Kakao Impact Completes Project Course with KAIST Student Participation

'Tech for Impact Campus' Ends

Kakao's corporate foundation, Kakao Impact, announced on the 4th that it has concluded the project course it operated for one semester at the Department of Computer Science at KAIST.

Kakao Impact declared a new initiative this year called ‘Tech for Impact.’ Tech for Impact is based on the premise that digital technology and social impact can come together to create greater change and influence in solving social problems. It aims to connect social impact organizations such as non-profits and social ventures with technical talent.

As part of this, Kakao Impact signed a business agreement with KAIST in February and launched a project course called ‘Tech for Impact Computer Science Special Lecture’ for KAIST computer science students on September 1. This educational program connects students with non-profit organizations to propose technological solutions to social issues.

A total of 54 students participated in the course, divided into teams of six, each working on one of nine impact projects. Five Brian Fellows (formerly Kakao Impact Fellows) participated in proposing the projects, which included topics such as ▲Real-time blood sugar dual viewer ▲Blood sugar viewer for drivers ▲Standardization of food nutrition components ▲Interactive AI service for election law for candidates ▲Diversity evaluation report service through political data collection and processing ▲Network for youth experiencing unemployment periods ▲Learning materials and youth growth support for NEETs ▲Wildlife map created through citizen participation ▲Mind care diary app for social innovators and civil society activists.

Each team was supported by nine developer crew members from the Kakao community who acted as mentors throughout the course. The mentors assisted with project progress through face-to-face, remote, and written communication, providing advice on technical implementation and responding to various questions. On the 10th of last month, students visited Kakao’s Pangyo office for in-person mentoring and an office tour.

On December 1, a results sharing session was held at the KAIST Department of Computer Science building to present the outcomes of the semester-long project course. The students directly presented the results of all nine projects. Kakao community crew members who served as mentors and the Brian Fellows who selected the projects also attended, and the event included reflections and expressions of gratitude following the presentations.

Yoksim, head of the Kakao Impact Secretariat, said, “We plan to continue various forms of collaboration to realize the Tech for Impact that Kakao Impact pursues.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.