NON LABEL Magazine (2023.05.23), Editor: Kim Jooryeon
Article Title: “The Word ‘Eco-Friendly’ Will Soon Disappear: Lab M Zero
Lab M Zero is a startup that integrates materials, design, and the environment, driven by the belief that “eco-friendliness is no longer a differentiator but a basic expectation.”
Founded by CEO Taeho Shin—who majored in spatial design—and a chemistry expert he met during his studies in the UK, Lab M Zero has focused deeply on material research. The company adheres to a methodology called “material-centric design,” where development begins by identifying eco-friendly and recycled materials and factoring in environmental impact throughout the product’s life cycle. This philosophy is embodied in their lifestyle brand Unroll Surface, which produces tumblers and office supplies using advanced materials like graphene and bio-based plastics. It also extends into Matter Magazine, which explores a single material through the lens of past, present, and future. In manufacturing, the team had to implement entirely new processes, enduring more than eight months of trial and error. They built trust by personally seeking out partners who shared their goals. Their first product launched through the crowdfunding platform Wadiz, incorporating feedback from early adopters. They quickly addressed issues such as heat resistance and sealing, eventually stabilizing the product.
The Lab M Zero team shares a single slogan: “0% petroleum-based plastics,” and embraces the mindset that every member is part of the branding process, adapting flexibly to change. Matter Magazine, which provides in-depth content on materials, played a key role in getting the brand listed on Musinsa Earth and continues to enhance its brand value. Ultimately, Lab M Zero aims to mass-produce high-performance, low-carbon materials to replace conventional household goods—and to become a brand that helps consumers understand a product from beginning to end.
<Interview with Taeho Shin, CEO of Lab M.0ใ
Video Title: “The Word ‘Eco-Friendly’ Will Disappear One Day”
2023.12.14 | Paper Program
Taeho Shin, CEO of Lab M Zero, leads the company with a vision of a future where the term “eco-friendly” becomes unnecessary. He believes all companies should consider the environment a fundamental premise of business, and under this philosophy, Lab M Zero merges materials, design, and sustainability to create future-ready products.
Formerly a designer at a major corporation, Shin realized through his work that material research inevitably leads to environmental concerns. This realization led him to establish a company equipped with its own research lab and a full in-house development and design team. Lab M.0 develops high-performance materials such as high-purity oxidized graphene and bio-based/recycled plastics with antibacterial and antiviral properties. By adapting these materials to conventional manufacturing methods like injection molding, they rapidly turn them into everyday consumer products. To share the story of materials more widely, they publish a magazine called MATTER and host interactive exhibitions where people can physically touch and experience the materials.Their design philosophy centers on “material-centric design,” prioritizing the maximization of material properties over marketability or mass production efficiency. As such, the company ensures ample time for research and validation before going to market. Internally, Lab M Zero fosters a culture of innovation that encourages patents and in-house research, while continuously aligning the team through shared missions. Shin foresees carbon footprint reduction becoming a key metric for evaluating products.
His goal is to mass-produce advanced materials and replace everyday items—such as bathroom slippers, which often raise health and environmental concerns—with safer, eco-conscious alternatives. Ultimately, Lab M Zero aims to scale up its original materials and reshape daily life into a more sustainable form through a wide range of products and services.
๐ฌ [Watch the Interview Video]
Lab M Zero Selected for Final Round of TIPS Startup Commercialization Program
January 2, 2023 | VentureSquare – Reporter Kang Jinhee
Lab M Zero has been officially selected and signed an agreement for the “TIPS (Tech Incubator Program for Startup)” Startup Commercialization Program, overseen by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups.
This initiative provides additional funding to companies already participating in TIPS R&D projects. Through this program, Lab M Zero will receive up to an additional 100 million KRW (approximately $80,000),on top of the 500 million KRW previously secured. The company is currently developing antibacterial and antiviral specialty materials based on its proprietary technology for the mass production of high-purity, high-quality oxidized graphene. Lab M Zero plans to accelerate market expansion by forming partnerships with mid- to large-sized domestic corporations and tailoring its products to meet industry demands.
CEO Taeho Shin stated that this selection is an official recognition of Lab M Zero’s production technology and the commercialization potential of its graphene-based materials. Including the TIPS R&D project and the Co-Prosperity Innovation Program with mid-sized enterprises launched in 2022, the company has now secured a total of 1 billion KRW in R&D funding over the next two years. Shin added that Lab M Zero will accelerate its technology advancement and business expansion efforts in 2023.
