Didden Robotics hires former Hanwha Robotics CEO as CPO ahead of 2027 Spider output

Didden Robotics, a Korean startup that builds walking robots with magnetic feet for shipyards, has hired Jung Byung-chan, chief executive of Hanwha Robotics from July 2024, as chief product officer, StartupN reported on Oct 20 citing the company.

Jung, previously Hanwha Robotics' CTO, will lead productisation of the quadruped Didden Spider, the biped platform Didden Walker and a humanoid, including mass production, quality and customer support.

The company, founded in March 2024 by four researchers from KAIST's humanoid robot research centre, said Spider is in welding trials at Korea's three largest shipbuilders and has its first export contract with a European customer.

Didden plans to start Spider mass production in 2027, deploy about 250 units by 2028, begin humanoid production the same year and reach thousands of units in construction and ship operation by 2030, the report said.

MEKAWIRE context: the hire comes 31 months after founding, by MEKAWIRE's count.