INTERVIEW: South Korean start-up bets on AI to transform learning

Long before the recent surge in artificial intelligence triggered by OpenAI in 2023, Ellis Group had been quietly embedding AI tools into education.

Founded a decade ago by a team of researchers from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, the company now counts more than 9,500 institutions and 2.75 million users on its AI education platform, EllisLXP.

The Seoul-based firm has become a leader in South Korea’s AI education sector, providing software for universities, corporations and government agencies.

Its cloud services, EllisCloud, are also used by more than 4,000 organizations for AI research. CEO Kim Jae-won says the company’s next chapter will focus on global expansion.

In an interview, Kim discussed Ellis Group’s origins, its ambitions and what sets it apart in the fast-growing market for AI-powered learning.

Q. How would you describe Ellis Group?
A. Ellis Group provides B2B software-as-a-service solutions, including EllisLXP for learning and EllisCloud for research and infrastructure. Founded in 2015, our platforms are widely used across South Korea by corporations, universities and public agencies. EllisLXP alone has more than 9,500 institutional partners and 2.75 million users. EllisCloud supports AI research at over 4,000 organizations. This year, we also introduced a broader infrastructure-as-a-service product, which includes modular data centers, servers and cloud platforms to help companies transition into AI.

Q. What are your flagship products?
A. EllisCloud is anchored by the Ellis AI PMDC, a modular data center designed for startups and research facilities. It delivers high-performance GPU and NPU resources and allows users to scale clusters securely. It also earned CSAP IaaS certification earlier this year. EllisLXP, our education platform, is an all-in-one solution with tools such as AI-generated quizzes, voice-recognition subtitles and a virtual tutor, “AIHelpy,” which adapts to learners’ age and cultural context.

Q. What led you to start the company?
A. While conducting research at KAIST, I saw how difficult it was to deliver large-scale computer education. My colleagues and I developed a prototype for AI-driven grading to address that challenge. In 2015, Kim Su-in, Park Jung-kook and I founded Ellis Group with the vision of using AI to improve education and nurture talent for South Korea’s AI future.

Q. What differentiates Ellis Group in the AI education space?
A. We focus on lifelong learning. Our solutions are used in schools, corporations and government agencies, offering project-based learning that ties directly to real-world challenges. Unlike many competitors, we combine infrastructure, AI models and educational content under one umbrella. With both SaaS and IaaS certified under CSAP, we are uniquely positioned to support large-scale public and private initiatives.

Q. How do you see the company’s growth trajectory?
A. We anticipate rapid growth in our cloud services, supported by expanding adoption of both EllisLXP and EllisCloud overseas.

Q. What do you look for in new employees?
A. We value people who are eager to grow and who care about diversity and social impact. Our mission requires solving complex, global problems with AI, and we want individuals ready to contribute to that effort.

Q. What is the roadmap for Ellis Group?
A. Education and infrastructure will remain at the center. We plan to extend AI education to more schools and companies while strengthening our cloud offerings. We are continuing development of Ellis AI PMDC and preparing for global expansion.

Q. Any further comment?
A. Ellis Group hopes to play a meaningful role in South Korea’s development in the AI era, through both education and infrastructure. We are grateful for the support we’ve received and excited for what comes next.

* This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP.

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