The Future of Data Hackathon is an integral part of the MidwestCon Conference, scheduled to take place with both in person and online components from August 24, 2024, to September 5, 2024. 

 

The Future of Data Hackathon doesn’t have tracks. Instead it has roots, branches, and leaves! 

  • Roots: The roots of the tree represent the foundational elements of the hackathon, which in this case are the two main tracks: the Software Development Root and the Business/Creative Root. These roots serve as the basis for participants to build their projects and ideas upon.
  • Branches: The branches of the tree represent the different technology branches that participants can explore during the hackathon. There are three branches to choose from:
    • The AI Branch, which focuses on Generative AI, Machine Learning, and Computer Vision. 
    • The Blockchain Branch, which explores technical aspects and innovative business pitches related to blockchain technology. From web3 to DeFi, there is something for everyone.
    • The Visualization Branch, which focuses on exploring innovative ways to visualize data. Participants in this branch will have the opportunity to work with technologies such as AR/XR (Augmented Reality/Extended Reality) to create immersive data visualizations as well as other visualization tools and techniques to present complex data in a clear and engaging manner.
  • Leaves: The leaves of the tree represent the specific themes or topics that participants can choose to focus on within each branch. The current themes include Gaming, Security, Finance, and Social Issues.

 

Key Highlights
  1. World-Class Learning Opportunities:

    • Participants will have the chance to engage in hands-on workshops, attend talks by industry experts, and collaborate with peers from diverse backgrounds. Learn from CIOs of Fortune 500 companies, Senior Machine Learning Engineers from Microsoft, Google and Databricks, and Y-Combinator-backed founders
  2. Mentorship:

    • The Future of Data Hackathon features a robust mentorship program, connecting every team with an experienced mentor. Mentors provide guidance, support, and expertise, helping participants to refine their ideas and develop impactful projects. Prominent mentors include Partners at Venture Capital firms, the co-creator of Phi-3 (the first small language model), and VPs of fortune 500 companies.
  3. Location and Facilities:

    • Hosted at the state-of-the-art 1819 Innovation Hub at the University of Cincinnati, participants will have access to modern facilities and resources.
  1. Build a better more equitable future of data:

    • Projects at the hackathon are centered on the theme of "building a better, more equitable future of data." Participants will work on solutions that not only leverage cutting-edge technology but also aim to create a fairer and more inclusive digital landscape. Projects developed during the hackathon have the potential to address real-world problems, the outcome should not only be innovative but also socially relevant.

Requirements

Submission Requirements

Hackers participating in the Future of Data Hackathon are expected to create innovative solutions in the fields of blockchain, artificial intelligence, and data visualization, focusing on "building a better, more equitable future of data." Submissions should be made on Devpost, and participants must follow the guidelines below for both the software development track and the pitch competition track.

What to Build
  1. Choose your Track:

    • Choose between our roots: software or pitch competition.
    • Choose between our branches: AI, data visualization, or blockchain
    • Choose between our leaves: finance, security, gaming, social impact
    • Focus on creating solutions that address real-world problems and promote a better, more equitable future.
  2. Choose your Bounties:

    • Take on targeted challenges set by sponsors to win additional prizes. These bounties focus on specific problems or technologies, these bounties provide extra prizes for their completion
Submission Requirements on Devpost

 

For Software Development Track

  1. Project Description:

    • Provide a detailed explanation of your project, including its purpose, functionality, and impact.
    • Clearly describe how your solution contributes to data equity.
  2. Technical Details:

    • Include information about the technologies used and how they are implemented.
    • Explain the architecture of your solution and any unique technical challenges you faced and overcame.
  3. Demo Video:

    • Create a short video (3-5 minutes) demonstrating your project.
    • The video should highlight the key features, functionality, and user experience of your solution.
    • Explain the problem your project addresses and how it offers a solution.
  4. Source Code:

    • Provide a link to your project’s source code repository (e.g., GitHub).
    • Ensure that the repository is public and includes a clear README file with instructions on how to set up and run your project.
  5. Team Information:

    • List all team members and their roles in the project.
    • Include any relevant background information or expertise that contributed to the development of the project.
  6. Additional Documentation (optional but recommended):

    • Include any additional documentation that can help judges understand your project better, such as user manuals, design documents, or research references.

For Pitch Competition Track

  1. Pitch Deck:

    • Create a comprehensive pitch deck that outlines your project idea, market potential, and business model.
    • The pitch deck should include slides on the problem statement, solution overview, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, and go-to-market strategy.
  2. Executive Summary:

    • Provide a concise executive summary of your project, highlighting the key aspects and value proposition.
    • Explain how your solution addresses a significant problem and its potential impact on the market.
  3. Pitch Video:

    • Record a short video (3-5 minutes) where you present your pitch to potential investors or stakeholders.
    • The video should clearly articulate your project’s vision, market opportunity, and why it stands out.
  4. Market Research:

    • Include any relevant market research data that supports your project’s feasibility and potential success.
    • Highlight key insights and statistics that demonstrate the need for your solution.
  5. Financial Projections:

    • Provide financial projections, including revenue forecasts, funding requirements, and expected return on investment.
    • Clearly explain the assumptions behind your projections.
  6. Team Information:

    • List all team members and their roles in the project.
    • Include any relevant background information or expertise that contributed to the development of the project.
Submission Checklist

For Software Development Track:

  •  Project Description
  •  Technical Details
  •  Demo Video
  •  Source Code (with README)
  •  Team Information
  •  Additional Documentation (optional)

For Pitch Competition Track:

  •  Pitch Deck
  •  Executive Summary
  •  Pitch Video
  •  Market Research
  •  Financial Projections
  •  Team Information

By following these guidelines, participants can ensure their submissions are thorough, well-documented, and ready for evaluation. The Future of Data Hackathon at MidwestCon 2024 is an opportunity to showcase your skills, contribute to societal good, and potentially make a lasting impact through technology. Good luck, and we look forward to seeing your innovative solutions!

