KakaoPay has engaged 100 university students to brainstorm solutions for everyday digital finance challenges.
On October 17, KakaoPay hosted the 'SakakSak Supporters Digital Finance Service Idea Hackathon' at its AI campus in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province.
The hackathon featured 100 students from the first cohort of KakaoPay's youth digital finance leadership program, 'SakakSak Supporters,' who formed 20 teams of five.
Participants proposed ideas aimed at enhancing the convenience of financial services for small business owners and consumers under the theme 'Solve Payment and Financial Inconveniences in Our Neighborhood.'
Drawing from their experiences in previous digital finance education for multicultural youth and support activities for small business digital transformation, participants identified inconveniences in the financial service usage process and developed concrete solutions.
KakaoPay's staff responsible for offline payments and small business services served as mentors and judges for the event. An 'SOS Clinic' was also available, where teams could receive 10 minutes of direct advice from experts if they encountered difficulties in refining their ideas.
Judging criteria included understanding of the problem, inclusivity, creativity, scalability, and presentation skills. The top two teams received awards for excellence, while a special prize was given to the team that demonstrated the deepest understanding of the challenges faced by financially marginalized groups.
Lee Yoon-geun, head of KakaoPay's ESG committee, stated, "Understanding the inconveniences faced by actual users is crucial to reducing the blind spots in digital finance. We will support young people in becoming leaders who create an environment where everyone can conveniently access financial services."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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