A Leap to the Next Stage! The Start-Up Train is Heading-Off!   On November 3, the “2023 Fall CHOO CHOO DAY,” a startup demo day organized by the Startup Research Institute, an affiliate institution of Korea University Business School (Dean=Sang Yong Kim), was held at Gongdeok Front1. This event was jointly organized by Korea University LINC 3.0 Business Team, aiming to revitalize the campus-oriented entrepreneurial ecosystem and strengthen the investment attraction capabilities of student startup companies.      “CHOO CHOO DAY” is a startup demo day held every spring and fall. Here, young entrepreneurs who have gone through the startup nurturing program of the KUBS Startup Research Institute share their visions. “CHOO CHOO” represents the sound of a departing train, symbolizing the support for incubating companies to attract initial investments and leap to the next stage.    Five teams participated in the CHOO CHOO DAY: △ ‘Sosanggonggan,’ a trading platform for small business owners △ ‘Meshed,’ a web-based 3D design collaboration tool △ ‘Photorize,’ a four-panel photo archiving service △ ‘Fynd,’ a travel video information search platform and △ ‘Unjeonseonsaeng,’ a driving school reservation platform. Each shared their achievements through a 5-minute presentation and a 10-minute Q&A session. The judging panel included Jin-kyu Park and Jae-ho Jung, directors of Ljin Center for Startup Incubation, In-ho Lee, a judge from the Banks Foundation for Young Entrepreneurs, Tae-joon Noh from Primer, Ji-yoon Lee from Strong Ventures, and Seung-Hyun Kim from Shinhan Venture Investment.      Jae-ho Jung, director of the Ljin Center for Startup Incubation, Sang Yong Kim, dean of KUBS, Jung-bin Moon, director of the Startup Research Institute, Young-deok Kim, CEO of Banks Foundation for Young Entrepreneurs, ‘Dcamp,’ and Seo-kang Jung, CEO of Naeiluri, attended and encouraged the incubating companies. Dean Kim mentioned, “Startup entrepreneurship is, as you know, a tremendous challenge,” and applauded to the passion and efforts of entrepreneurs who aspire to contribute to a better life for humanity with new and creative ideas.  

CDTB Colloquium Held... What is the Present and Future of Blockchain Technology and Generative AI?   Hosted by Korea University Business School (Dean=Kim Sang Yong), the Center for Digital Transformation & Business (Director=Park Kyung-sam, hereafter CDTB) organized a colloquium on October 27th (Friday) at Room 432, LG-POSCO Hall. The lecture featured presentations on "Blockchain Technology and Financial Innovation" by Lee Joon-seok, the representative of Block Security Chain, and Cha Young-min, a team member, and "In the Era of Generative AI, Where Are We Heading?" by Park Geun-young, the representative of Generative Lab, and Shim Jun-yong, a team member.      Firstly, Lee Joon-seok, the representative of Block Security Chain, explained blockchain technology. He then discussed the prospects of innovation in financial structures and the potential spread of cryptocurrencies based on blockchain. The business of Block Security Chain is a newly emerged service in the blockchain world. This service is based on the idea of preventing crime by using blockchain technology and virtual asset technology to allow simultaneous payment when one party delivers goods in inter-business contracts. Lee Joon-seok stated, "The blockchain ecosystem is rapidly changing," and explained, "New forms of hacking and crimes are continuously occurring, and new types of virtual assets such as meme coins are emerging."    Next, team member Cha Young-min explained the concepts and side effects of virtual assets and cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. He pointed out that blockchain technology, with its decentralized nature allowing transactions without complex authentication procedures for consumers, could be exploited for crime and money laundering.      Generative Lab's representative, Park Geun-young, presented on Generative AI. He introduced the business, saying, "These days, AI performs various functions, such as product recommendations, better than humans," and explained that they started the business in March based on this observation. Park Geun-young discussed the future that Generative AI will change, including △the past, present, and future of GPT, △the current status of AI startups by sector, △the limitations of Open AI. He diagnosed the limitations, saying, "GPT will become a huge platform in the future," and pointed out, "However, for services utilizing GPT to emerge, specialized data is needed, and that level of data is mainly held by companies that do not easily provide it." Park Geun-young concluded his presentation by stating, "Internship or work experience are crucial assets for starting a startup." 

