KOWEL

What KOWEL does

KOWEL (doing business as Smart App / 스마트어플) is a Busan, South Korea-based mobile application development firm operating under the legal entity Busan Internet Broadcasting (부산인터넷방송국, business registration 605-12-95095). The company designs and builds hybrid and native mobile applications for Android and iOS, with its core technical proposition being cross-platform hybrid development that delivers both platform versions from a single codebase, alongside specialized AR, VR/metaverse, and AI/deep learning computer-vision modules. Representative is Kim Dae-jung (김대정); the firm is privately held and founder-owned with no disclosed institutional investors or venture capital backing, and it operates as a single legal entity from its Busan headquarters adjacent to Busan City Hall.

The company serves a diverse mix of Korean public institutions and small-to-medium businesses. Named clients span government and public-sector organizations (National Busan Science Museum, Busan Urban Corporation, Yangsan City Child Meal Management Support Center, Senior Employment Support Center, Busan Youth Play Culture e-Rak), educational publishers (iMomBC), e-commerce and retail platforms (Shoecustom, Zcoil), marine/industrial firms (Daeha Engineering), telecom associations (Mobile Telecommunications Dealers Association), healthcare/wellness (Deep Dive Uni), and nonprofit animal welfare (Nanum). Revenue is generated through project-based custom app development contracts and ongoing maintenance and upgrade services; pricing is determined on a per-project quotation basis following direct client consultation via phone (051-316-2763), email ([email protected]), or website inquiry form at smart-apps.kr, with no publicly listed price tiers.

The firm operates with 16 employees and has no disclosed subsidiaries, acquisitions, or external funding. Marketing is portfolio-driven — the website organizes case studies by industry and technology (AR, VR, AI, native, hybrid) as the primary demand-generation mechanism — supported by direct sales outreach. Geographic footprint is domestic, focused on the Busan and Gyeongsangnam-do region, with no global footprint claimed. The firm received the Busan Metropolitan City Mayor's Commendation in 2025, conducted internal ChatGPT/AI business automation training in April 2025, launched the Busan Marine Ecosystem AR app in April 2025, and held its second seminar for the Manufacturing Drawing Identification AI Solution in June 2026, indicating active but contained R&D and product delivery momentum.

Name

KOWEL

Legal name

부산인터넷방송국

Website

https://kowel.co.kr

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

KOWEL (Smart App) is a Busan-based mobile app development firm building hybrid and native Android/iOS applications, AR/VR experiences, and AI vision-recognition solutions for Korean government agencies, SMBs, and educational publishers on a project-quotation basis.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Mobile Application Development Services

NAICS

Custom Computer Programming Services (541511)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)

akta.pro primary industry

Custom Application Development (Web/Mobile/Desktop) (BPAEAFAA)

Keywords

• Mobile app development
• Hybrid app development
• Augmented reality solutions
• AI vision recognition
• Custom software development

Headquarters

HQ city

Busan

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Custom App Development Projects: Project-based custom app development services for businesses and organizations. Customers submit inquiry/quote requests via the website or phone, and receive tailored proposals. Services span UI/UX design, hybrid and native app development, AR/VR, and AI integration.
2. Maintenance and Upgrade Services: Ongoing app maintenance, support, and upgrade services for previously developed applications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

KOWEL (operating as Smart App / 스마트어플) is a Busan-based custom mobile application development services company. It designs and builds hybrid and native Android and iOS applications for Korean businesses, public institutions, and organizations, and offers specialized development in augmented reality (AR), VR/metaverse, and AI deep-learning computer vision (including manufacturing drawing identification and sameness verification). The firm also provides website-to-app integration, UI/UX story design, and ongoing app maintenance and upgrade services on a custom-quote, project-based basis.

Product overview

KOWEL (스마트어플) operates as a mobile app development company offering a comprehensive suite of development services. The core offering consists of hybrid and native app development for Android and iOS platforms, enabling single-development multi-platform deployment. The service portfolio includes AR (augmented reality), VR/metaverse, and AI deep learning vision recognition as specialized add-on modules. Additional services include website-app integration, UI/UX design (story design), and ongoing maintenance and upgrade support. The company serves diverse sectors including education, public institutions, healthcare, e-commerce, and entertainment, with portfolio examples spanning AR museum exhibits, educational apps, shopping platforms, and AI-powered manufacturing solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Custom Mobile App Development Service (Hybrid and Native) End-to-end custom mobile app development for Android and iOS, combining hybrid (single-codebase) and platform-specific native approaches, including UI/UX story design, for Korean businesses, public institutions, and other organizations.
• Augmented Reality (AR) Solution Development Custom AR application development for mobile including museum ship exhibit AR, marine ecosystem AR experiences, and shoe-size recommendation AR solutions.
• VR / Metaverse Experience Development Virtual reality and metaverse application development for immersive digital environments and virtual worlds.
• AI Deep Learning / Computer Vision Solution Development Custom AI deep learning solutions for computer vision applications including manufacturing drawing identification, pattern matching, and visual recognition systems.
• Website-to-Mobile App Integration Service connecting existing websites with mobile applications for seamless data synchronization and integrated user experiences.
• App Maintenance and Upgrade Service Ongoing maintenance, support, and upgrade services for previously developed mobile applications to ensure continued functionality and compatibility.

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Hancom: Korean software vendor with office productivity, document, and mobile application offerings. Comparable as a broader Korean software firm whose mobile product lines compete for similar enterprise and public-sector budgets.
• Hyundai Autoever: Korean IT services subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Group offering custom software, mobile, and platform solutions. Comparable as a large Korean IT services firm active in custom mobile and enterprise application development.
• Kakao Enterprise: Korean enterprise arm of Kakao providing mobile platform, AI, and cloud services. Comparable as a Korean incumbent providing overlapping mobile and AI capabilities for enterprise clients.
• SK C&C: Korean IT services firm (formerly SK C&C, now under SK Inc.) offering system integration, cloud, and application services. Comparable as a scaled Korean enterprise IT vendor competing for custom application mandates.
• LG CNS: Korean IT services subsidiary of LG Group providing system integration, mobile, and digital solutions. Comparable as a broad Korean IT services competitor targeting similar enterprise and public-sector engagements.
• NHN: Korean mobile, cloud, and platform services company. Comparable as a much larger Korean incumbent offering overlapping mobile and digital services to enterprise and government clients, but as part of a broader portfolio rather than custom app specialization.
• Douzone: Korean IT services firm providing ERP, cloud, and mobile application development. Comparable as a Korean enterprise-facing software vendor with overlapping custom mobile app development capabilities.
• Samsung SDS: Large Korean IT services arm of Samsung Group offering cloud, mobile, and digital transformation services. Comparable as a scaled Korean IT services incumbent competing for government and enterprise app development work.

Direct peers

• Hyperlink Infosystem: Global custom mobile app development firm offering native, hybrid, AR/VR, and AI-integrated app services. Comparable as a similarly positioned custom mobile app dev shop serving SMB and enterprise clients across multiple verticals.
• WillowTree Apps: US-based custom mobile app and digital product development firm serving enterprise clients. Comparable as a similarly structured custom mobile and emerging-tech app development partner for enterprise and consumer brands.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kowel

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about KOWEL