South Korea-based Samsung announced it will support seven start-ups created by employees, which will be spun off from the company’s C-Lab (Creative Lab) programme at the end of the month.

Samsung said the startups were selected for investment based on their business potential and contribution to innovation. Including the latest group, the smartphone giant will have spun off 32 employee-led start-ups since its policy was introduced in 2015.

The seven companies have developed: Hyperity (pictured), a VR/augmented reality tool to remotely control smartphones and desktops through virtual screens; Linkface, which detects eye and facial muscle movement to enable users to directly control VR content; Pixelro, a smartphone-based vision correction system; BlueFeel, a personal portable air purifier; Defind, a smart shoe matching service which makes 3D scans of people’s feet; Soft Launch, a social media-based recommendation service for restaurants and stores; and 1Drop, a low-cost blood glucose measurement device.

Samsung’s in-house startup incubation programme was established in 2012 and provides prospective entrepreneurs with training and preparation on key aspects of running a business.

Lee Jai-il, VP and head of Samsung’s Creativity & Innovation Centre, said: “Based on our past experience, we are planning to build up a more profound and actionable programme to nurture employees’ ideas and launch new start-ups.”

The company said C-Lab alumni start-ups have performed well in the past, securing additional global funding and increasing company valuation. For example, 360-degree camera manufacturer Link Flow developed a product for travellers, but after being spotted by the security maintenance industry, it underwent further iterations and will be unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show next year.