POWERCOOL HANDY 2026 - 하이브리드 휴대용 에어컨

Workers are exposed to severe heat or cold inside construction sites, ship compartments, underground tunnels, and field camps, but it is not practical to install conventional air conditioners.

Traditional air conditioners must be installed separately with indoor and outdoor units and require a large space, but these enclosed sites or temporary tents lack both space and power.

Instead, portable air conditioners (all-in-one portable ACs) have emerged, but they have limitations as they recirculate hot air in one space, which rather increases the indoor temperature and has minimal effect. In addition, general portable ACs are noisy and only provide cooling, so they cannot cope with cold sites.

Ultimately, the absence of a "powerful cooling and heating device for immediate use on-site" leads to a deterioration of the working environment and persistent safety issues.

The POWERCOOL HANDY 2026 features a patented hybrid structure and operates in two modes: all-in-one mode and split mode.

In all-in-one mode, the device can be placed in one location and connected to a power source to immediately start cooling/heating, enabling a rapid response.

In split mode, the main unit is placed indoors, and the heat exchanger (condenser) is connected to the outside with a hose, effectively exhausting hot air and lowering the indoor temperature.

In actual tests in enclosed spaces, general all-in-one portable ACs rather increased the indoor temperature, whereas using the HANDY in split mode lowered the temperature to a safe level and reduced noise within 1 hour.

It is also highly mobile, with a handle for carrying alone and can be transported in a dedicated carrier (wheeled case) if needed. In addition, an optional battery pack can be installed for complete independent power operation without a generator, making it usable in areas with low power accessibility.

It can be used all year round, as it has both cooling and heating functions.

In summary, with the differentiation of a separable design, portability, and bidirectional temperature response,"the world's first truly portable air conditioner"has been realized.

Construction and industrial site operating companies (B2B)are the primary customers.

For example, construction companies, shipyards, and mining companies can deploy it on-site for worker safety during hot weather.

Also,Military units and fire/disaster response agencies (B2G)can consider adopting it as portable cooling and heating equipment for field camps or shelters.

In addition, event management companies can install it at outdoor event venues, and it can be used in logistics warehouses/factories where partial cooling is needed, as well as in professional camping and otherhigh-end outdoor consumers (B2C)are also potential customers.

However, given the price range and performance, it is expected to be sold mainly for special environments rather than general households, so B2B and public demand are expected to lead the market.

The product can be applied to any hot working environment worldwide, so the market potential is global.

As it has already been developed with the support of Busan City, there are export opportunities to high-temperature industrial areas such as the Middle East and Southeast Asia, starting with domestic and overseas construction sites.

In terms of regulations, only general household appliance-level certification regarding refrigerant handling is required, and there are no major barriers.

In the future, applications in other fields such as cold storage worker rest areas, agriculture and livestock (preparing for livestock heat waves), and military tents are also scalable.

However, it is somewhat large and excessive for consumer households, so the general public will not be a mass purchasing group.

Specific niche market (industrial/disaster)Although it will be concentrated in, it is expected to establish itself as an innovative solution in that field and create steady demand.

Winning the CES 2026 Innovation Award (Industrial Technology category) on the international stage"Practical On-Site Innovation"has been recognized.

On LinkedIn, on-site designers such as Michael DiTullo praised the design and functionality, saying, *"Collaborating with Korean brand Powercool resulted in a CES Innovation Award."*

In particular, the fact that it is a *"truly portable air conditioning unit"* is highly appreciated, and it is praised for clearly solving the limitations of existing portable ACs.

The level of technical completeness also appears to be at the prototype stage ready for mass production, and it has attracted the attention of domestic and foreign investors as one of the most innovative domestic startups.

The market is paying attention to this product as a solution for industrial safety during hot weather, and it is said to be a suitable innovation that fits perfectly into the necessary areas without exaggeration.

However, it is recognized that it may be unfamiliar and expensive for general consumers, so there are no excessive public expectations, but practical evaluations are being made that it is highly effective if supplied to exactly where it is needed.