The final presentation evaluation and awards ceremony for the ‘2025 Climate Change Response Business Idea Contest’, organized by the Climate Change Response Project Team (Director Kang Yun Hee) at Kookmin University (President Jeong Seung Ryul) and hosted by the WEAVE Student Council of the AI, Big Data & Management Department, was held on the 5th in Room 501 of the Kookmin University College of Business Administration.

Sponsored by the Korea Environment Institute's Korea Adaptation Center for Climate Change, this competition was designed to precisely diagnose risks in climate-vulnerable regions and populations using AI and big data analysis, and to discover practical adaptation business models based on these insights. It particularly focused on strengthening multidisciplinary convergence capabilities spanning data analysis, policy, and management, and expanding the collaborative ecosystem between universities and public institutions.

Eligible participants were current students from universities participating in the HUSS Environmental Consortium (Kookmin University, Duksung Women's University, Ulsan University, Inha University, Chosun University). Eight teams (28 participants) advanced to the finals after being selected from the preliminary round held last October (17 teams, 60 participants).

The final presentation evaluation, which began with a congratulatory address by Director Kang Yoon Hee, featured a judging panel consisting of Jung Hwi Cheol, Director of the National Climate Crisis Adaptation Center; Choi Dae Heon, Dean of the Business School; and Jung Yeo Jin, Department Head of AI, Big Data & Management. The judges conducted a rigorous evaluation, focusing not only on the novelty of the ideas but also on the logical consistency of the data analysis process and the feasibility of business implementation.

The Grand Prize (awarded by the Director of the Korea Adaptation Center for Climate Change, Korea Environment Institute) was won by ‘Team AlphaGo’. This team proposed ‘Aider’, a smart care system that integrates and analyzes vulnerable groups' vital signs, living environment, and climate data to predict real-time health risks and provide early warnings. The Grand Prize was awarded to ‘Team MainWhole’, which planned ‘SafeStep’, a manhole accident prediction and management system for pedestrians with mobility challenges, presenting a concrete solution to strengthen urban safety networks. The Excellence Awards were given to ‘Team Namu’, which proposed the ‘Smart Pocket Shelter Construction Project’, and ‘Team Cligate’, which presented a ‘Climate Welfare Material Production Solution’ for companies and organizations.

Other projects selected for encouragement awards included: ▲Indexing individual climate adaptation capacity and an adaptation ecosystem platform ▲The ‘FLOOD GUARD’ real-time flood risk verification and early warning platform ▲A service addressing insurance gaps for flood-vulnerable groups ▲AI-customized navigation for climate disasters.

In his closing remarks, Jung Hwi Cheol, Director of the Korea Adaptation Center for Climate Change, stated, “Despite being undergraduates, they demonstrated a high level of approach and innovative ideas comparable to the problem awareness emphasized by national and specialized institutions,” adding, “The planning intent and direction of this competition hold significant academic and practical value.”

A representative from Kookmin University's Climate Change Response Project Team stated, “We plan to continue providing ongoing support and education so that the ideas generated by students in this competition can develop into actual climate adaptation policies and business models,” adding, “We will strive to sustain such meaningful events going forward.”

Meanwhile, as the lead institution of the HUSS Environmental Consortium, Kookmin University is fostering future-oriented humanities and social sciences talent equipped with problem-solving capabilities and convergent thinking. This is achieved through interdisciplinary and cross-major education, breaking down boundaries between universities and majors, under the theme ‘Coexistence and Mutual Growth in the Era of Climate Crisis,’ in collaboration with Duksung Women's University, Ulsan University, Inha University, and Chosun University.