Just as a single tree steadily absorbs carbon over 40 years, we seek to accelerate forest regeneration through technology and make a meaningful contribution to addressing climate change."

The Power News · Nov 25, 2025

NewSpring Co., Ltd. (CEO Kim Taeyoon) received the Grand Prize in the Mass Seedling Production Solution category at the 2025 Korea National Social & Industrial Contribution and Best Brand Awards. The ceremony, hosted by Herald Business and The Korea Herald, was held on November 21 at the National Press Club in the Korea Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. The award is significant in that NewSpring's plant stem cell-based technology for mass-producing clonal seedlings was recognized as having the potential to drive innovation across reforestation and the forest industry as a whole. As Korea's forest structure changes and climate risks grow, technologies that can reliably supply superior tree species are becoming increasingly important. NewSpring's technology converts part of a tree's tissue into stem cells to mass-produce seedlings of the same genotype, making it possible to reliably replicate superior individuals that are resistant to pests, diseases, and climate change. The technology was also positively evaluated because, unlike seed-based production, it is not affected by germination rates or seed cycles, allowing reforestation to proceed faster. CEO Kim Taeyoon has conducted plant stem cell research for more than 15 years since 2008, building a production process for cultured seedlings. The company holds four patents in Korea as well as patents in the United States and Canada related to stem cell-based cultured seedling production, and additional applications are underway. The judging panel stated, "NewSpring's technology will help resolve bottlenecks in the renewal of tree species and the establishment of economic forests in Korea," adding that "it has great potential to achieve global competitiveness in the climate tech sector." "The biggest challenge in the field is that it is difficult to reliably secure the right amount of seedlings at the right time," Kim said. "NewSpring aims to offer a way to supply superior seedlings at a predictable pace and quality." He added, "Forests are the nation's carbon sinks and core infrastructure in the era of the climate crisis," expressing his commitment to continue contributing to sustainable, technology-based forest development. Meanwhile, the 2025 Korea National Social & Industrial Contribution and Best Brand Awards recognize institutions and companies that have contributed to industrial development and the realization of social value, and each year the awards have honored outstanding companies and brands across diverse fields including education, environment, health, and technology.

SWTV · Nov 24, 2025

NewSpring announced that it received the Grand Prize in the Mass Seedling Production Solution category at the 2025 Korea National Social & Industrial Contribution and Best Brand Awards, held on November 21. Hosted by Herald Business and The Korea Herald and organized by Monthly Power Korea, the awards were established by Herald Media Group to discover and honor individuals, companies, institutions, and brands that have contributed to the nation, society, and industry of Korea. At this year's ceremony, held at the Korea Press Center, a total of 37 companies, individuals, and brands were honored, including Rha Jong-eok, Chairman of the Institute of Unification Culture, Osong Medical Innovation Foundation, Korea Organ Donation Agency, Starbucks Korea, and GS Retail. The event was hosted by announcer Kim Se-young and featured a performance by Lee Seung-jae, CEO of Sensation MS, along with celebratory performances by Korean traditional dancer Nam Hwa-yeon, tenor Oh Chang-ho, and soprano Kim Hyun-jung. NewSpring holds technology that isolates part of a plant's tissue under sterile conditions, induces it into stem cells, and then produces genetically identical "clonal seedlings." This allows superior tree species resistant to pests, diseases, and drought to be replicated quickly and uniformly, greatly improving reforestation efficiency. "NewSpring's clonal seedling technology can offer a practical solution for reforestation and the voluntary carbon market (VCM) in these regions," said Kim Taeyoon, CEO of NewSpring. "Going beyond simple seedling production, NewSpring will grow into a climate tech company that designs sustainable forests, accelerating forest regeneration through technology and contributing to the response to climate change."

