[In-depth planning] In the non-face-to-face era accelerated by COVID-19, ‘IoT’ is the key

Ha Dae-soo, CEO of OneFirst Co., Ltd., “IoT, which was weak in user awareness, played an active role in the COVID-19 crisis”
In 2020, Corona 19 is pushing many people, including the self-employed, manufacturers, and service workers, to the edge of the cliff. News of economic downturns, unemployment and closures are becoming increasingly familiar.

On the one hand, Corona 19 also brought about a non-face-to-face, non-contact era faster than expected. Due to COVID-19, the use of 4th industrial revolution technologies such as IoT, big data, and AI is becoming more active. Dong-A Ilbo met Dae-Soo Ha, CEO of OneFirst Co., Ltd., a company specializing in IoT-based remote access control systems, and had a detailed discussion.

IoT-based access control system started 7 years ago... Shining through the COVID-19 + B2C transition

CEO Ha Dae-soo, who founded OneFirst in 2011 and became an entrepreneur, was a researcher and developer at the Naro Space Center. CEO Ha, who was accustomed to a stable work life, decided to walk the path of an entrepreneur he had dreamed of since childhood before it was too late rather than settling for the present.

Wanting to develop products that make everyday life more convenient, he started developing business items and working at the same time for six months, and then jumped into the business.

Based on the items he envisioned, CEO Ha realized the dream of an entrepreneur by developing and launching IoT-based non-contact access control system 'Pass One', remote control door lock 'Noki One', and smart time and attendance management system 'Time One'. went.

OneFirst's IoT-based access control system, which enables access to door locks or entrances with mobile phones without direct contact, supports unmanned rooms in lodging establishments, and is also recently meeting the demand for apartments caused by COVID-19.

CEO Ha, who is said to be extremely busy recently, had to endure difficult times in the early days of the business. We developed a remote access control product about 7 years ago, but there was not much demand because IoT was an unfamiliar concept to users at the time.

Nonetheless, while continuing the business by focusing on B2B marketing, about three years ago, I felt that customer needs changed every six months. I changed direction little by little with the thought that I should focus not only on B2B but also on B2C.

Then, as the COVID-19 crisis struck this year, the demand for access control from apartments, shopping malls, and companies increased rapidly. CEO Ha, who said sales doubled compared to last year, said, “When the difficult times came with the spread of Corona 19, the IoT-related solutions that had been developed were active. It seems to have been supported at the right time.”

Post-Corona, Unmanned System Activated

Corona 19 hastened the advent of unmanned. CEO Ha, who mentioned that investments in unmanned businesses such as restaurants, cafes, convenience stores, and hotels are currently growing, said, “OneFirst is also closely monitoring market changes and plans to further expand its business in areas where needs arise, such as unmanned operating systems.” did.

Currently, OneFirst plans to develop a smart access list using its own technology and use it in frequently accessed places such as hospitals, restaurants, and government offices. Representative Ha said, “Currently, access is checked with a QR code or handwritten list, but by installing a mobile phone application, the list is automatically recorded when entering and exiting a building, and we are developing a system that enables high fever detection.” I want to help spread the word,” he said.

In addition, under the goal of ‘becoming the first in one field’, we are working with large companies such as Hyundai Mobis and preparing to build IoT-based systems in various fields such as automobiles as well as access devices.

Representative Ha, who has constantly thought of and expanded ideas in one field, said that he hoped that the entire nation would become owners with their own items. He said, “I dream of a society where all office workers and citizens pay for their business registration certificates one by one, discover and upgrade ideas while working in tandem with their main jobs, and live with the mindset of being entrepreneurs.”

Next, CEO Ha said, “I hope everyone will endure this difficulty to the end.” It's a difficult time with Corona 19, but if you endure, hope will come. "However, even if Corona 19 ends, I don't think it will be 100% the same as before," he said. ”he said forcefully.

Reporter Dosuhwa 95dosuhwa@kidd.co.kr