The SNU FastMRI Challenge began in 2021 and is now in its fifth year. Held over two months during the summer break, the challenge offers students an opportunity to research artificial intelligence and enhance their technical skills. Hosted by the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Seoul National University (SNU), the challenge has been supported by AIRS Medical and Kllim Ventures since its inception. With growing interest in AI, the number of participants has steadily increased every year. To date, around 1,130 SNU students have taken part, and five winning teams are selected annually. As the challenge continues to grow in both scale and enthusiasm, we feel proud to be part of this journey.

On June 24, 2025, we hosted the Opening Day of the 5th SNU FastMRI Challenge at the Kllim Ventures office. During the event, the speakers introduced the competition’s structure, objectives, and the significance of the FastMRI technology to the participants. Many students attended this year as well, and we could feel the excitement building more than ever.

While preparing for this year’s challenge, we took a moment to reflect:

“Why do we back this challenge?”

We believe the answer comes down to three reasons: 

1. The Beginning

Our journey with AIRS Medical led us to become proud partners of the SNU FastMRI Challenge. We believe meaningful relationships lead to powerful stories.

Though we initially knew little about AI or MRI, we forged a meaningful partnership with AIRS Medical’s founders through shared moments, such as playing ping-pong in Building 301 during their time as graduate students in Professor Jongho Lee’s lab at SNU. And we learned about the transformative potential of FastMRI technology.

Over time, we grew alongside AIRS Medical as both investors and partners. Supporting this challenge became a shared mission. For us, it is more than just a one-time event — it’s an ongoing story we’re building together with AIRS Medical.

In 2019 and 2020, Meta (formerly Facebook) and NYU Langone Health hosted the international FastMRI Challenge. Top institutions from around the world participated, and Korea’s own AIRS Medical emerged as the global winner. Inspired by this success, Professor Jongho Lee launched the SNU FastMRI Challenge in 2021. We were grateful to support the challenge from the beginning, working alongside trusted partners.

That shared vision has now led to the fifth annual event, with more students joining each year. Our bond with AIRS Medical has sparked new connections — and we believe it will continue to do so.

2. Impact

At Kllim Ventures, our mission is to contribute to human health and societal advancement. FastMRI is a key enabler in realizing that vision.

Because MRI involves no radiation exposure, it allows patients to undergo scans more frequently and safely.

Last year, a U.S. article stated that to effectively defeat cancer, we need to increase MRI scans by 100 times. While most cancer treatments are already well developed, early detection remains the key — and that can only happen with more frequent MRI screenings. This makes MRI accessibility and efficiency essential in the global fight against cancer.

There are two ways to increase MRI scans by 100x:

-       Purchase 100 times more MRI machines, or

-       Implement FastMRI technology.

The first option is limited by cost and physical space. The second — using software to enhance existing machines — offers a scalable and efficient solution. FastMRI enables more frequent scans, contributing directly to earlier diagnoses and the eventual eradication of cancer.

Additionally, FastMRI holds promise for patients with claustrophobia. By reducing scan time, it creates opportunities for people who previously could not undergo MRI scans. It can also support emergency patients, enabling quicker, more precise diagnoses before surgery.

In this way, FastMRI is a vital technology with the potential to positively impact global healthcare.

3. Opportunity

Through this competition, we want to provide students the opportunity to develop their AI skills. Growth comes not only from success, but also from failure. As Winston Churchill once said, “Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.”

Each year, only five teams receive awards. But we hope many more students walk away with something even greater than a prize. When AIRS Medical participated in the global challenge organized by Meta and NYU, the real value was not just the victory itself. It was the opportunity to refine their technology to a global standard. Even if they hadn’t won, the experience would have been invaluable for their growth.

We hope that all participants in this competition will find the process itself rewarding and use it as a steppingstone for personal growth. Looking ahead, we hope the competition will expand globally, offering even more students the chance to grow.