Gonggam Shinmun · Nov 21, 2025

NewSpring Co., Ltd. (CEO Kim Taeyoon), a lab-based startup from Sogang University, is drawing attention as a new alternative for resolving seedling supply bottlenecks in forest restoration and reforestation projects in Korea and abroad, powered by its stem cell-based mass seedling production technology. As the expansion of AI data centers drives up electricity use and carbon emissions, the role of biological carbon sinks is once again being emphasized, and so is the need for a scientific approach. About 70% of Korea's forests are now aging stands planted more than 40 years ago, raising ongoing concerns about their declining carbon absorption capacity. Although the government is promoting the conversion to economic forests and the renewal of tree species through the 6th National Forest Plan, unstable supply, summed up in the field as "it is hard to get the right seedlings at the right time," is cited as the biggest obstacle. NewSpring's stem cell-based seedling production technology is regarded as a new way to solve this structural problem. Its key strength is that seedlings with uniform traits can be mass-produced from cells obtained from trees, greatly reducing the quality variation seen in conventional seed-grown seedlings. The company has already registered four related patents in Korea and has also secured patents in the United States and Canada, establishing the credibility of its technology. In particular, NewSpring is pursuing commercialization centered on larch, a species well suited to economic forests thanks to its fast growth and high carbon absorption rate, but which has been difficult to supply in large quantities due to its long seed cycle and low germination rate. According to the company, stem cell-based cultured seedlings can significantly reduce the time constraints of conventional production methods. "To expand economic forests and restore forests, a system that supplies superior seedlings at a predictable pace and quality is essential," said CEO Kim Taeyoon. "Stem cell-based cultured seedlings are a technology that goes beyond the limits of conventional methods." He added, "We also need new procurement standards under which cultured seedlings are acclimatized in soil for a certain period before being deployed in the field." NewSpring is currently pursuing NET (New Excellent Technology) certification and Innovative Product designation, while also expanding overseas in response to the spread of severe forest damage in the United States and Canada and the growth of the voluntary carbon market (VCM). As global big tech companies face mounting pressure to achieve carbon neutrality, demand for high-quality reforestation seedlings is expected to grow further. "With climate change outpacing the rate of forest recovery, science-based seedling production technology is essential," Kim said. "We will grow into a climate tech company that designs sustainable forests and contribute to forest restoration in Korea and around the world."

Money Today · Jul 23, 2025

NewSpring (CEO Kim Taeyoon) announced on July 23 that it has recently been selected for the TIPS Overseas Marketing Support Program. NewSpring provides a solution for the mass supply of economically valuable tree species with high carbon sequestration capacity and high timber value, and offers this solution to national forest reforestation projects around the world. In the second half of 2024, the company was also selected for the TIPS program with the goal of mass-supplying larch and linden seedlings for Korea's national forest reforestation projects. Through this selection, the company has secured up to KRW 150 million in funding. "This selection gives us a foothold to enter the North American reforestation market," said Kim Taeyoon, CEO of NewSpring.

The Chosun Ilbo · Jun 18, 2025

New Spring (CEO Taeyoon Kim), a technology-based climate tech company, was founded in August 2024 as a Sogang University lab startup and provides a mass seedling supply solution with the goal of responding to global climate change caused by CO2. New Spring's mass larch seedling supply solution begins by collecting part of a larch tree's tissue, sterilizing it, and generating plant stem cell lines through a reverse culture system. The seeds produced in this way are then germinated and induced to root, ultimately mass-producing young plant cultures identical to the parent tree. In reforestation projects, which are currently carried out mainly by provincial governments, standard seedlings are limited to seed-grown seedlings ready for immediate planting, and improvement is needed. "Because applying mass production technology to superior larch varieties is demanding, if a pipeline is established in which cultured seedlings supplied to national nurseries are acclimatized and grown in soil for one to two years before being planted in national forests, it will become the most distinctive and successful reforestation model in the world," CEO Taeyoon Kim predicted. To this end, the company offers companies seeking carbon credits guidance on national forest reforestation projects, along with comprehensive consulting on the volume of credits they can secure each year. New Spring holds one registered patent each in Korea, the United States, and Canada related to its mass seedling supply solution, and has completed two trademark registrations. After receiving investment from Yonsei University Technology Holdings, the company was also selected for the Ministry of SMEs and Startups' TIPS program, gaining recognition for its competitiveness. "As a climate tech company, we will do our best to respond to climate change, the defining issue of our time, through species renewal and new reforestation, and to help Korea leap from a timber importer to a leading exporter," Kim said.