"Developing Problem-Solving Talent in the Era of Digital Transformation" - The 4th KUBS DT Day 2023   Hosted by Korea University Business School (Dean=Kim Sang Yong) and organized by the Center for Digital Transformation & Business (Director=Park Kyung Sam, hereafter CDTB), the 4th KUBS DT Day took place on November 10th (Friday) at the LG-POSCO Management Hall. KUBS DT Day is an event held to foster talent capable of solving problems in the era of Digital Transformation (DT) and to explore collaboration with industries and DT-related institutions. The event included activities such as, △MSBA Capstone Project showcase, and awards ceremony. The all-day-long event preceded in the order of △the final presentations of the Data Analytics for Business (DAB) competition, △General review and award ceremony, △MSBA Capstone Project showcase, and △General review and wrap-up.    Dean Kim Sang Yong emphasized the significance of the event in his opening speech, stating, "KUBS DT Day is the largest event conducted by the CDTB, a platform actively engaged in activities related to talent development in the era of digital transformation." He expressed hope that the event would be meaningful for those leading the Digital Transformation era.      During the morning session, the final presentations of the Data Analytics for Business (DAB) competition were held. The DAB competition focuses on discovering innovative business models using public or corporate data. The judging panel included CDTB Director Professor Park Kyung Sam and Business Analytics Program Coordinator Professor Lee Hyun Seok.    The final presentations featured projects such as △Timing Matters (Optimization of smart traffic signal flash cycle), △Let's Ride Together (Suggestions for increasing the convenience of public transportation for traffic-impaired individuals - Determining the priorities of where to introduce low-floor buses and designing routes for traffic-impaired buses using big data), △Jemechu (Recommendation service for recipes and ingredients based on AI model for object detection in refrigerator interior photos), △Would you like to move? (Personalized recommendation platform for alleviating local population decline and promoting residential population increase), and △Rain-Avoiding the sun (Establishment of a Seoul city shared umbrella rental system and platform site selection). Each team presented their findings, followed by feedback and Q&A sessions with the judging panel.      Following the final judging, an award ceremony was held. The encouragement award went to the teams "Timing Matters" (Jeong Ha-yoon, Lee Hyun-jeong, Lee Seung-min) and "Jemechu" (Song Tae-hoon, Kim Jong-hyun, Lee Jung-soo), the excellence award went to "Would you like to Move?" (Go Ye-bin, Shin Eun-byeol, Woo Yoon-gyu, Yoo Ho-jun, Cha Seung-eun) and "Rain-Avoiding the sun" (Kim Do-yoon, Kim Yu-jin, Han Ji-eun, Kim Hyun-moo), and the grand prize was awarded to "Let's Ride Together" (Kim Hee-jae, Jung Hyun-soo, Choi Jung-won, Hwang Sun-joo). The morning session concluded with a commemorative photo.      In the afternoon session, the public presentations of the MS in Business Analytics (MSBA) Capstone Projects began. The Capstone Project is a crucial part of the MSBA program, where students, instead of writing a thesis, work on developing a business model in collaboration with partner organizations. The presentations at DT Day were mid-term presentations, aimed at receiving feedback from advisory members to further develop the projects. Representatives from collaborating organizations such as △LG CNS, △LG Household & Health Care, △ELAND, △Korea Credit Information Services, △Kyobo Life Insurance, △Hyundai Motor, and △PwC Consulting attended.    The Capstone Projects included topics such as △Building a Customized Chatbot Using LLM for Corporate LG CNS Consulting Data CS Chatbot Service Development, △Marketing Strategy Proposal for 'The History of HU' Brand to Enter the Japanese “Department-cosmetic” Market - Based on Text Analysis of the Japanese Beauty Comprehensive Platform @COSME, △Analysis of Multiple Debt Risk for Vulnerable Borrowers, △Prediction of Delinquency and Support Measures for Small and Medium Enterprises through Analysis of Technology Finance Information, △Corporate Customer Characteristic Segmentation for Expanding Market Share in the Retirement Pension Market, △Reconstruction of the Distribution System of the Domestic SPA Fashion Brand SPAO - Using Machine Learning for Sales Forecasting Models, △The Impact of Blue Member Activities on Vehicle Purchase Decisions - Relationship Management Strategy Based on RFM Cluster, and △How can we maximize GPT’s creativity & usability in real-world marketing communications? - Focused on Advertising Production and UI/UX. Each team explored business problems presented by collaborating organizations, proposed strategies and models using real data, and outlined future analysis plans. After each team's presentation, representatives from collaborating organizations provided advice.      After the presentations, Professor Lee Hyun Seok concluded with remarks, stating, "After six months, you have overcome a significant hurdle with the mid-term presentation. I hope all teams achieve success until the end." Professor Park Kyung Sam expressed gratitude to the guiding professors and collaborating organizations for their efforts in the Capstone Project, concluding the event. The 4th KUBS DT Day came to a close with a commemorative photo. 