Lab M Zero and Intops Selected for Final Round of the
‘Mid-Sized Enterprise Co-Prosperity Innovation Program’
June 13, 2022 | VentureSquare – Reporter Oh Hyojin
Material research company Lab M.0 and manufacturing-specialized mid-sized enterprise Intops have been jointly selected for the “Mid-Sized Enterprise Co-Prosperity Innovation Program” by the Korea Institute for the Advancement of Technology (KIAT).
This government-led R&D initiative supports technological collaboration between mid-sized and small businesses and encourages shared innovation outcomes. The two companies will receive 800 million KRW in government funding over the next two years. Together, they plan to develop an antimicrobial and antiviral composite injection material using high-quality graphene and establish a mass production process. Lab M Zero had already verified the antibacterial performance and VOC removal effect of its high-purity oxidized graphene production technology, which became the foundation of this joint project. Meanwhile, Intops aims to develop an eco-friendly injection molding process by integrating graphene with recycled plastics, seeking to ensure both functionality and sustainability. The new material, a result of this collaboration, is expected to quickly expand into various applications requiring antimicrobial performance, such as electronic device casings.
Taeho Shin, CEO of Lab M Zero, stated that this selection proves the unique value of the company’s graphene technology and expressed his commitment to leading the antimicrobial injection materials market alongside Intops. Intops also shared its ambition to leverage its global networks—including partnerships with Samsung Electronics and L'Oréal—to increase market share and expand its international supply chain.
Lab M Zero Selected for Final Round of the TIPS Program by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups
August 24, 2022 | VentureSquare – Reporter Oh Hyojin
Lab M Zero(CEO: Taeho Shin) has been officially selected for the “TIPS (Tech Incubator Program for Startup)” program, led by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, and has signed the corresponding agreement.
TIPS is regarded as a prestigious and reliable gateway that supports outstanding startups with R&D funding.With this selection,Lab M Zero will secure a total of 500 million KRW (approximately USD 375,000) over two years for research and technology development.The company plans to allocate this funding toward establishing a mass production system for high-purity oxidized graphene and researching its applications in antimicrobial and antiviral materials.Lab M Zero has long been recognized for its capability to produce high-quality oxidized graphene and its potential applicability across various industries.The company also received high marks for its potential to rapidly expand into the market through joint research and collaboration with mid-sized domestic companies.
CEO Taeho Shin emphasized that oxidized graphene is a key foundational material not only for semiconductors but also for advanced composite materials across many sectors.He expressed his ambition to use TIPS support as a springboard to supply high-quality oxidized graphene to global companies, aiming to lead the antimicrobial and antiviral material market with a strong focus on quality.
Transforming the Future with Eco-Friendly Materials and Design: Lab M Zero
July 4, 2022 | Monthly People – Reporter Moon Chaeyoung
Lab M Zero is an innovative company that combines material research with design to develop eco-friendly products, placing environmental impact at the forefront from the earliest stages of R&D. Founded by CEO Taeho Shin, a former designer at a major corporation, the company was born out of his belief that materials are key to shaping the future.His focus on material innovation began during his studies in the UK and ultimately led to the establishment of Lab M Zero in 2019, in partnership with Dr. Ki-Byung Hwang.
Lab M Zero’s core competitiveness lies in its proprietary technology for the mass production of graphene and its design capabilities to translate that material into products.Graphene is known as a “dream material” for its exceptional conductivity and strength, but it is notoriously difficult to produce at scale. Lab M Zero is preparing scalable production systems to overcome this barrier. Their graphene is being applied to antimicrobial composites, PLA-reinforced composites, and superhydrophobic surface materials enhancing the performance of conventional eco-friendly alternatives and expanding into various industries.
The company practices a philosophy of “material-centered design,” and through its eco-conscious lifestyle brand Unroll Surface, it offers products like paperweights, partitions, and graphene-infused planters. Lab M Zero also launched Matter Magazine, a publication that delivers in-depth insights into materials and spreads environmental awareness.
The company’s technological capabilities and market potential have been recognized through its selection for both the government’s TIPS program and the Mid-Sized Enterprise Co-Prosperity Innovation Project.In collaboration with mid-sized manufacturer Intops, Lab M Zero is currently developing graphene-recycled plastic composites and expanding its production capacity.This year, the company plans to broaden its product lineup through Wadiz crowdfunding and aims to break ground on its graphene production plant early next year, accelerating its scale-up strategy.
CEO Shin defines design not merely as shaping forms but as a process of problem-solving.He emphasizes the importance of sustainable material innovation and believes that eco-friendly materials will become a key standard for future consumer choices.Through high-performance, sustainable materials, he seeks to propose solutions where the environment and industry can coexist.With the philosophy that “material innovation drives future change,” Lab M Zero continues to promote eco-friendly lifestyles and design a sustainable future through research, product development, and content creation.
