BIONEER CORPORATION

Bioneer's subsidiary AceBiome CEO Myung-Hee Kim Receives Presidential Commendation

Myung-Hee Kim, CEO of AceBiome, a health functional food company and subsidiary of Bioneer, has been awarded the Presidential Commendation in the Women Entrepreneurs category at the 2025 Venture Startup Promotion Merit Awards, organized by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups.

The award ceremony was held on November 6 at the Grand Ballroom of the Grand Hyatt Seoul in Yongsan, attended by around 500 guests, including government officials, representatives from related organizations, and women entrepreneurs from both domestic and international venture companies.

The Venture Startup Promotion Merit Awards is a prestigious national recognition program that honors individuals and organizations that have made substantial contributions to the growth and innovation of the venture industry. Recipients are selected through a rigorous review process involving document screening and performance evaluation.

AceBiome was recognized for its contribution to advancing the domestic probiotics industry and enhancing the competitiveness of the health functional food sector. The company’s signature probiotic strain, Lactobacillus gasseri BNR17, approved by the Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) for its fat-reducing functionality, serves as the core ingredient in the BNRThin product line, which targets both weight management and gut health.

AceBiome’s flagship probiotic brand, BNRThin, has achieved remarkable success with cumulative sales surpassing 20 million units and total revenue exceeding 1 trillion KRW, earning the trust of consumers in Korea and abroad. The company’s innovation and product excellence were internationally recognized when BNR17 won first place in the Weight Management Ingredient category at the 2018 NutraIngredients Awards, and BNRThin / BNRThin Pro received first place in the Probiotic Product category at the 2020 NutraIngredients Asia Awards.

Despite various challenges, AceBiome has successfully commercialized its research outcomes, contributing tangibly to human health and demonstrating the real-world value of scientific innovation. Additionally, the company’s joint and bone health supplement, AnaParactin, was awarded first place in the Sports Nutrition Product category at the NutraIngredients Asia Awards, further validating AceBiome’s innovation and business excellence as a leading Korean venture company.

In conjunction with receiving the Presidential Commendation, CEO Myung-Hee Kim also participated as a speaker at the Global Conference of the Women Venture Forum, where she delivered a presentation titled “Global Market Entry Strategy: From First Steps to Expansion.” Her talk outlined a phased approach to successful global market entry and emphasized how women-led ventures can achieve sustainable growth through systematic preparation, collaboration, and the strengths of soft power, innovation, diversity, and networking.

Expressing her gratitude, CEO Myung-Hee Kim stated,
“It is truly meaningful to be recognized by the nation for our science-based innovation and public value through this award. We will continue to dedicate ourselves to contributing to sustainable health management and improving the quality of life through research grounded in scientific evidence and rigorous quality control.”