How RealDesignTech's Ultiracer Won One of Korea's Toughest Startup Demo Days
By Shaun Cheon
RealDesignTech has taken first place at D.DAY, one of South Korea's most competitive startup demo days, co-hosted in early 2021 by the startup foundation d·camp and its FRONT1 center together with Lotte Group (Platum).
The field was unusually deep. A total of 599 companies applied for this round, and only five reached the final pitch stage - a competition ratio of roughly 119 to 1. Standing at the top of that field is a milestone we're proud of.
What D.DAY and d·camp represent
For readers outside Korea's startup scene, a little context helps. d·camp is the country's first integrated startup-ecosystem hub, launched in 2013 and operated by the Banks Foundation for Young Entrepreneurs (은행권청년창업재단) - a nonprofit established in 2012 by 19 of Korea's financial institutions with combined funding of 845 billion won (d·camp). Its monthly D.DAY is among the longest-running demo days in the country, and past participants include now-household names such as Toss and Banksalad. Winning here is widely read as a signal of strong potential.
Ultiracer: real cycling, brought indoors
RealDesignTech develops and sells Ultiracer, a home-training platform that lets riders mount an actual bicycle and cycle indoors. Unlike conventional flat rollers or treadmill-style setups, Ultiracer's bike-mounting frame lowers the risk of tipping while still allowing left-and-right steering - so the ride feels closer to the open road. The product is the result of an iterative process: more than 20 prototypes built and tested since founding, refined into three launched products.
Beyond the hardware, the company has built a kart-racing-style mobile cycling game, stepping into the content market and broadening how people can experience Ultiracer.
An optimistic road ahead
Alongside domestic sales, RealDesignTech is preparing to enter global markets including the United States, Dubai, Europe, and Singapore. Recognition at a D.DAY of this caliber - judged by senior venture and corporate investors, and backed by a partner like Lotte Group - is the kind of validation that gives a young company the confidence to move faster. We see this win not as a finish line but as a starting point, and we're grateful to d·camp, FRONT1, and Lotte Group for the platform.
Led by CEO Joongsik Lee, RealDesignTech will keep building toward a future where realistic, engaging indoor cycling is within reach for riders everywhere.