About the challenge

Convergence is an interdisciplinary hackathon hosted by Purdue Momentum that brings together students across finance, software, and engineering to solve real-world problems.

This year’s challenge focuses on improving energy efficiency across a large university campus. Teams will analyze a case study based on a university system facing rising energy costs, limited data visibility, aging infrastructure, and strict budget constraints. Participants must identify inefficiencies and develop a solution that reduces energy consumption while maintaining operational continuity and staying within a fixed budget.

Successful solutions will integrate technical, digital, and financial perspectives to create a realistic and scalable strategy that delivers measurable impact.

Get started

Participants will be placed into interdisciplinary teams or may compete with pre-formed teams. Each team will receive the full case materials at the start of the event.

Teams should begin by identifying the core challenges within the system, then collaborate to develop a comprehensive solution that incorporates engineering feasibility, data-driven decision making, and financial viability.

Throughout the event, mentors and organizers will be available for guidance. At the end, teams will present their solutions to a panel of judges.

Requirements

What to Build

Teams are expected to develop a comprehensive solution to the Smart Campus Energy case study.

Your solution should:

  • Identify key inefficiencies in energy usage across the campus
  • Propose actionable improvements within the $12M budget constraint
  • Balance short-term impact with long-term sustainability goals
  • Consider real-world constraints such as limited data, aging infrastructure, and operational continuity

Your approach must integrate:

  • Finance: budget allocation, ROI, and cost-benefit analysis
  • Software: data systems, analytics, or monitoring solutions
  • Engineering: infrastructure upgrades and physical system improvements

Strong submissions will clearly explain how these three areas work together to create an effective and feasible solution.

What to Submit

Each team must submit the following on Devpost:

  • A project description outlining your solution and approach
  • A presentation deck (PDF or slides) used during judging
  • (Optional but encouraged) Any supporting materials, such as:
    • Diagrams or system designs
    • Financial models or calculations
    • Code, prototypes, or simulations

During judging, teams will present their solution and explain their reasoning, tradeoffs, and expected impact.

Hackathon Sponsors

Prizes

$1,000 in prizes
1st Place
$600 in cash
1 winner

2nd Place
$300 in cash
1 winner

3rd Place
$100 in cash
1 winner

Devpost Achievements

Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:

Judges

Mohit Tawarmalani

Mohit Tawarmalani

Stephen Martin

Stephen Martin

Judging Criteria

  • Overall Solution Quality
    Evaluates the strength, completeness, and thoughtfulness of the proposed solution in addressing the challenge.
  • Interdisciplinary Approach
    Assesses how well the solution integrates perspectives from finance, software, and engineering.
  • Feasibility & Practicality
    Considers how realistic and implementable the solution is given the constraints of the problem.
  • Innovation & Creativity
    Measures the originality and creativity of the idea and how uniquely it approaches the challenge.
  • Presentation & Communication
    Evaluates how clearly and effectively the team communicates their solution and key ideas.
  • Participation & Engagement
    Evaluates team involvement throughout the event, including attendance at required sessions (opening and final presentations), punctuality, professionalism, and engagement with workshops and event activities.

Questions? Email the hackathon manager

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