Monthly People ·Jun 4, 2025

In the field of CCUS (carbon capture, utilization, and storage) for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the sustainable and efficient carbon sink drawing attention is none other than the tree. As effective reforestation gains recognition as the best solution for carbon neutrality, the value of trees is being reassessed. New Spring presents a mass seedling production and supply solution as the fastest way to address global climate change caused by CO2. Its goal is to support reforestation projects in Korea and around the world, returning a clean Earth to the next generation. A Mass Production Solution Using Larch, a Species with High CO2 Absorption and Timber Value, to Overcome the Limits of Species Renewal Currently, 72% of Korea's forest land consists of aging tree species with very low value as timber. Their CO2 absorption capacity has also fallen to about half, and improvement is needed. In response, the Korea Forest Service has made the development of economic forests its top policy priority under the 6th National Forest Plan. Economic forests refer to forests of species with high timber value. The government is carrying out planned reforestation to renew tree species, and CEO Taeyoon Kim explained that New Spring is selecting specific varieties for planting to support this effort. A prime example is larch. In addition to its excellent timber value, larch is a fast-growing species whose CO2 absorption rate during growth reaches 1.5 times that of pine, and it is resistant to pine wilt disease. It is also distributed throughout mid- and high-latitude regions worldwide. However, its seed cycle is 5 to 7 years, its natural germination rate is under 10%, and vegetative propagation such as cuttings is difficult, leaving many technical hurdles for mass seedling production. As a result, Korea suffers from a chronic shortage. For national forests, annual demand for larch is 9 million seedlings, but supply has stagnated at around 2.8 million for eight years. New Spring has secured plant stem cell lines from superior larch varieties and is applying tissue culture technology based on them to mass-produce larch. Founded in August 2024 as a Sogang University lab startup, New Spring is a technology-based climate tech company offering solutions to climate change. With the goal of responding to global climate change caused by CO2, it provides a mass seedling supply solution. The process begins by collecting part of a larch tree's tissue, sterilizing it, and generating plant stem cell lines through a reverse culture system. By adjusting physical, chemical, and nutritional conditions, seeds can be produced from these stem cells. These seeds are then germinated and induced to root, ultimately mass-producing young plant cultures identical to the parent tree. New Spring holds one registered patent each in Korea, the United States, and Canada, and has completed two trademark registrations. Kim explained that the company plans to expand actively overseas by securing native varieties suited to each country's environment, differentiating them into plant stem cell lines, and mass-producing sterile seedling cultures. The strategy is to begin with exports and move to local production as supply grows. He also outlined a blueprint for diversifying the business, including models linked to national carbon credit markets around the world and social-impact projects, such as those through social enterprises and donations, to help overcome the climate crisis. "New Spring has secured production technology for conifers, which are known to be the most difficult to mass-produce. Using this as a platform, we will take on the challenge of producing all kinds of plants, including food crops and specialty crops." A Climate Tech Company Building a Solid Foundation for Growth Within Broad Boundaries and Clear Autonomy Starting this year, the Startup-Centered University program run by the Korea Institute of Startup & Entrepreneurship Development under the Ministry of SMEs and Startups has been overhauled to introduce a regional linkage track. Under its evaluation criteria, companies specializing in each region's key technologies and able to collaborate with local industries are given priority. New Spring was recently selected for the Gangwon Province regional track. Kim said he was delighted to be selected for the track in Gangwon, which has the largest national forest reforestation area and specializes in bio industries. After receiving investment from Yonsei University Technology Holdings, New Spring was selected for the Ministry of SMEs and Startups' TIPS program, gaining recognition for its competitiveness. Under TIPS, qualified operating investors select and invest in tech-based startups, after which the Ministry re-evaluates these companies and provides KRW 500 million in funding for advanced technology development. The selection process comprehensively evaluates the inventiveness of the company's patented technology and its connection to the business, the size of the target market, market entry potential, and team capabilities. Kim noted that despite the severity of the climate crisis, there are still few climate tech companies, and attributed the positive evaluation to solving the technical pain point of mass-producing trees, the most efficient carbon sink. New Spring receives support from professors in various fields, including co-founder Professor Seung-yop Lee of Sogang University's Department of Mechanical Engineering. Kim also expressed his gratitude to Yonsei University Technology Holdings, the TIPS operating investor, and Mira Ventures, the seed investor, for serving as pacemakers throughout the business. While preparing for government procurement, the company is also preparing for the TIPS Overseas Marketing Program, the LG Net Zero X Challenge, and Ministry of Environment projects, and is planning Pre-A and Series A funding rounds. Kim urged VCs interested in technology-based climate tech companies under three years old that can offer solutions to humanity's challenges to invest actively. "Members of New Spring enjoy clear freedom within broad boundaries and guidance, avoiding unnecessary pressure. As we carry out projects large and small, we clearly share the purpose of each stage and the final goal, and help one another grow. When we solve the problems we encounter along a shared direction based on autonomy, we come to trust one another more and grow further, and I believe this leads to the best results." Presenting a New Model for Korean Reforestation, Built on Business Competitiveness Verified Through Continuous Interviews and Pivots Kim is a researcher who has long studied plants from a molecular biology perspective. Over the past 20 years, he has worked tirelessly as a researcher on subjects ranging from basic molecular biology research using Arabidopsis to food crops, leafy vegetables, flowers, microalgae, medical hemp, foliage plants, fruit trees, and conifers. He decided to start a company out of a desire to go beyond laboratory research and do something of real help to humanity. Looking back, Kim said there were times when he felt a gap between research and reality. While preparing the business, Kim met many people. The business began in earnest after he was selected for the Korean I-Corps program run by the Lab Startup Innovation Group of the Ministry of Science and ICT. He described the process as interviewing customers in Korea and abroad about a business model based on the technology he had long envisioned and proving his hypotheses. As he refined his ideas based on market feedback, the business naturally took shape. "Through the interview process, I continually tested whether this was something humanity needed, and if so, whether it could succeed as a business. I asked about purchase intent for our products and services, pivoted repeatedly based on the responses, and only jumped into the business once sufficient competitiveness had been proven." Transforming from researcher to entrepreneur and devoting much of his time to running the company brought practical challenges, such as less time with his family. Kim said his family is his greatest source of motivation, and that being a husband and father he can be proud of is his most important value, one that keeps him moving forward without rest, with no way back. Currently, reforestation projects are carried out mainly by provincial governments. Kim said he is pursuing national procurement, but the standard seedlings are currently limited to seed-grown seedlings ready for immediate planting, and he stressed the need for improvement. Because applying mass production technology to superior larch varieties is demanding, he explained, a new standard should allow seedlings to be supplied to the procurement market in the form of cultures. Kim emphasized that if a pipeline were established in which cultured seedlings supplied to national nurseries are acclimatized and grown in soil for one to two years before being planted in national forests, it would become the most distinctive and successful reforestation model in the world. He expects this to give Korea's reforestation model strong competitiveness for entering the global market. New Spring currently offers companies seeking carbon credits guidance on national forest reforestation projects, along with comprehensive consulting on the volume of credits they can secure each year. The Key to Recovery Found in Nature: A Sustainable Earth Built with Trees Climate change caused by rising CO2 emissions is no longer a problem of the distant future but an ongoing one that must be solved, and a very real challenge shared by the entire world. Countries are pursuing international cooperation centered on the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement. Kim expressed regret that policy has focused on sources of CO2 emissions. Reducing emissions is of course very important, but he believes sustainable growth can be achieved by focusing on absorbing and breaking down the carbon currently being emitted. "As AI spreads across industries, it will lead to an exponential increase in energy use, which in turn means higher carbon emissions. That is why the environmental vicious cycle is expected to worsen. We need methodologies focused on absorbing and breaking down the carbon being emitted now." Kim looks to nature, and to trees in particular, as the answer to climate change. The total CO2 a young seedling absorbs as it grows to maturity is more than 10 times the amount a fully grown tree absorbs over the same period. Kim asserted that species renewal and new reforestation are not optional but essential. They will not only be key to responding to climate change, he said, but will also enable Korea to leap from a timber importer to a leading exporter. Global interest in trees as carbon sinks is indeed high. Kim said that participating as a pre-founder in SLUSH, held in 2023 in Helsinki, Finland, a forestry powerhouse, confirmed the strong overseas interest in the business and solidified his decision to start the company. Taking on the challenge of reforestation innovation for a sustainable future, New Spring uses its proprietary plant stem cell culture technology to supply economically valuable species at scale, offering rapidly scalable solutions that are transforming global reforestation. As reforested trees grow, they absorb CO2 and convert it into biomass, creating an Earth with clean air. Going beyond supplying seedlings, New Spring is building a virtuous cycle that restores ecosystem balance, biodiversity, and food sovereignty, growing into an ever-flowing spring and a source of life. We applaud New Spring's journey.

