o2h Kickstarter: Korea

A competitive award to turbocharge Korean biotech startups with a chemistry boost, in collaboration with CELLTRION

Key highlights

8+

Editions across the globe

40+

Awards provided so far

$7.2M+

Invested in resources

Overview

The o2h Kickstarter is a competitive program designed for early-stage, small molecule-focused biotechnology companies that have secured initial funding and are ready to push their chemistry to the next scientific milestone. Winners of this competition receive a dedicated team of expert chemists and end-to-end project management support, giving them the boost to generate meaningful chemical matter, hit critical scientific milestones, and reach their next funding goal faster than they could alone.

For the latest Korea Edition, we are pleased to collaborate with Celltrion, one of Korea’s leading biopharmaceutical companies, to bring the Kickstarter to its rapidly evolving life science ecosystem. This collaboration extends beyond chemistry execution. By combining o2h’s drug discovery expertise and global CRO capabilities with Celltrion’s open innovation initiatives, industry networks, and strong presence within Korea’s biotech investment landscape, the program is designed to support high-potential startups from early discovery through to strategic growth.

Apply now

Benefits

The winners of the o2h Kickstarter: Korea edition receive the full Kickstarter award, plus exclusive benefits through our Celltrion partnership.

team

Team

A dedicated team of six FTE synthetic chemists of which two are senior and four are junior chemists

cost

Cost & Duration

Six synthetic chemists at a fraction of the usual price for up to six months

microscope

Additional Support

Receive 100 complimentary ADME points and save 20% on Biology FTE

inventory

Inventory

Access to a large inventory of chemicals and reagents for synthesis

Additional benefits by

Structured Diagnostics
& Mentoring

Tailored company diagnostics and expert mentoring to support technology advancement, including research validation and access to specialist networks across Korea's life science sector

Korean Investor
& VC Network

Structured networking with leading Korean investors and VC firms to connect you with the right capital at the right stage

Open Innovation
Program Access

Potential access to lab and office space through our open innovation programs, plus proof of concept support to accelerate your path to the clinic

Eligibility

The competition is for seed and/or pre-seed stage small molecule-focused biotech companies based in Korea that have secured initial funding from recognized grant bodies or venture/angel investors, have exciting drug targets, and the ability to scale.

Register your interest

Kickstarter winner’s wall

About o2h Discovery

o2h Discovery has an insight driven, co-discovery model for fast tracking new ideas to a development candidate, embedded on an AI enabled backbone. We have a multi-modality integrated drug discovery platform that combines novel in-house capabilities with leading strategic partnerships to create a unique workflow. It has over two decades experience in supporting pre clinical biotech and pharma companies across the US, Europe and Asia with ADME, medicinal chemistry, and integrated drug discovery programs.

Know more

About Celltrion

Celltrion is a fully integrated biopharmaceutical company dedicated to delivering innovative and affordable medications to improve patients’ access to advanced therapies. Pioneering monoclonal antibody (mAb) biosimilars, built on a legacy of trust, they are advancing antibody-based biologics to address unmet medical needs. Their end-to-end capabilities - from R&D to distribution - ensure efficiency, quality, and innovation at every stage, bringing life-changing therapies to patients worldwide.

Know more

Empowering early-stage biotech

We launched our first “o2h Kickstarter competition” back in August 2022 exclusively for early-stage biotech to support them boost their drug discovery research. Listen to this exclusive o2h ChaiTime episode where we discuss with some of the previous winners to understand how this competition supported their research and development efforts.

Watch the video

Evaluation committee

Sunil Shah

Sunil Shah

Business Analysis

CEO, o2h Ventures and Co-founder, o2h Group
LinkedIn
Gayathri Sadasivam

Gayathri Sadasivam

Scientific Analysis, Biology

VP, Head of Biology, o2h Discovery
LinkedIn
Andy Morley

Andy Morley

Scientific Analysis, Drug Discovery

Chief Science Officer, o2h Group
LinkedIn
Hemal Soni

Hemal Soni

Head of Chemistry

Head of Chemistry, o2h Discovery
LinkedIn
Speak to member of our team