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• In conjunction with the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment’s (MSE) Go Green SG 2026, Hackathon was hosted by HMGICS and Hyundai CRADLE Singapore in partnership with Temasek Foundation, with support from the National University of Singapore (NUS).
• Fifth edition rallied the largest cohort of 91 students from nine local and international schools to date to co-create climate adaptation solutions in support of the Year of Climate Adaptation.
• HMGICS and Hyundai CRADLE Singapore are committed to growing alongside Singapore by empowering and nurturing future-ready youths through their annual CSR Hackathon programme. 

SINGAPORE, 4 June 2026 – Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Center Singapore (HMGICS) and Hyundai CRADLE Singapore today celebrated the finale of their annual Hackathon, held for the first time at Temasek Shophouse. Currently in its fifth edition, the Hackathon convened the largest cohort of students to date – 91 students across 25 teams from across nine local and international schools – to tackle real-world climate adaptation challenges for Singapore and beyond.

Themed “Go Green: Climate Adaptation” this year, the Hackathon was hosted in conjunction with the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment’s (MSE) Go Green SG 2026, and in partnership with Temasek Foundation, with support from the National University of Singapore (NUS). The Hackathon is HMGICS’ flagship innovation and education programme that is dedicated to nurturing and empowering youth, driving innovation and community impact, and catalysing youth-led innovation to enhance public safety, resilience and sustainability in the face of increasing climate risks.

Support towards the Year of Climate Adaptation

By bringing together students, public-sector partners, academia and industry experts, the Hackathon is timely and well-positioned to surface and showcase practical adaptation solutions with real-world relevance, in support of the Year of Climate Adaptation.

The initiative comes in line with the announcement of climate adaptation as a national priority, and against the backdrop of Singapore’s Third National Climate Change Study (V3), which underscores the growing urgency of climate risks and the need for adaptation measures that strengthen resilience across communities, infrastructure, and everyday life.

It also supports MSE’s broader effort to engage citizens, businesses, and civil societies in shaping the Republic’s first National Adaptation Plan, a long-term living strategy to protect Singapore and its people from the impacts of climate change.

Designing solutions to tackle real-world climate challenges for Singapore and beyond

Open to students aged 14 to 23, the annual Hackathon aims to empower young innovators to co-create practical, forward-looking solutions to pressing climate adaptation challenges. Participants addressed the following two key problem statements:

• Problem Statement 1: Reimagine multi-purpose community spaces such that they could meet diverse community needs while also functioning as heat adaptation measures. 
• Problem Statement 2: Create smart car-based solutions that turn vehicles into mobile safe spaces during climate hazards such as extreme heat, flooding, and air quality emergencies. 

With guidance from mentors across HMGICS and NUS, participants rose to the two-month challenge. They brought fresh perspectives to real-world climate issues and engaged directly with climate resilience in ways that are practical and meaningful.

By focusing on climate-resilient community spaces and reimagining cars as safe zones during climate crises through hands-on problem solving and interdisciplinary collaboration, the Hackathon seeks to raise stronger climate awareness among youths, translate climate concerns into actionable concepts that can inform future urban and mobility solutions, and develop talents that are equipped to advance sustainable innovation beyond Singapore. 

Dr Park Hyun Sung, Chief Executive Officer of HMGICS, said “HMGICS is committed to growing alongside Singapore by empowering and nurturing future-ready youths through education, hands-on innovation and talent development under our annual CSR Hackathon programme. Through our partnership with MSE, Temasek Foundation and NUS, we hope to inspire young people to turn climate challenges into meaningful solutions that can benefit communities and support Singapore’s climate resilience journey in the years to come.”

Ms. Woon Saet Nyoon, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Impact Officer of Temasek Foundation, said “Adapting to climate change is one of our generation’s biggest challenges, and it is the youth who will shape tomorrow’s solutions. Together with HMGICS and like-minded partners, Temasek Foundation is happy to support the Go Green Hackathon – uniting students, public agencies, researchers, and industry to spark bold ideas and collective action, and empowering young leaders to take charge of our shared future.”

The Hackathon is part of a broader, long-term partnership between HMGICS and Temasek Foundation, formalised by a Memorandum of Understanding signed in September 2025 to strengthen youth development.

Winning youth-led innovations

Evaluated across four criteria – relevance and alignment; feasibility and practicality; innovation and creativity; and impact and benefit – the Hackathon concluded with seven winning teams who walked away with vouchers, certificates of achievement, and an exclusive Hyundai IONIQ 5 diecast model. The top two winning teams across each problem statement featured innovative, practical, and human-centered solutions that demonstrated strong potential to address real-world climate risks. The winners include:

• Problem Statement 1 : First Place (Institute of Technical Education College Central (Team HeatSync)), Second Place (River Valley High School (Team Ephemeral))
• Problem statement 2 : First Place (German European School Singapore (Team License to Chill)), Second Place (School of Science and Technology (Team WD-40))
• Most Innovative : United World Collegest East (Team EcoLink)
• Best User Experience : United World Collegest East (Team Coolth) 
• Most Feasible : Boon Lay Secondary School  (BLSparkler)

Advancing sustainable innovation beyond Singapore

To deepen learning beyond the Go Green SG activities this year, participants also embarked on three learning journeys at HMGICS, Gardens by the Bay, and the National Environment Agency’s Centre for Climate Research Singapore, prior to the finale.

Following the finale, a one-week long public exhibition will be hosted at Temasek Shophouse (Banyan Cove) in October to extend the impact of the programme with the wider community. The exhibition aims to provide a platform for students to showcase their ideas and further strengthen climate awareness via an immersive and solution-led experience that translates youth-driven innovation into accessible, credible, and climate adaptation narratives.

Since its inception in 2022, the annual Hackathon has engaged more than 330 students. With the goal to expand participation to more local and international schools over the next few years, HMGICS will continue to work with partners to reach an even wider community of youths who are passionate about sustainability, design, engineering and social impact.