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What’s your moonshot innovation to a global grand challenge that leverages exponential technology and has a potential to impact a billion people in 10 years?
2018 Winners
2018 Winner
Jeon Steven Changho
Project: Farmtrainer
Modularized Urban Farming project
2018 Winner
Young Jae Jo
Left to right: Sung Yoon, Sun Kim, Seung Yeun Han, Jun Hyung Lee, Young Jae Jo
Project: Envelops: Solar Box Project
Rural-electrification project combined with the stimulation of the agriculture and fish markets for village people
Overview
The purpose of the SingularityU Korea Global Impact Challenge is to foster moonshot innovations and startups that positively impact the lives of people living in Korea, with an ability to scale and impact a billion people worldwide in 10 years.
What moonshot innovation would you develop to solve a global grand challenge (environment, energy, water, food, health, disaster resilience, governance, learning, space, security, prosperity, and shelter) using exponential technology that would impact the lives of a billion people in the next 10 years?
Why Host a Global Impact Challenge in Korea?
Korea is one of the countries in the world that has developed cutting-edge technologies in many sectors. In addition, the Korea ecosystem is brimming with new tech start-ups and innovations.
For this reason, hosting a Global Impact Challenge in Korea will tap into this entrepreneurial ecosystem and inspire entrepreneurs to create moonshot innovations that will positively transform Korea and maybe the entire world.
Apply to this challenge by submitting your idea to solve one of the Global Grand Challenges using exponential technology.
The Prize
The winner receives a seat at SU Incubator program. The Incubator Program is a 10-week program that fosters the development of viable start-ups (for profit or not-for profit).
The SU Incubator Program runs from September 3 – November 9, 2018.
The Incubator Program Journey
Dates and timeline
Applications open: May 14, 2018
Applications close: June 11, 2018
Pitch event & Winners announced: July 13-14, 2018
Sponsored by:
Organized by:
Rules & Criteria
Applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements:
- You must be a citizen or resident of Korea
- You must be at least 21 years of age at the time of application
- You must be fluent in written and spoken English
- You must be able to attend the entire SU Ventures Incubator Program (September 3 – November 9, 2018)
- Applicants selected as finalists will be interviewed by a panel of judges on June 22, 2018
We look for people from all professional backgrounds, but will be really thrilled to find you if:
- You’re a founder of an idea-stage startup or an individual with a moonshot idea
- You’re an accomplished entrepreneur, technologist, scientist, or change agent with expertise in your chosen field(s)
- You’re already considering how to leverage exponential technologies to create positive impact in the world
- You’re committed to the long-term journey of launching an impact-focused startup
- Degree of solution’s relevance to the theme of the challenge
- The regional relevance in solving the challenge in Korea
- Feasibility, Viability and Coherence of implementing the idea
- Entrepreneurial and innovative potential, with a focus on technological novelty
- Applicant’s leadership experience and quality, profile, achievements, and potential
- CV/Resume
- Summary of accomplishments
- An abstract of the project idea
- Within the abstract, describe and detail the following: your idea and problem/opportunity you are addressing, your solution and long-term impact, applied technology for your solution, and your business model
- A video URL of the project idea
- Applications open: May 14, 2018
- Applications close: June 11, 2018
- Pitch event & Winners announced: July 13-14, 2018
GIC Organizing Team
San Ko
CEO, ATeamVentures
GSP 2010
Tony Lyu
CEO, Korbit
GSP 2010
Dong Ho Hwang
CEO, TIDE Institute
SingularityU Seoul Chapter Leadership Team
Juno Ko
Director, TIDE Institute
SingularityU Seoul Chapter Leadership Team
Frequently Asked Questions
Global Impact Challenges (GICs) are annual incentive competitions held in partnership with sponsor organizations worldwide and organized by geography and theme. These challenges act as a platform to identify outstanding entrepreneurs, leaders, scientists, and engineers with the most innovative ideas for moonshot innovations and startups that can positively impact a billion people in 10 years. The winner of each challenge receives a full sponsorship to attend an SU program.
We are looking for early-phase startup ideas or individuals with a moonshot ideas. Judging criteria is based on the grandness of the idea—such as whether it solves a problem with a potential to positively impact millions of people, technological novelty, viability of implementing it and applicants leadership potential.
If you’re a later-stage venture, check out the SU Ventures program.
Intellectual property resulting from a GIC belongs to the applicant(s).
The selection process has 2-3 phases, depending on the GIC. The first phase involves a review of all applications to determine 5-10 finalists, and the second phase involves final judging to select the winner at a pitch event.
The winner will cover their own air travel expenses to and from SU.
In all cases where a GIC winner cannot attend the SU Incubator program, the winner forfeits his or her seat to the first runner-up and would then need to reapply for admission in a future year.
Still have questions?
Contact the Global Impact Challenges team at SU at gic@su.org.