Social Economy Program Held the 5th 2023 Ewha Social Startup Academy Hackathon
- Date2023.12.14
- 3605
The hackathon was held by 2023 Ewha Social Startup Academy (Director: Professor Yikweon Jang/Graduate Program Chair: Professor MinJung Kim) on December 1st and 2nd (Fri-Sat). Ewha Social Startup Academy (the Academy), which marks its fifth semester this year, was founded to provide undergraduate and graduate students at Ewha Womans University with systematic and detailed coaching by experts and opportunities, a field trip to social economy organizations, and hackathon session to to comprehend a process of starting a business and enhance capacities needed for entrepreneurs. Hackathon, in particular, was provided as an opportunity to exchange feedback to develop the students’ business ideas and raise their viability in the market.
The event took place in Paju Book City Library Stay Jijihyang, an open space for books and cultural events connected to the Asia Publication Culture and Information Center, one of the best places for the students to share and develop their ideas. The Social Economy Program hosted a two-day-long hackathon, for the first time, intending to reflect on the social issues and look for solutions to make a more sustainable society in the future. Students found the event engaging and enjoyed a more energetic time with fellow participants.
The hackathon began with the opening speech (Professor MinJung Kim at the Social Economy Program), encouraging speech (Director Yikweon Jang at the Social Economy Program), and introduction of mentors. In the following poster presentation session, students presented the proposals they had developed for a semester and exchanged feedback with each other freely. The first day of the event finished with a special lecture on animal leadership by Professor Jang. On the second day, students could have time to talk with their mentor and teammates to fine-tune their business models with feedback from the day before the contest began in a mentoring session.
Ewha Social Startup Academy consists of eight sessions: three sessions for general education, three sessions for individual coaching for each team, a field trip to other startup-related programs (SK True Innovation, Shinhan Future's Lab), and a two-day long hackathon and contest. In the contest, seven teams receive prize certificates, prize money, and gifts (Ewha Presidential Prize, Ewha University-Industry Collaboration Foundation Prize, Korea Special Prize from Social Enterprise Promotion Agency, Special Prize from Merry Year Foundation, Special Prize from MetLife Korea Foundation, Special Prize from SparkLabs, and Special Prize from Sopoong Ventures). The winner of the Ewha Presidential Prize can apply for the HULT Prize, supported by the Ewha University-Industry Collaboration Foundation.