The "True CyberSafe x TrueMoney Hackathon Thailand 2025" themed 'Hack for a Safer Digital Life', has hit its halfway milestone. Co-organized by True Corporation, TrueMoney, and leading cybersecurity partners, the program challenges university students, startups, and the public to unleash their creativity in building a safer digital society. From over 400 applicants across 89 teams, 30 finalists advanced to the finals comprising 15 from universities and 15 from the public/startup category. These teams battled through an intense Hack Day, working side-by-side with expert mentors to sharpen their concepts before pitching to the judging panel. The event has now crowned the university-level champions and awarded funding to public/startup teams to turn their ideas into real-world innovations tapping into the fast-growing Crime Tech market.
Three Champion Teams Turn Insights into Technology to Combat Cyber Threats for a Better Society
True Corporation Plc., represented by Mr. Ekaraj Panjavinin, Chief Digital Officer and (Acting) Chief Business Officer, True Corporation Plc., and Mr. Staporn Kiewsuwansuk, Chief Technology Officer, TrueMoney Co., Ltd., presented awards to the winning university teams of the True CyberSafe x TrueMoney Hackathon Thailand 2025, comprising:
1. The first-prize winner: Team "Zero to Hero" with the idea 'KidSafe', an innovation that protects children from cyber threats without compromising their privacy, offering parents only aggregated insights to foster better understanding and communication within families.
The application features:
- Safe View - Using AI to detect and filter risky content, along with malware scanning. If harmful or risky material is detected, the application automatically blocks it and immediately alerts parents, who can choose to unlock access if the content is deemed safe.
- Smart Learn - On-screen alerts and self-check prompts using Digital Nudging principles to encourage "think before you click" behavior, based on behavioral economics.
- Support Guide - Based on statistics of risky content access, KidSafe provides parents with insights into identified risks and practical guidance on building children's online resilience to protect them from cyber threats.
The Zero to Hero team is made up of students from across continents during their semester break, representing the University of Manchester, National Tsing Hua University, Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology, and University of California, Irvine.
2. First Runner-up: Team "GobGobGobGob" from Chulalongkorn University with the idea of Cyber Master, an action-packed PvP game where players take on the roles of both "scammer" and "victim" to learn and outsmart cyber threats. Through interactive simulations of online scams, players can choose to attack using tactics such as phishing, sending fake alerts to targets, and earning rewards if the opponent falls for the trap or defend by responding correctly to scam messages from predefined options. Outcomes and rewards vary based on choices made, enhanced with a Level Badge system and campaigns that keep players motivated to learn effective cyber defense in an engaging way.
3. Second Runner-up: Team "Lame(on)" from Chulalongkorn University with the idea of Ditto Solution, a comprehensive online threat prevention tool featuring 1. Ditto Dummy - Segments users based on risk level. 2. Ditto AI - Provides personalized advice and guidance and 3. Ditto Report - Consolidates scam reports from all channels.
In addition, Sasin School of Management, Chulalongkorn University, represented by Assistant Professor Dr. Pattarawan Prasarnphanich, Lead Researcher, Behavioral Research and Informatics in Social Science Research Unit, Sasin School of Management, Chulalongkorn University, presented a special "Psychology Insights" award to three teams that demonstrated deep analysis of target audience behavior and psychology, leading to outstanding strategic approaches. The awardees were:
- Team Family Guard from King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi - Analyzes the concerns of Gen X and Gen Y who care for both children and elderly family members but cannot constantly monitor their loved ones' exposure to cyber risks. Proposed Family Guard AI, a system that protects families from risky websites with real-time alerts.
- Team KidD.DevD (Kid Dee, Dev Dee) from Khon Kaen University - Analyzes the behavior of children and youth vulnerable to online scams who often lack guidance or support from parents. Proposed AskMeFirst, featuring a Hold 5 Minutes function that prompts children to pause and have parents review the transaction or decision before proceeding, effectively protecting them from scams.
- Team True Wallet Lock Pay from Srinakharinwirot University - Analyzes the behavior of children and elderly individuals vulnerable to top-up and investment scams. Proposed True Wallet Lock Pay, a shared wallet with a designated guardian to review and approve transactions, reducing the risk of financial loss and increasing confidence for both guardians and users.
Public/Startup Teams Secure Funding to Advance Cybersecurity Innovations
At this year's Hack Day, True Corporation and TrueMoney also announced six finalist teams in the public/startup category that received funding to further develop their innovations into real-world solutions, with opportunities to enter the still wide-open Crime Tech market. The teams are:
Safe Internet Use
Safe Financial Transactions
The six finalist teams in the public/startup category will advance to the Final Pitch Day in November, where they will present their solutions and compete for the top prize. Stay tuned for updates and learn more about the True CyberSafe x TrueMoney Hackathon Thailand 2025 via the True Lab Facebook page.