Magnect › Our story

Our story

Why we started

It started with one ceiling light at my parents’ place.

When a light died, my parents called me; I came at the weekend, got the ladder out and connected wires in mid-air. Or they paid someone ₩70,000–100,000 to come. A bulb just screws in. Why does a whole fixture have to be an electrical job every time? Magnect began with that question.

The answer is the same as the bulb socket. Put a standard mount in the ceiling once; hold a light up to it and the magnets attach it and the power connects. Someone living alone, an older parent, a manager with dozens of rooms, all the same motion. And because it hangs over your head, "it must not fall" was the first thing we designed.

The founder, Sungwoo Park, is a patent attorney, so the patents came before the product (two Korean applications and a PCT filing). The first prototype is being built at Kookmin University’s makerspace in November 2026; launch follows KC safety certification in 2027, starting with the M1 panel.

So far: 3 patent filings (2 Korean, 1 PCT) · expedited examination requested
Programs: Kookmin University makerspace prototype grant · Startup for All, round 2
Now: First prototype (Nov. 2026) · recruiting pilot sites
Next: KC certification 2027 · M1 launch · public-procurement listing

A few seconds on the ladder, not minutes.

You still need a ladder. But you’re not holding a fixture over your head while you screw things in and connect wires. Hold the light up and it clicks on; give it a turn and it comes off. Pretty much anyone can do it.

Older people · people living aloneAlone, in seconds

When a light dies, just hold up a new one. No tools or wires on the ladder, no electrician, no stranger in your home.

Hotels · rentals · property managersSaves time in every room

With the mounts in, any staff member swaps a light in seconds, right there. You only pay for the light, and we take the old ones back for recycling.

Builders · interior contractorsInstall once, choose later

Put the mounts in during construction or remodeling, and residents pick their own lights or fans later. Fewer callbacks for lighting.

First reactions

What people said when they saw it

I showed people the product brief and a demo video here in Korea and wrote down what they said, word for word. Once the prototype is ready, I’ll add hands-on reviews.

HOTEL · CHEONAN, KOREA

We change them ourselves now, and honestly it’s way too much work for what it is. It’s not like we have one or two rooms. If this came out, I’d switch right away.

Worked out (example)

20 rooms2 days of an electrician, ₩300,000 → ₩0

Time2 days → half a morning, in-house

Scheduling visitsnone

Hotel owner, Cheonan · pre-launch interview, 2026

FAMILY OF FOUR · SEONGNAM

When a light goes out, you have to call someone and then stay home the day they come. That was the most annoying part. With this you just hold it up, so I’d do it myself instead of waiting for my husband.

Worked out (example)

5 lights · 10 years₩70,000 × 5 visits = ₩350,000 → ₩0

Days waiting at home5 → 0

Time to change alone10 s

Ms. Kim, Seongnam · pre-launch interview, 2026

LIVING ALONE · SEOUL

I live alone, so there’s no way I’m climbing a ladder, holding up a fixture and connecting wires. And I don’t like letting strangers into my place. What I liked most is that you just hold it up and it sticks.

Worked out (example)

One change₩70,000–100,000 call-out → ₩0

Strangers in the home0

On the ladder10 s · 0 tools

Ms. Park, Seoul · pre-launch interview, 2026

IN HIS 70s · SEONGNAM

I always felt bad asking my son to come over every time a light went out. If this doesn’t need tools, I can do it myself. What scares you is it falling, so I like that the ring catches it.

Worked out (example)

Calls to my son1–2 a year → 0

Tools needed0

Fall protectionmagnets 7× + ring tested at 4× for 1 h

Mr. Jeong, Seongnam · pre-launch interview, 2026

INTERIOR CONTRACTOR · YONGIN

What really costs us is getting called back after a job because of the lights. If we put in the mounts and the client picks the lights later, that’s easier for us and better for them.

Worked out (example)

Return visits for lights1 per site (half a day) → 0

When the light is chosenduring the job → after move-in, by the client

Fitting the mount+10 min per unit

Mr. Lee, interior contractor, Yongin · pre-launch interview, 2026

BUILDERS · CONTRACTORS · PROPERTY MANAGERS

Let’s talk about a whole building, or a pilot.

Put the mounts in during construction or a remodel, and after move-in the residents change lights themselves. Fewer callbacks, and much easier upkeep across units and rooms.

Get in touch →

In numbers

When the call-out fee is zero, this is what you keep.

Worked examples at ₩70,000–100,000 per electrician visit (Seoul-area average) and ₩30,000 per light. Your numbers will vary.

Hotel · 10 roomsTwo days of an electrician, ₩300,000 → ₩0

Changing ten room lights takes an electrician two days at ₩150,000 a day. With Magnect, staff finish in a morning and you pay ₩300,000 for the lights only.

Apartment · 5 lights · 10 years₩350,000 in call-outs → ₩0

A panel gets replaced every 5–7 years. Over ten years that is five visits for the whole home, ₩350,000 in call-outs alone. With mounts in, you only ever buy the light.

Rentals · 20 units20 tenant calls → 0

Every "the light's out" call means booking an electrician and a date. With a mount in each unit, the tenant holds up the light that arrived by parcel. Nobody goes out.

Run your own numbers ›

Who we are talking to

Proposed to lighting makers and institutions at home and abroad.

Where we sent licensing and co-development proposals in September and October 2026. Signed deals will show as MOU or pilot.

