N°2 – A series of articles on medtech innovation between France and South Korea
This year marks the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Paris and Seoul (서울). This bond, established by the historic treaty of 1886, is no longer a mere formality but the foundation of a shared sovereignty shaped by the geopolitics of innovation. This dynamic is already evident in the development of AI-based medical diagnosis. It also foreshadows the emergence of a France-Korea femtech ecosystem structured on an international scale. It further announces the rise of French femtech within a bilateral ecosystem focused on women’s health.
The nomination of Jun Ji-hyun (전지현), an iconic actress, as honorary ambassador for this anniversary symbolizes the fusion of cultural influence and technological ambition that defines this celebration.
The inclusion of South Korea (대한민국) as an associated country in Pillar II of the Horizon Europe program transforms this relationship into a major operational lever. This status allows Korean entities to participate in European Union calls for proposals on an equal footing with member states, mobilizing €95.5 billion to build consortia capable of competing with North American ecosystems.
This alliance is built on a synergy of strengths: the industrial agility of the “pali-pali” (빨리빨리) approach—characterized by mass production and rapid time-to-market—meets France’s clinical rigor and academic heritage. More than just a commercial partnership, it is a fusion of expertise aimed at setting new standards in global healthcare through vertical integration, from the lab bench to the patient.
As an ambassador, Jun Ji-hyun embodies the cultural and strategic bond between France and Korea in a new era of innovation. © 주한 프랑스 대사관 France en Corée
Co-investment engineering: Synergy between R&D and financial leverage
The viability of this partnership depends on a bilateral financial infrastructure designed to support high returns and technological risk-taking. The France-Korea Eureka call for projects, organized by Bpifrance (France’s Public Investment Bank) and KIAT (Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology, 한국산업기술진흥원), targets exclusively high-risk deep tech breakthroughs. With R&D intensity exceeding 4.8% of its GDP, South Korea acts as an accelerator for French clinical protocols that often struggle to reach the industrialization stage.
The appeal of the Korean startup ecosystem will reach a new milestone in 2026. The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS 중소벤처기업부) confirms that founders’ choice of location is shifting dramatically toward Seoul. Starting March 18, applications will open for the 2026 Global Startup Commercialization Program, a support initiative for foreign entrepreneurs ready to scale their businesses.
This program, which had an acceptance rate of 13:1 last year, offers significant operational support:
- Funding of up to 80 million KRW, or approximately €46,571.
- Direct access to the Global Startup Center (GSC 글로벌스타트업센터) for office space and legal advice.
- Support regarding intellectual property and localization strategy.
The procedures are overseen by the FKCCI (French-Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry 한불상공회의소) in collaboration with the Ministry of SMEs and Startups of the Republic of Korea 대한민국 중소벤처기업, which acts as a coordinating body for the interoperability of business models. By adopting MedTech Europe standards, the two countries ensure that their medical devices can be directly exported to regulated global markets.
The French-Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry is pleased to gather members of its Luxury Committee for a dedicated session on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, at 4:30 PM. © FKCCI
The Femtech advantage: Innovation for women’s health on an industrial scale
Femtech is no longer viewed as a niche market, but rather as a strategic global market for women’s health, now valued at over 60 billion euros (source: FemTech Analytics 2025). The Femtech France association leverages the synergy between Korea’s expertise in AI, microelectronics, and big data, and France’s biological expertise (oncology, fertility, and endocrinology). This sector has become a public health imperative, supported by the Île-de-France Femtech Fund, which is mobilizing a budget of 100 million euros to transform discoveries into large-scale therapeutic solutions.
The Pasteur Institute Korea (한국파스퇴르연구소), located in the heart of Pangyo Techno Valley (판교테크노밸리)—an ecosystem generating annual revenue of over 80 billion euros, or approximately 13% of South Korea’s GDP—is a scientific hub and a center for technical validation. It provides scientific validation for Lattice Medical’s polymer materials for autologous breast reconstruction and Healshape’s 3D bioprostheses.
This industrial bridge is essential: it enables French innovations to be adapted to Asian production requirements (25% cost optimization, sensor miniaturization) right from the design phase. At the MedInTechs trade show, the Women’s Health Village demonstrated the implementation of the Innovative Health Initiative (IHI)—with a total budget of €2.4 billion for the 2021–2027 period—by applying early-diagnosis solutions to real clinical needs.
« The institute has been at the forefront of establishing and optimizing drug development platforms, solidifying its position as a premier hub for infectious disease R&D within the Asia-Pacific region.» Sung Key Jang CEO © Institut Pasteur Korea
Ecosystems in flux: The flow of talent, capital, and data
The integration of hubs between STATION F in Paris—the world’s largest startup campus—and the K-Startup Center 스타트업 센터 in Seoul is strengthening a strategic corridor dedicated to femtech innovation and women’s health. This flow is supported by a rapidly growing volume of cross-border investments, with more than €1.2 billion injected into bilateral deep-tech projects between 2024 and 2026.
- Korean inbound: industry leaders such as Celltrion 셀트리온, a leader in biosimilars with revenue of €1.7 billion, and Huons Co. 휴온스 are targeting France as a regulatory bridgehead to penetrate the European market.
In the cutting-edge cell therapy sector, MiraeCell Bio 미래셀바이오 is establishing itself at Genopole to take advantage of its 19 technology platforms, while Luna’s AI platform dedicated to endometriosis is leveraging the Femtech France network.
“Recognizing that gender-based personalization is a game-changer in terms of medications and care, and makes women’s health a field worth investing in with strong potential for a return on investment.”
Juliette MAURO – Co-founder of Femtech France
WaveCompany 웨이브컴퍼니, a pioneer in smart textiles, is adopting the standards of the Women’s Health (EU) portal for pan-European distribution.
- French outbound: French connected pelvic health solutions dominate the market in Seoul. Perifit (with over 250,000 users worldwide) and Fizimed’s Emy probe are capitalizing on massive Korean demand for at-home telemedicine solutions.
Companies such as Endodiag (early diagnosis of endometriosis), Elia Care, MamaLux, and Pelvinity Herapreg are exporting expertise that stands out for its clinical depth in the face of competition in the Asian market—a key challenge for femtech innovation.
The structural trajectory: a global shift in women’s health
By 2026, Femtech within the France-Korea partnership has established itself as a pillar of innovation in women’s health. South Korea’s inclusion in Horizon Europe puts an end to decades of systemic underinvestment in women’s health. Serious conditions, such as complex hormonal disorders and gynecological cancers, are now treated using deep tech and industrial precision.
This collaboration secures health sovereignty, reducing European and Korean dependence on imports from outside the region, while creating a multiethnic clinical data pool essential for the development of health AI applied to women’s health.
Every year, SantExpo brings together key players in women’s health (healthcare facilities, institutions, public policymakers, startups, and innovative companies). © Femtech France
Toward a co-constructed and culturally grounded health sovereignty
The fusion of Seoul’s industrial agility and Paris’s scientific depth does not merely produce medical devices; it goes beyond patents and cash flow to offer a new standard of technological civilization.
Sovereignty no longer lies in protectionist isolation, but in the ability to choose strategic allies capable of addressing global challenges, particularly in the strategic field of femtech and women’s health innovation. This France-Korea partnership paves the way for an alliance capable of setting the rules for technological progress in the 21st century and becoming one of the most influential hubs in the international femtech sector.
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