"Solving Sidewalk Block Damage with Block Sense"... Honam University Holds Startup Idea Contest

Honam University Startup Education Center recently held the "2025 Spring Semester Regional Social Problem Solving Startup Idea Contest" for undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty members to discover creative and excellent startup ideas and to spread the startup culture on campus. Six teams were selected. Provided by Honam University

Honam University Startup Education Center announced on September 4 that it recently held the "Regional Social Problem Solving Startup Idea Contest" for undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty members to discover creative and outstanding startup ideas and to spread the startup culture on campus, selecting six teams as winners.

This startup idea contest was supported by the RISE Project Group and was held under the theme of creative startup ideas to solve regional social issues.

In the undergraduate category, the grand prize went to the team led by Song Woojin (senior, Department of Computer Engineering) for their project "Block Sense: Solutions for Safety Issues Caused by Damaged or Improperly Installed Sidewalk Blocks and Tactile Paving." The excellence award was given to the team led by Jung Chaeyoung (senior, Department of Culinary Arts) for their project "A Ready-to-Eat Meal Brand Reinterpreting Gwangju's Local Cuisine." The merit award went to the team led by Jeon Daehyeok (senior, Department of Computer Engineering) for their project "Customized Policy Notification Service."

In the graduate student and faculty category, the grand prize was awarded to the team led by Lee Chanho (Department of Computer Engineering) for their project "Road Damage Detection and Maintenance Management System." The excellence award went to Professor Lee Saeryeon for the project "An Emotional Sharing App Where Anyone Can Be a Counselor or a Client," and the merit award was given to Kim Chungho (Department of Entrepreneurship) for the project "Health Journey Creating Memories: Gwangju Filial Piety Care Project."

The contest accepted creative startup ideas from undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty members from May 26 to June 20. Out of a total of 38 submitted ideas, six teams were selected as outstanding entries by a panel of expert judges.

The winning teams will be given opportunities to present and participate in mentoring education programs in collaboration with the Gwangju Startup Forum (Gwangju Center for Creative Economy and Innovation). They will also be offered various additional opportunities, such as intellectual property rights support or prototype production.

Lee Jeongtak, Director of the Startup Education Center, stated, "We will actively support students so that their creative ideas do not remain as mere concepts, but can actually lead to prototype production."