Shaka-kachi Hackathon Roadshow
Driving Global Innovation for Sustainability and Social ImpactLondon, Frankfurt, and Dubai – January, 2025
What an incredible few days of innovation, collaboration, and purpose-driven problem-solving in London, Frankfurt, and Dubai—powered by SMBC Group!
The events took place from January 24, 27, and 29 across three locations. We had an impressive seven teams in London, four in Frankfurt (including two online teams), and two in Dubai. The diversity of participants, backgrounds, and innovative approaches made this hackathon a truly unique experience.
A Global Innovation Event with Purpose
The Shaka-kachi Hackathon was more than just a competition; it was an innovation event hosted by SMBC in partnership with Kreativdistrikt, designed to drive solutions for social and environmental challenges. It was structured around three key themes:
- Sustainable finance and green solutions
- Social impact through innovation
- Aligning with global goals like the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The hackathon’s overarching goal was to develop actionable solutions to real-world problems while fostering a culture of collaboration and creativity within SMBC. It showcased SMBC’s commitment to combining financial expertise with social and environmental impact, empowering a future where finance drives positive change for people and the planet.
A Diverse and Dynamic Group of Participants
The participants were employees from across the SMBC Group, with different backgrounds and levels of seniority, creating a melting pot of ideas, experiences, and expertise. This diversity was key in ensuring fresh perspectives, innovative thinking, and practical, real-world solutions. The event encouraged cross-functional teamwork, breaking down silos and enabling professionals from different areas to collaborate on impactful ideas.
A Design Thinking Approach to Problem-Solving
To maximise innovation and effectiveness, the hackathon adopted the Design Thinking methodology, a human-centred problem-solving approach that encourages:
- Deep empathy and understanding of complex challenges
- Rapid ideation and prototyping
- Iterative testing and refinement
Supported by a team of experts in the field, participants received mentorship and guidance throughout the hackathon. This helped them refine their ideas, ensure feasibility, and develop robust solutions.
The Three Key Deliverables
Each team worked through structured phases to develop their solutions:
✅ Deliverable 1 – Understanding the Problem: Complex challenges require thorough analysis. Teams identified key stakeholders, examined social and environmental dynamics, and pinpointed leverage points that could generate the greatest positive impact with minimal effort.
✅ Deliverable 2 – Proposed Solution: Using structured frameworks, teams visualised insights and articulated a clear value proposition, ensuring that their interventions were well-grounded and practical.
✅ Deliverable 3 – Proof of Concept & Business Case: Each team developed a tangible representation of their concept, demonstrating feasibility and crafting a strong business case to support real-world implementation.
The Three Major Challenges
The hackathon focused on three core challenges that align with sustainability, social responsibility, and business innovation:
🌱 Challenge 1 – Decarbonisation & Natural Capital Teams explored how SMBC can accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy and protect natural capital through its financing and advisory activities. Ideas ranged from sustainable building materials and green steel to renewable energy generation and biodiversity enhancement.
💡 Challenge 2 – Poverty & Inequality This challenge focused on increasing capital flows to activities that alleviate poverty and inequality, ensuring equitable access to essential services like energy, healthcare, and telecommunications. Solutions included financial models for food and energy security, infrastructure development, and expanded healthcare accessibility.
🏢 Challenge 3 – Internal Business Strategy How can SMBC adapt its internal strategy to create greater social and environmental value? Teams developed ideas to enhance impact measurement, scalability, user experience, and incentive structures—ensuring that SMBC’s operations align with its commitment to responsible finance.
The Thrilling Pitching Contest “Dragon’s Den”
From lightning-fast brainstorming to groundbreaking solutions, the energy at the Shaka-kachi Hackathon was electrifying. The highlight of the event was the Pitching Contest, where selected teams had just five minutes to present what they had created during their hackathons in Dubai, Frankfurt, and London.
With so many impressive solutions, it was no easy task for the jury to select the winners! The ingenuity, problem-solving, and passion on display were simply outstanding.
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Looking Ahead
The enthusiasm, creativity, and technical brilliance showcased during the hackathon underscored the power of finance as a force for good. The projects demonstrated how companies can integrate sustainability, ethical practices, and social impact into their core strategies—proving that success in the modern economy is about more than just financial gain.
A huge thank you to SMBC Group for making this initiative possible and to all the participants who brought their passion, creativity, and expertise to the table. The impact of these ideas goes beyond the hackathon—they are stepping stones toward a more innovative and socially responsible future.
SMBC Group
“Shaka-kachi” is the slogan of the SMBC Group’s “creating social value.”
Today, the world is facing serious social challenges such as global warming, human rights violations, and the widening poverty and inequality.
With our connections to customers across various regions and industries, we are uniquely positioned to lead the way in solving these issues and building a brighter future. That’s why we’ve made “creating social value” one of the main pillars of our management.
Get in touch with us today!
Book a time slot on our calendar and we will be happy to guide you all the way to a successful hackathon!