Social Economy Program Began the 5th Semester of Ewha Social Startup Academy
- Date2023.11.03
- 7499
On October 26th (Thu), the 2023 Ewha Social Startup Academy (Director: Professor Yikweon Jang/Graduate Program Chair: Professor MinJung Kim) by the Social Economy Program at the Graduate School began with the first session of the general education. Ewha Social Startup Academy (the Academy) was founded in 2019 to provide undergraduate and graduate students at Ewha Womans University with systematic and detailed coaching by experts and opportunities to better understand a process of starting a business and enhance capacities needed for entrepreneurs through hackathon sessions. The Academy trains participants the expertise for prospective entrepreneurs by educating them about the business launching process and offers a venue for networking with experts.
Sixty-two people (twenty teams) with innovative ideas on various social issues – the well-being of senior citizens, the environment, the economy, the rights of the disabled, adolescent education, and many more – were selected to participate in this program.
Professor MinJung Kim hosted the opening ceremony of the fifth semester, and Professor Yikweon Jang marked the beginning of the ceremony with his welcome speech. “I take my hat off to every one of you for your social engagement and altruistic spirit. I hope this program can be an opportunity for you to gain many insights and network with startup experts in the social economy field.” Professor Jang said.
After the opening ceremony, Professor Kim gave a lecture titled “Social Startup Entrepreneurship” in the general education session. “The entrepreneur we aspire to be is the one who starts a new project to make an opportunity. You have to be a market-pioneering entrepreneur wherever social missions are,” Professor Kim highlighted in her lecture. Following Professor Kim, CEO Max Jo at Underdogs lectured on how to understand your customers for knowing your target audiences in the process of making a business plan, and how to write effective business reports. “I hope you can show your own stories and strengths effectively in your business reports to make your business successful,” said CEO Jo, wishing his students good luck.
Ewha Social Startup Academy consists of eight sessions: three sessions of general education, three sessions of individual coaching for each team, field trip to other startup-related programs (SK True Innovation, Shinhan Future's Lab), and two-day long hackathon and contest. At the contest, which is the last performance review presentation of the program as well, seven teams receive prize certificates, prize money, and gifts. (Ewha Presidential Prize, Ewha University-Industry Collaboration Foundation Prize, Korea Special Prize from Social Enterprise Promotion Agency, Special Prize from Merry Year Foundation, Special Prize from MetLife Korea Foundation, Special Prize from SparkLabs, and Special Prize from Sopoong Ventures) The winner of Ewha Presidential Prize can apply for HULT Prize, supported by Ewha University-Industry Collaboration Foundation.