“In hope of more alumni spreading “good influence”... CeraArt Co., Ltd., Representative Eun Kyoung-Ah (KMBA ‘81) donating 100 million won to the KUBS Development Fund    On Thursday, November 9th, at the Main Building of Korea University (President=Kim Dong-One), the Development Fund Donation Ceremony of CeraArt Representative Eun Kyoung-Ah to the KUBS (Dean= Kim Sang Yong) took place. The ceremony, attended by President Kim Dong-One, Shin Hojung, Director of the External Cooperation Office, and Dean Kim Sang Yong, attended the occasion.    During this donation ceremony, Representative Eun Kyoung-Ah, who donated 100 million won to the KUBS Development Fund, mentioned the 2023 QS Business School Master's Program evaluation, stating, "Congratulations on the achievement of CEMS, in which Korea University Business School participated as a member school, ranking 11th in the world." She added, "I hope that Business School alumni, with a 'good influence' that can contribute to society through donation and sharing while making the world healthier with good products and services, will increase in number with an entrepreneurial spirit." In response, President Kim Dong-One expressed gratitude, saying, "I am thankful to Representative Eun Kyoung-Ah, who has been contributing to the development of Korea University through various means such as scholarships every year. Thanks to your precious support, I will do my best to ensure the further development of the Business School."      On another note, Representative Eun Kyoung-Ah, a member of the Korea MBA ‘81 class, founded CeraArt Co., Ltd., exporting 100% of globally recognized luxury brand customers and ceramic material components. She is actively engaged in various activities, serving in the areas of global, women, youth, education, and ESG through the Presidential Committee on Young Generation, the Presidential Committee on Youth, and the Regulatory Reform Committee. In recognition of her contributions, she received the Presidential Commendation in 2012 for 'Youth Entrepreneurship Spirit' and in 2017 for 'Merit in Promoting Venture Start-ups.'

CEMS’s Leap to 11th Place in the QS Rankings, as KU GSBA the sole CEMS Member Institution in South Korea for Joint Operation of the Global MIM Program   In 2015, Korea University's Graduate School of Business Administration, led by Dean Kim Sang Yong, became a full member of the prestigious CEMS Global Alliance in Management Education (CEMS), a global network of leading business schools. To this day, Korea University remains the sole CEMS member institution in South Korea. CEMS, known for its exclusive membership, consists of only one top-tier business school from each country, and it boasts the participation of 33 leading business schools worldwide, including Korea University's Graduate School of Business Administration.    In collaboration with CEMS, Korea University's Graduate School of Business Administration offers the Global MIM (Master in Management) program. The Global MIM program is a one-year full-time master's program that allows students to earn a specialized master's degree in management from the Graduate School of Business Administration, as well as a CEMS MIM (Master in International Management) certificate. Through the Global MIM program, students have the opportunity to network with over 18,000 CEMS alumni and gain valuable global business insights during an 8-week international internship.    Together with Korea University's Graduate School of Business Administration, CEMS achieved an impressive 11th place in the "QS Business Master's Ranking 2024." QS(Quacquarelli Symonds), a UK-based institution known for evaluating global universities since 1994, compiles annual rankings by program. CEMS' 11th-place ranking pertains to its evaluation of master's programs in management. CEMS received an overall score of 86.4 out of 100, placing it in the top 5.5% globally. Notably, CEMS excelled in the "Value for Money" category, receiving a score of 96.8, and also scored an impressive 82.6 in the "Employability" category, significantly surpassing the global average score of 49.6.      Meanwhile, in 2022, Korea University's Graduate School of Business Administration achieved a milestone by being the first institution outside of Europe to win the prestigious "CEMS Business Project of the Year" award. This award is a significant recognition, given that only one project is selected from among those submitted by the 33 CEMS member institutions. As a result, Korea University's Graduate School of Business Administration is set to select new students for the Global MIM program during the 2024 academic year's second semester recruitment.   

With the Aspiration to Become a Global Business Leader... Mr. Kim Hwangsoo's Donation Ceremony for Bluetec Co., Ltd.   On October 10th, a donation ceremony of Mr. Kim Hwangsoo, CEO of Bluetec Co., Ltd., took place at the office of the president on the 1st floor of Korea University's (President = Kim Dong-One) main building. Mr. Kim Hwangsoo, who graduated from the Advanced Management Program (AMP) of the Graduate School of Business Administration, generously contributed 100 million KRW to the development fund of the KU Business School. His decision to make this donation was driven by his hope for the KUBS to evolve into a cradle for global business leaders leading new trends. The ceremony was attended by Kim Dong-One, the university president, CEO Kim Hwangsoo, Kim Inja, the president's wife, Shin Hojung, the head of the External Cooperation Office, Kim Sang Yong, the dean of the KUBS, and Kim Seokgyun, the EEC center director.      During his time in the AMP program, Mr. Kim Hwangsoo was a passionate fellow student who commuted more than four hours to attend classes. He expressed, "I expanded my knowledge in various fields and built a network with great colleagues. I learned a lot from the lives of my fellow students, who are working hard in their respective fields." He also mentioned, "I had the privilege of learning from excellent professors and hope that the KUBS continues to develop into a prestigious institution for discovering global business leaders."    In response, President Kim Dong-One expressed his gratitude to Mr. Kim Hwangsoo for joining the history of "donations to Korea University" and stated, "The KUBS which has been at the forefront of domestic business education, will make valuable use of Mr. Kim Hwangsoo's donation to contribute to the society and national development."      The donation ceremony concluded with Mr. Kim Hwangsoo and President Kim Dong-One handing over the donation documents, certificates of donation, and tokens of appreciation, followed by a commemorative photograph.