Kakao Impact-KAIST, Creating a Technology Ecosystem to Solve Social Issues

Chairman Hong Eun-taek of Kakao Impact (left) and President Lee Kwang-hyung of KAIST (right) held a signing ceremony for the "Establishment of a Technology Ecosystem to Contribute to Solving Social Issues." (Photo by Kakao)

Kakao Impact is joining forces with KAIST to consolidate core competencies for social innovation.

Kakao Impact, Kakao's corporate foundation, announced on the 28th that it will sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with KAIST to develop technologies and discover technical talent that contribute to social change and solving social issues. Kakao Impact and KAIST have agreed to collaborate to nurture talent contributing to social change and to foster an impact technology ecosystem.

This MOU is part of Kakao Impact's "Tech for Impact" initiative. Tech for Impact is based on the premise that when digital technology meets the social impact sector, greater change and influence can be exerted to solve social problems. It aims to connect social impact organizations such as social ventures and nonprofit startups with technical talent.

To promote Tech for Impact, Kakao Impact and KAIST will jointly carry out ▲ opening project-based courses ▲ providing technology and personnel support to impact organizations ▲ collaborating on technology development and technology ethics research.

In the upcoming second semester of 2023, a Tech for Impact course will be offered to KAIST’s Department of Computer Science students to raise awareness and sensitivity toward solving social problems and to operate projects proposing the social utilization of digital technology. Fellows from Kakao Impact and Kakao developers will participate as mentors for this course.

Additionally, based on projects proposed in the course, technical consulting and support will be provided to impact organizations. Furthermore, research on digital technology development and technology ethics necessary for solving social problems will also be conducted.

Starting from the second half of this year, Kakao Impact plans to continuously expand and promote Tech for Impact through additional agreements with national universities in Seoul and regional hubs, as well as universities linked to the "Kakao Tech Campus" operated by Kakao.

KAIST President Kwang Hyung Lee said, “I expect that KAIST Department of Computer Science students will gain valuable experience creating a better world through technology by working with Kakao Impact, which supports various social innovators,” and added, “We will help this program grow so that not only KAIST but also students from various universities in Korea can actively participate and create it.”

Hong Eun-taek, Director of Kakao Impact, stated, “We expect that this MOU with KAIST will contribute to accelerating the role of technology in solving social problems,” and added, “We plan to continuously maintain broad connections and support, including cooperation with Kakao, to realize Kakao Impact’s ’Tech for Impact’ initiative.”