[SEOUL, REPUBLIC OF KOREA – November 14, 2023] The Brian Impact Foundation has forged an official alliance with Modulab’s “PaperShop”, extending its support to passionate researchers operating outside traditional institutions, such as graduate schools and research centers. With a vision to catalyze a positive societal impact, the foundation aims to empower individuals to actively engage in research and paper-writing activities through its 200 million won funding support. As part of its commitment to encourage scholarly contributions, the foundation pledges a 2 million won for each research paper accepted by leading journals or conferences, with a targeted plan to support over 100 papers.
On October 25, a signing ceremony between the Brian Impact Foundation and Modulabs formalized this partnership, solidifying a funding commitment of 200 million won. This financial support is specifically allocated for selected papers generated through Modulab’s PaperShop, facilitating the authors’ participation in international academic conferences for the next two years. Modulabs is an educational company that propagates the ‘Learning by Doing’ education philosophy-based AI/SW education and community research culture, differing from traditional injection-type boot camps.
The Brian Impact Foundation’s support for PaperShop is rooted in its vision to establish a platform where individuals passionated about research and writing can freely engage in these activities. For those not affiliated with graduate schools or research institutions, navigating the direction of their research, finding expert reviewers, and collaborating colleagues pose significant challenges. This is especially true for individuals who may have abandoned the pursuit of graduate studies or are currently enrolled but wish to explore different research interests.
Modulabs’ PaperShop addresses these challenges, offering a research support program for those interested in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and software (SW) technology-based research but facing constraints such as affiliation, cost, and infrastructure. The program connects individuals with similar research interests, regardless of their affiliation or background, forming a collaborative pool of experts as co-authors. It offers comprehensive support for research progress, including access to both online and offline spaces, GPU servers, operational staff, and promotional assistance. The ultimate goal is to facilitate the preparation of papers for esteemed international academic conferences.
The foundation has chosen to provide financial support for research papers published through Modulab’s PaperShop, aiming to foster a more inclusive research atmosphere for those passionate about AI and software-related studies. A grant of 2 million Korean won will be awarded for each paper accepted in prestigious international academic symposiums and journals. Additionally, graduates of Modulab’s AI talent development program, “AIFFEL,” who contribute papers to domestic academic conferences and journals, will receive a 500,000 Korean won grant.
Modulabs has achieved significant success, with two published papers in esteemed international journals, including “Scientific Reports,” an open-access journal affiliated with the prestigious “Nature,” and the international journal “Journal of Computational Design and Engineering (JCDE).” Additionally, the institute has submitted 12 papers to renowned international symposiums, such as Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR), a top tier symposium in the field of computer vision, and Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS), showcasing its prominence in the field of computer vision and AI. Through the support of the PaperShop program by Brian Impact Foundation, the goal is to present a total of 100 papers at major academic events and journals.
“Modulabs aims to connect technology experts aiming to create a better world through AI and software technology. We hope to facilitate autonomous research based on areas of interest, transcending the objectives of affiliated institutions,” stated Kim Seung-il, the CEO of Modulabs. “By bringing together experts from diverse backgrounds, we aim to maximize the synergistic effects of technology and continually support efforts to build a better world through collaboration,” he added. “Those outside the institutional framework often face barriers in terms of networks, funding, infrastructure, and more, hindering their research progress. As a result, AI-related papers are predominantly released by domestic IT conglomerates and universities,” expressed Kim Jung-ho, the Chairman of Brian Impact Foundation. He added, “Brian Impact aims to help researchers overcome these challenges through its support. Our vision envisions Modulab’s PaperShop achieving academic accomplishments surpassing those of domestic conglomerates, thereby creating a significant impact on society through technology.”
In its commitment to leveraging technology for positive global change, Brian Impact Foundation actively champions individuals preparing for the future across diverse fields. With a particular focus on using AI and technology to address societal issues, the organization supports initiatives in AI, technology, engineering talent development, and educational projects. Collaborations with institutions like the Institute for Industrial Systems Innovation at Seoul National University and the Human-Computer Interaction Laboratory at Seoul National University’s Computer Science Department underscore Brian Impact’s dedication to addressing societal problems through technology-based solutions. The foundation’s investments, including 3.2 billion Korean won in the AIR4* (AI Roadmap for All) project, reflect its commitment to fostering a community platform called “Side Impact,” and consistently supporting network activities in the realms of science, technology, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