Hackathon Sponsors

Prizes

$42,000 in prizes
1st Place
1 winner

The first place overall team will receive $5,000

The first place team will also receive 6 Nord Security gift Bundles with a value of $240+ each. The gift bundles include 1 year long subscriptions + 1GB of free data for the following services:

· NordVPN - Ensuring secure and private online experiences.
· NordPass - Simplifying password management and enhancing security.
· Incogni - Safeguarding online privacy by removing personal data from various databases.
· Saily - eSIM data for international travel.

2nd Place
1 winner

The second place overall team will receive $3,000

3rd Place
1 winner

The third place overall team will receive $2,000

Best AI Software
1 winner

The winning team will receive $1,500.

Best AI Pitch
1 winner

The winning team will receive $1,000.

Best Blockchain Software
1 winner

The First Place team will receive $1,500.

Winners will also be provided with Cyberscope Audit Credits:
1st: $2000
2nd: $1500
3rd: $1000

All Blockchain Software teams who submit a project will also receive $500 each of Cyberscope Credits.

Cyberscope is one of the leading and recognised audit authorities in the crypto space. Its audits are recognised from launchpads like PinkSale, Unicrypt and DxSale and can earn a badge for your project. Their audit service guarantees to build trust and recognition for your project. It will improve your smart contract security and will be the main building block for all your marketing efforts.

Best Blockchain Pitch
1 winner

The winning team will receive $1,000.

Social Impact Best Software
1 winner

The winning team will receive $1,000.

The winning team will also receive $10,000 in Bright Data credits.
Bright Data credits can be used to pay for award-winning proxy networks, AI-powered web scrapers, and business-ready datasets for download. Bright Data is the internet’s most trusted web data platform.

Best Visualization Software
1 winner

The winning team will receive $1,500.

Best Visualization Pitch
1 winner

The winning team will receive $1,000.

Social Impact Best Pitch
1 winner

The winning team will receive $500.

Security Best Software
1 winner

The winning team will receive $1,000.

Finance Best Software
1 winner

The winning team will receive $1,000.

Finance Best Pitch
1 winner

The winning team will receive $500.

Gaming Best Software
1 winner

The winning team will receive $1,000.

Best Gaming Pitch
1 winner

The winning team will receive $500.

Prize Bounty - Best Use of The Graph
Cryptocurrency logo
1 winner

The winning team will receive $2500 worth of GRT.

Subgraphs are open APIs on The Graph, or "The Google of Blockchain", that organize and serve blockchain data to applications. Using subgraphs, developers and data consumers alike benefit from speedy access to indexed data. The team that uses an existing or builds a new subgraph in their project will receive this prize

Prize Bounty - Best Use of Pieces SDK
1 winner

The winning team will receive $500. Pieces is an on-device AI coding assistant that boosts developer productivity by helping you solve complex development tasks through a contextual understanding of your entire workflow. Use their SDK to accelerate your development. Find more info at: https://docs.pieces.app/build/

Devpost Achievements

Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:

Judges

Aravindh Manickavasagam

Aravindh Manickavasagam
Senior Technical Program Manager at Instacart

Sabarna Choudhuri
Senior Applied Scientist at Amazon

Kartik Singhal
Senior Machine Learning Engineer at Meta

Ajinkya Ghadge
Software Engineering Lead at Expedia

Kunvar Chokshi

Kunvar Chokshi
Staff Software Engineer at Tesla

Noah Ohrner

Noah Ohrner
CTO at AnswerGrid

Ankit Anchlia

Ankit Anchlia
Senior Software Engineer at Blue Moon Software

Qihang Yu

Qihang Yu
Systematic Trading Quant at PIMCO

Aditya Visweswaran
Senior Software Engineer at Google

Harsh Daiya

Harsh Daiya
Staff Software Engineer, Risk Platform at Paypal

Gaurav Mittal

Gaurav Mittal
Manager Data Science at ThermoFisher

Abdul Sajid Mohammed, PhD

Abdul Sajid Mohammed, PhD
Senior Engineer @ Microsoft

Ashutosh Tripathi

Ashutosh Tripathi
Senior Engineering Manager at Clara Analystics

Sanjay Poddar

Sanjay Poddar
Advanced Services Engineer at Fortinet

Sameet Sonawane

Sameet Sonawane
Data Scientist at Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions

Anushka Nijawan
Co-founder at Spur.dev

Vidyasagar Ranganaboina
CTO at Agentive

Tejas Ghadge
Senior Software Development Manager at AWS Lambda

Chaitanya Pathak
Chief Product and Technology Officer

Timothy Ryan
Partner, VibeCap

Kira Balabanova

Kira Balabanova
Product Lead at Nebeus

Gunjan Paliwal

Gunjan Paliwal
Senior Product Development and Marketing Mgr

Maxime Defauw
Forward Deployed Software Engineer at Palantir

Suri Nuthalapati

Suri Nuthalapati
Head - Lakehouse, ML, AIOps and Generative AI Solutions at Cloudera

Hao Dong

Hao Dong
Machine Learning Engineer at Meta

Rachita Naik
Machine Learning Engineer, Lyft

Sachin Pandey
Head of Data Science and Data Engineering at Oracle

Ayushi
AVP Barclays

Yiping Liang

Yiping Liang
Software Engineer @Exabeam

Judging Criteria

  • Creativity
  • Execution
  • Relevance
  • Social Impact

Questions? Email the hackathon manager

Tell your friends

Hackathon sponsors

In Kind Sponsors

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