Money Today · May 12, 2025

NewSpring (CEO Kim Taeyoon) announced on May 12 that it has been selected for the Gangwon Province regional track of the Startup-Centered University program run by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups. NewSpring is a lab-based startup spun out of Sogang University. CEO Kim Taeyoon also serves as a research professor at the university's Smart Production Research Institute, and Professor Lee Seung-yop of the Department of Mechanical Engineering is a co-founder of the company. With this selection, the company will receive up to KRW 200 million in support over 10 months. NewSpring aims to supply seedlings derived from plant stem cell lines, targeting Korea's national forest reforestation market. "This gives us a foothold to expand nationwide, starting with Gangwon Province, which has the largest reforestation area in the country," a company representative said.

Money Today · Apr 14, 2025

Kim Taeyoon, CEO of NewSpring (right), poses for a commemorative photo with Song Ki-yong, Executive Vice President of Money Today, after receiving the Excellent Startup Award in the "Mass Seedling Production and Supply Solution" category at the 11th Korea Excellent Company Awards 2025. The ceremony, hosted by Money Today, was held on the afternoon of April 14 at the Korea Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. NewSpring offers a rapid seedling production and mass supply solution to help address global climate change driven by CO2. Recognized for its proprietary plant stem cell culture technology, the company has secured investment from Yonsei University Technology Holdings and Mira Ventures. In October 2024, it was also selected for the TIPS program of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups. "Our first species is larch, and we are targeting Korea's national forest reforestation market," a company representative said. "Going forward, our goal is to export plant cultures of various tree species to North America, Europe, and Japan."