Lai hands out Taiwan Presidential Hackathon Awards

賴總統頒發總統盃黑客松獎

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Sunday presented awards at the Presidential Hackathon in Taipei, urging young people to continue using technology to drive digital transformation and environmental sustainability across Taiwanese society.

Lai said the competition, now in its eighth edition, has produced proposals spanning health care, social security, environmental protection, and transportation, with many past ideas already incorporated into government policy and daily life. He said the achievements have helped propel Taiwan forward, per a press release.

This year’s theme focused on the dual challenges of climate change and digital transformation, calling on teams nationwide to propose solutions for Taiwan’s sustainable future. The event, he said, demonstrated Taiwan’s commitment to generating innovative approaches to future challenges.

Lai announced the winning teams, including ReSchool, which focuses on improving campus efficiency and development; the AI Green Chemistry Intelligent Diagnostic Team, which helps businesses conduct chemical substance risk assessments and identify safer alternatives; and Carbon Carrier, a platform that tracks and manages the carbon footprint of construction projects from design and construction through operation and demolition.

He also recognized a team that developed a sustainable management platform capable of recycling and reusing more than 120,000 metric tons of coffee grounds annually, as well as a team that integrated blood donation centers and hospital resources to create an emergency blood supply system aimed at improving survival rates for trauma patients in rural areas.

Among international participants, Lai honored CropNow from India for its real-time crop health monitoring system designed to boost agricultural yields. He also recognized Beyond Hearing, a Taiwan-France collaborative team that uses real-time sound analysis and localization technology to enhance spatial awareness for people with hearing impairments.

Lai thanked participants for their creativity and enthusiasm in applying digital technology to balance innovation with sustainability. He said all proposals injected strong momentum into Taiwan’s push toward digitalization and net-zero emissions.

“I hope today’s achievements will be transformed into tomorrow’s actions,” Lai said, adding that the government will work to incorporate the teams’ ideas into national policies so their impact can continue to expand throughout society.