🔸 Side Impact, a platform supporting projects that solve social issues using technology, introduces a new ‘Spark Track’ this year, attracting more diverse teams.
🔸 Projects utilizing AI technology dominate selections, with nearly half of the chosen projects featuring AI-driven services.
🔸 Significant increase in youth participation, including high school and university teams, showcasing their passion for addressing social challenges.
[SEOUL, REPUBLIC OF KOREA – December 6, 2024] Brian Impact Foundation, a public foundation established by Kakao founder Brian Kim, announced the 30 project teams selected for “Side Impact” Round 1 and held a “Side Impact Agreement Ceremony,” where the teams introduced their projects and encouraged each other. The selected 30 projects will receive a total prize fund of approximately 220 million KRW.
Side Impact is a platform that identifies and supports projects using technology to solve social problems. Last year, the beta round was conducted, and this year, the official round was launched for the first time.
Side Impact is a community-based impact challenge, with final selections determined through peer review and voting by the “Side Impact Community,” including participating teams. The selected Side Impact projects include 10 teams in the “Impact Track” and 20 teams in the “Spark Track.” Impact Track teams receive 12 million KRW each, while Spark Track teams are granted 5 million KRW each from Brian Impact.
Side Impact Round 1 introduced the Spark Track to involve a broader range of projects. Depending on their development stage, teams operating fully launched services or products could apply for the Impact Track, while those with MVPs (Minimum Viable Products) or prototypes addressing social issues were eligible for the Spark Track.
Notably, this year saw a significant increase in AI-powered projects. While eight projects used AI in last year’s beta round, 40 teams submitted AI-based projects for Round 1 this year. About half of the 88 teams that underwent formal review utilized AI.
Among the selected teams, “Team Pianist,” composed of high school students, attracted particular attention. This three-member team developed “Rubato,” a piano learning glove with vibration motors for visually impaired individuals. The project began to address the issue of limited leisure options for disabled individuals, using OpenCV technology to match fingers and keys and deliver vibration feedback, allowing visually impaired people to learn piano. In addition, many university teams participated this year, showcasing young people’s passion for solving social problems.
Brian Impact also allowed teams from last year’s beta round to reapply for this year’s Round 1, ensuring continuous support for teams pursuing impactful projects. Among the 10 Impact Track teams, three had also been selected in the beta round, receiving continued support this year.
One of the teams selected for the Impact Track again this year, “Stair Crusher Club,” operates “Stair Conquest Map,” which provides accessibility information such as stairs for mobility-challenged individuals. Beginning as a side project from the question, “Can we get to our lunch spot in a wheelchair?” this nonprofit startup now develops IT-powered services for collecting and exploring accessibility information and content.
Brian Impact Project Director Yoo Seung-won said, “Through this year’s Side Impact Round 1, we encountered brilliant ideas and new challenges addressing social problems. We are delighted to support more projects than last year and look forward to creating an enjoyable impact challenge for all participants, not just the selected teams.”
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Projects selected for the Impact Track include: △ ‘Pawinhand‘ Integrated management solutions for animal shelters △ ‘Yeol Dal Hoo Ye’ Big data analysis to reduce low-birth-weight risks △ ‘PickForMe’ A shopping app for visually impaired individuals △ ‘Stair Crusher Club’ Accessibility mapping service for mobility-impaired individuals △ ‘NewWays’ A platform highlighting hardworking politicians who are not featured in the news △ ‘Threedollars’ A mapping app for disappearing street food vendors △ ‘Sustainus’ Smart collection bins for waste cooking oil △ ‘Baby Whale’ Tools to enhance workplace communication △ ‘Graduate Kim Sunbae’ A platform providing information for prospective graduate students △ ‘Open & Close’ A policy information platform for young people
Projects selected for the Spark Track include: △ ‘Braille Camp’ A Braille conversion service for mathematical formulas △ ‘COM-US’ An app supporting communication between Deaf parents and their hearing children (CODA) △ ‘Pressure’ Pressure sore prevention cushions for individuals with mobility impairments △ ‘HelloWorld’ A support platform for foreign workers △ ‘Eye-Level Kiosks’ Assistance for elderly individuals using kiosks △ ‘Text To Dot (TTD)’ OCR-based Braille image translation service △ ‘Ocean Keeper’ An app for recruiting ocean-cleaning crews △ ‘LOOP (Link Of Our Path)’ An information-sharing app for wheelchair users △ ‘Rubato’ Piano learning gloves for visually impaired individuals △ ‘ResQ’ XR- and AI-based disaster safety education programs △ ‘456’ Education and employment services tailored for middle-aged individuals △ ‘Map-da’ A barrier-free campus safety mapping service △ ‘I-Shuttle’ A neighborhood academy shuttle map addressing childcare gaps △ ‘Polar Bear’ Vaccine tracking and recommendation services for parents of young children △ ‘Say Better’ AAC language therapy solutions for children with brain disorders △ ‘Lantern’ A safety service for women walking alone at night △ ‘EssayMate’ A service addressing the high costs and urban concentration of essay tutoring △ ‘NoStroke’ A self-diagnostic app for stroke detection △ ‘K-Dark Map Tour’ A project preventing street harassment and crimes △ ‘Trigger’ A mobile scheduling app for individuals with ADHD
