Carbon Neutral Research Institute

The Carbon Neutral Research Institute, legally known as 탄소중립연구원, is a climate technology firm based in Seoul, South Korea, that provides advanced carbon accounting solutions. Established in May 2021 by researchers from Seoul National University, the company has positioned itself as a key player in the field of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) based carbon accounting in South Korea. The founding team includes CEO Lee Min, who studied mechanical engineering and physics at Seoul National University and gained research experience in ESG and LCA in Professor Song Han-ho's laboratory, and Co-founders Lee Jong-ho and Professor Song Han-ho. Their academic and research background in advanced energy systems directly informs the company's focus on developing practical business solutions for carbon data management.

The company's core offering is a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform named 'LynC', designed to help businesses calculate and manage their carbon footprint. This platform addresses the growing demand for accurate carbon data driven by international regulations like the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and pressure from global corporations for supply chain transparency. LynC simplifies the product carbon footprint calculation process, which traditionally required expensive and time-consuming consulting. It enables a company's own staff to manage data and automatically generate reports compliant with international standards such as ISO 14040, 14044, and 14067. This system serves a range of clients, from large corporations needing to respond to regulatory demands to small and medium-sized enterprises that lack the resources for traditional consulting. The business model is subscription-based, offering the LynC platform and a non-expert solution called 'Carbon Hub' to broaden its client base.

The LynC platform's main benefit is its efficiency, reducing the cost of LCA analysis significantly while providing reports within a short timeframe. It provides an all-in-one service that includes data diagnosis and system integration, and its cloud-based system has received third-party verification from DNV, a global certification body. The platform allows for integrated data management for LCA, simulations, and comparisons for data analysis. By assisting companies in internalizing their LCA processes, the Carbon Neutral Research Institute helps them meet customer requests, navigate export regulations, avoid greenwashing risks, and secure a competitive edge through environmental transparency. The company has received funding from investors including GS Ventures, MY Social Company, and Seoul National University Technology Holdings, and was selected for the 'TIPS' tech startup support program by the South Korean government.

Keywords: carbon accounting, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), SaaS platform, climate tech, carbon footprint calculation, ESG reporting, supply chain decarbonization, product carbon footprint (PCF), environmental compliance, CBAM, ISO 14040, carbon data management, corporate carbon accounting, Seoul, South Korea, Lee Min, Song Han-ho, LynC platform, DNV verification, carbon regulations