In February 2020, Nota established a European subsidiary in Berlin, Germany. It was a significant step in the growth of the company. Nota was founded in 2015 in Daejeon, South Korea. The name Nota is derived from No-Ota, meaning a keyboard with no typos. After its launch, Nota swiftly expanded into Seoul in 2018, bringing with it a whole new range of business opportunities. In Seoul, Nota began focusing on AI optimization, going from strength to strength. This new focus took the company to the next level, and enabled the move to Berlin, where it now develops AI optimization technology that can challenge the very best in the world.
Origins – How Nota came to Berlin.
Myungsu Chae, Nota's CEO, always believed in the company's technology and its ability to succeed in the global market. This belief was confirmed after he participated in BMW's Open Innovation event in 2019. Nota received many positive appraisals from global companies, and the decision was made to take operations overseas. The European market has a high demand for privacy, and Nota's AI technologies provide the perfect solutions.
Making the move
Nota established its base of operations in Berlin with the participation of KIC Europe, a research and innovation center which aims to foster links between Korea and the EU, and local support programs.
Why Berlin?
Germany is the powerhouse of Europe, known for its economic power and innovation. The capital city, Berlin, has quickly emerged as a dynamic hub for new European startups. It seemed like the perfect fit. After the initial move to Berlin, Nota expanded operations into Deutsche Telekom's startup support space known as the Hubraum.
New challenges – Taking on the European Mobility Market, and moving into The Drivery (April 2022)
Change is afoot! One of Nota's main goals for 2022 was to create global sales opportunities for its Driver Monitoring System. Seri Ahn, who joined Nota's European subsidiary as the General Manager in November 2021, has a wealth of experience in the automotive industry. Having worked for Daimler, a leading automotive company, for many years, her knowledge of the mobility ecosystem is second to none.
As Nota expanded into new markets with new goals, the European team began to grow, and a new workspace was needed to meet these new demands. Thankfully, it is now possible to move operations into The Drivery in Berlin, the premier mobility startup hub of Europe.
The aptly named Drivery is a space for businesses working in the mobility field. It is located within Berlin's Ullsteinhaus, and was first opened in 2019. Ullsteinhaus is owned by Rocket Internet, which now owns one of the leading food delivery application companies in South Korea (배달의 민족 / Baedalui Minjok).
The interior space encompasses around 10,000 square meters and houses over 130 corporate members, from local startups to multinationals. In addition to startups, global leaders such as Honda, Continental and Hella all have active departments there. Hyundai Cradle, known for being a global leader in innovative automotive technologies also resides in The Drivery, building relationships and hosting various events.
In addition to its office space, The Drivery also has a large factory space, where you can build your own prototypes. From electric cars and bicycles, to electric scooters and charging stations. The future of mobility can be found at The Drivery.
As of April 2022, Nota is sitting comfortably within Berlin's leading mobility ecosystem. We hope that The Drivery will be a reliable base camp to advance our ambitious AI projects going forward. Thank you to the Hubraum for your initial support in our early days, and thank you to The Drivery for your warm welcome this year.