AI built by three new hires wins grand prize... Hanwha Asset Management wraps up in-house hackathon

[Financial News] A tool that integrates fund information, developed by three new employees, won the grand prize at Hanwha Asset Management’s in-house hackathon, held to strengthen company-wide capabilities in using artificial intelligence (AI). The company plans to put ideas developed at the competition to work and pursue the integration of AI across the asset management business.
Hanwha Asset Management said on the 7th that it had concluded its in-house AI hackathon, “2026 AI PLUSthon (Plus-thon).” Over the course of September, it held AI training, one-on-one mentoring, the final round and presentations, and an awards ceremony.
A total of 58 people in 26 teams took part in the competition, representing about 15% of all employees. After a document screening, 28 people in 11 teams advanced to the final round.
The grand prize went to Hints Mate, a team of three new employees. They developed an AI Data Buildup tool that brings together fund information scattered across multiple sources and provides users with a personalized dashboard.
The competition was organized to strengthen company-wide capabilities in AI transformation (AX), identify projects that could be applied to actual work, and develop key AI talent. It included preparatory training and one-on-one mentoring so that employees without prior AI knowledge, as well as those in development roles, could participate.
Hanwha Asset Management plans to advance outstanding projects to proof-of-concept (PoC) projects for actual business use and to run a follow-up development program for participants. It is also pursuing a transition to an “AI-native asset manager,” applying AI across the asset management business, including head-office operations, deal sourcing, product strategy and development, and fund management.
Hanwha Asset Management plans to draw on its experience investing in global AI companies such as OpenAI, xAI and Mistral AI in Silicon Valley, United States, and using related technologies in its work as part of its AI transformation.
Hanwha Asset Management CEO Lim Dong-jun said, “We will continuously strengthen our employees’ AI capabilities through a range of internal and external programs, become an AI-native asset manager at the highest level in the industry, and provide customers with differentiated investment value.”
  

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