National University Student Social Venture Contest Sweeps Grand Prize and Excellence Awards
Universities are shaping the future by seizing entrepreneurial momentum through industry-academia cooperation and the establishment of new departments.
The LINC3.0 Project Group at Dong-Eui University is creating futures for both the university and companies through various industry-academia cooperation programs, including a lab rental program. Recently, it has been bearing fruit in the field of entrepreneurship.
To spread the entrepreneurial spirit and strengthen the foundation, Dong-Eui University established the Department of Venture Investment Management and the Department of Startup Venture Investment in the first semester of the 2024 academic year. Additionally, through the Startup Incubation Center and Startup Education Center, the university is discovering and nurturing startup clubs, supporting entrepreneurship, and fostering an entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The student team JWL from the Department of Human Factors Engineering at Dong-Eui University won the grand prize at the 2024 University Student Social Venture Competition. The excellence award also went to Dong-Eui University.
From November 6 to 8, the ‘2024 Industry-Academia-Research Cooperation Expo’ was held at BEXCO Exhibition Hall 2 in Busan, hosted by the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Science and ICT, and Busan City. At this event, outstanding achievements and innovative cases of industry-academia-research cooperation from 323 universities and institutions nationwide were introduced.
As one of the side events of this expo, the ‘2024 4th National University Student Social Venture Contest’ was held on the 7th, with 19 teams from 11 LINC3.0 project universities participating nationwide. Students from Dong-Eui University’s Department of Human Factors Engineering won the grand prize and the excellence award. This competition was organized by the Social Economy University Council to discover creative ideas for solving community problems and to expand the foundation for social enterprise startups.
Dong-Eui University’s Human Factors Engineering JWL team (third-year students Gwak Minju, Heo Kyungwook, Jeon Junhyung, and Oh Seungbin) won the grand prize with an assistive device idea equipped with sunglasses that block light reflection and AI functions that distinguish dangerous obstacles, ensuring safe mobility for visually impaired people who have difficulty walking. They received the Chairman’s Award from the Korea Technology Finance Corporation and a prize of 500,000 KRW.
The Trinity team from the Department of Human Factors Engineering (fourth-year students Shin Junyeop, Kim Mingwan, and Jeong Jeyong) was selected for the excellence award with their idea to install pedal operation status, brake, and accelerator intervention indicators on vehicle dashboards, based on research analyzing and improving human errors in sudden vehicle acceleration.
Lee Imgeon, head of Dong-Eui University’s LINC3.0 Project Group and Vice President for External Affairs, said, “Through the LINC3.0 project, Dong-Eui University is activating capstone design education based on company themes to cultivate students’ creative capabilities. We are very pleased that the efforts and achievements of students participating in various industry-academia-research cooperation activities were recognized at this social venture contest.”
He added, “The LINC3.0 Project Group will continue to support nurturing social venture startup talents who can lead student entrepreneurship capabilities and contribute to value creation for the region.”
Dong-Eui University held the opening ceremony of the third branch of the Busan Urban Youth Startup and Residential Complex, "Busan Changup Gakkum," at the 1st Hyomin Dormitory on November 11.
The opening ceremony of 'Busan Changup Gakkum,' a youth startup space in Busan City, is being held at Dong-Eui University.
Also, on November 11, Dong-Eui University held the opening ceremony of ‘Busan Startup Dream’ at the 1st Hyomin Dormitory, the third urban youth startup and residential complex space in Busan.
Attendees at the opening ceremony included Dong-Eui University President Han Suhwan, Busan Mayor Park Hyungjun, National Assembly member Lee Heunseung (Busanjin-gu Eul), Busanjin-gu District Chief Kim Youngwook, Busanjin-gu Council Chairman Park Hyuncheol, Busan Technopark Director Kim Hyungkyun, and startup founders.
‘Busan Metropolitan City Urban Youth Startup and Residential Complex ? Busan Startup Dream Busanjin Youth’ is a space prepared through collaboration between Busan City, Busanjin-gu, and Dong-Eui University to create a startup ecosystem in Busan and support youth to grow stably in the region.
Busan Startup Dream Busanjin Youth, created by remodeling three floors of Dong-Eui University’s 1st Hyomin Dormitory, consists of 16 startup offices, 9 residential rooms, and shared spaces such as seminar rooms and lounges.
Dong-Eui University plans to provide startup incubation programs and professional consulting to companies moving into Busan Startup Dream Busanjin Youth, as well as support for prototype production costs and intellectual property acquisition fees to help these companies grow into unicorn enterprises.
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