Dunamu's Web3 and cybersecurity talent development program, Upside Academy, is marking its second anniversary and producing security hires at major information technology (IT) companies, showing results from its hands-on training.

Dunamu, which runs the digital asset exchange Upbit, said on Wednesday that Upside Academy is producing security professionals who join major IT companies including Samsung Electronics and Dunamu.

Upside Academy is a talent development program that began in July 2024. From the first to the fourth cohort, it selected a total of 72 trainees through average competition of 15 to 1.

Dunamu said trainees spent a total of 78,425 hours on hands-on classes, one-on-one mentoring and project development. The average satisfaction score for the training curriculum across cohorts 1 to 4 was 94.6 points.

Employment results are also continuing. Some 63 percent of graduates found jobs at companies including Samsung Electronics, Dunamu, Teori and Deloitte Anjin. A university credit-link system introduced first among domestic academies has also expanded from Korea University and Ajou University to a total of eight schools, including Soongsil University, Sejong University, Kookmin University, Kyonggi University, Chung-Ang University and Chungnam National University.

Follow-on research results by graduates are also emerging. Some graduates took part as speakers at the global cybersecurity conference .HACK to present their research, and published papers in the international journal in the computer networks field, Computer Networks.

They also produced results at global hackathons. Graduates won awards at Web3 and security-related hackathons including Suiming, Memecathon and BuidlHack, demonstrating practical capabilities.

Dunamu held a fourth-cohort results sharing event, UP-Date Day, on June 30 at Gabin Art Hall in Samseong-dong, Seoul's Gangnam district. The event went beyond the existing graduation ceremony format and was run as a community event with participation from about 110 people affiliated with 14 cybersecurity clubs and academic societies nationwide.

At the event, 4 hands-on projects in Web3 and artificial intelligence (AI) security were unveiled. The presented projects included a personal pre-signature policy management tool, a Web3 audit AI agent benchmark, threat modeling for the blockchain data availability (DA) ecosystem, and a DeFi risk visualization map.

The teams recognized as top performers were "Wallet Defense Unit," which developed the personal pre-signature policy management tool, and "Bench-Clearing," which presented the Web3 audit AI agent benchmark.

Dunamu said it aims to continuously foster practical talent in Web3 and cybersecurity through Upside Academy. As demand for security personnel grows alongside the expansion of the digital asset industry, it plans to strengthen a talent development system that links education, research and employment.