Institutions · programs

국민대학교 제조전문형 메이커스페이스Agreement · prototype in build
Ajou University · Startup for AllRound 2 in progress
Sopoong VenturesLead mentoring

Lighting makers · licensing proposals (US)Licensing proposal sent · 15 companies

American Lighting

Korean lighting makers

Co-development proposalProposing

Signed partnerships will be shown here.

Partners

You don’t have to change your production line.

Keep making the LED modules and diffusers you make today, and just add the Magnect coupler module. Pass the tests, put the mark on, sell. We look after the ceiling standard; you bring the variety.

What you getCoupler module + drawings

The coupling module with the magnets, contacts and retaining ring (Ø124 mm disc, Ø84 mm cap), plus the assembly spec. It goes where the base plate of your current fixture goes, so tooling and line changes are minimal.

What you passThree certification tests

Coupler dimensions, lip load (4× module weight for 1 hour) and contact heating (≤ 45 K at rated current). We give you the procedure and review the results with you. All the tests ›

What you get out of itA license for the certified mark

Models that pass are licensed to carry the mark, including the engraved cap and the light-up sequence. Royalties are per module, and every mount out there creates replacement demand.

Inquiry→NDA · spec→Sample module→Test · certify→Mark license→Supply

Sample kits are planned for the first half of 2027. Certification and license terms get finalized for launch; right now we’re at the pre-agreement stage.

Who I’m looking for

Lighting makersCeiling, living room and linear lights

Fit the coupler module to your existing range and supply lights with the mark. OEM and ODM both welcome. And if you can build a 120 V, UL-listed version for North America, I especially want to talk to you.

Design studios · schoolsCo-design signature lines

Design the lights that sit on the same mount, and share in the design royalties.

Electrical · general contractorsMount installation partners

Install mounts on new builds, redevelopments and public projects. We provide installation specs and training.

Partner inquiry Technical file (password)

Business Model

We set the standard for the ceiling.
The lights, we make with partners.

Magnect sets the ceiling power standard and the certified mark. The lights that click onto it come from us and from partner lighting makers. If a light has the mark, it has passed the safety tests.

1StandardA mount you put in once and keep

We’ve filed patents on the mount and the coupler (two in Korea, one PCT). The ceiling wiring gets connected once. After that, you only push the light module into place.

2Certified markYou can see it when it’s off, and the moment it turns on

When it’s off, the mark is engraved in the center cap. When you switch it on, the mark lights first and the rest of the light follows 0.25 s later. Every time you turn it on, you know it’s a certified light and it’s seated properly.

3Partner certificationOnly lights that pass get the mark

Partner lights that meet the coupler spec, the retaining-lip load test and the contact heating limit get licensed to carry the Magnect mark. (Certification program, planned.)

1 · EntryMounts go inStarter set $35

2 · RecurringReplacement lights$21 each

3 · ScalePartner lighting makersParts supply and royalties

Prices are our launch targets and may change.

Partner program Talk to us about partnering

Company

Turning the ceiling into a platform

Magnect makes a ceiling mount you install once, plus the lights and fans that swap onto it. I want to get rid of the electrician visits, the wiring on ladders, and the perfectly good parts that get thrown out just to change one ceiling light.

I’m Sungwoo Park, the founder. I’m a Korean patent attorney. I studied chemical and biological engineering at Korea University in Seoul, and I’ve spent my career turning electrical, mechanical and materials inventions into patents. At Magnect I design the product and the patent claims side by side, so when the product changes, the protection follows. We’re building the prototype at Kookmin University’s makerspace, with mentoring from Ajou University’s startup center and Sopoong Ventures.

About: Magnect
Founder: Sungwoo Park, patent attorney · Korea University (Seoul), Chemical & Biological Engineering
Business: Swappable ceiling lights and fans; patent licensing
IP: 2 Korean applications · PCT (Sept. 2026)
Partners: Kookmin University makerspace · Ajou University startup center · Sopoong Ventures
Contact: 050-6650-2359 (+82 50 6650 2359) · pswpatent@gmail.com

Roadmap

Patents, prototype, certification, sales. In that order.

2025Two Korean patent applicationsMount and coupler design. Fast-track examination requested.
2026. 9PCT applicationInternational protection, based on the Korean filings.
2026. 11First prototypeAt Kookmin University’s makerspace: 220 V power-on, on/off cycling and lip-load tests.
2027 H1Patent decision · KC certificationWe expect the fast-track examination result. Certification tests use the prototype’s measured values.
2027Launch in Korea · public procurement listingPilots in public and rental housing, then Korea’s innovative-product procurement program and its government marketplace (KONEPS).
2028~Licensing abroadLicense the coupler standard and the patents in markets that want detachable lighting. North America is high on my list.

These dates are plans and may shift with patent examination and certification.

News

2026.11
First prototype build startsAt Kookmin University’s makerspace we’re building the mount and the lamp hub, then testing 220 V power-on and repeated on/off cycles.
2026.10
Fourth design locked inThe design that’s ready for KC certification: bigger magnets, a ground path and refined safety lips.
2026.09
PCT application filedFiled based on our two Korean applications.
2026
Selected by Kookmin University’s makerspace and the Startup for All programPrototype support and business mentoring.

Technical file

For mentors, reviewers and partners

3D model you can explode, section and light, part by part
Animated fit and release sequence
Detailed specs, lip dimensions and the prototype test plan
CAD downloads (STEP, GLB)

No password? Email me at pswpatent@gmail.com and tell me who you are.