Cathay Group’s innovation-focused hackathon concludes in Shenzhen

The seventh annual Cathay Hackathon, Cathay's flagship technology event for young innovators, successfully concluded last weekend in Shenzhen, the Greater Bay Area's prominent hub for high-tech innovation. Held at the Qianhai Kerry Centre on 16 November, the 2024 edition marked the event's first expansion into the broader Greater Bay Area since its inception in 2016. The Hackathon provided a platform for talented, tech-savvy, and entrepreneurial participants from Hong Kong, Mainland China, and overseas to showcase their innovative and forward-thinking ideas, according to an official release from Cathay Pacific.

The final pitch event brought together young tech enthusiasts to present innovative ideas and solutions aimed at enhancing Cathay Pacific’s customer travel experience, elevating its lifestyle offerings, streamlining Cathay Cargo operations, and boosting HK Express’ operational efficiency, mentions the release.

This year’s Cathay Hackathon attracted over 1,500 applications from university students in Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and overseas. Following a rigorous selection process, 74 teams involving some 300 students were invited to participate in a 24-hour online development day, where participants created, refined and prototyped their ideas before presenting them to a panel of industry experts during the first pitch. Ten teams were shortlisted to enter the final round, with the opportunity to showcase their concepts to Cathay’s senior management as well as other judges.

“This year, the Cathay Hackathon has expanded into the wider Greater Bay Area for the first time. I see it as more than just a race; it’s a platform for teenagers to fulfil their dreams. I appreciate Cathay’s dedication to fostering a new generation of innovative thinkers by offering resources and support to help them pursue their aspirations with courage. Let’s all work together to empower these young dreamers so their passion for innovation can blossom like this hackathon, driving them towards future successes,” says Duncan Chiu, Hong Kong SAR Legislative Council member for the Technology and Innovation functional constituency.

“In its seventh edition, the Cathay Hackathon made its foray into the wider Greater Bay Area for the first time this year. This has not only provided us with a platform to engage with a wider pool of young aspiring tech enthusiasts, but also reinforced our commitment to fostering creativity and innovation and cultivating a new generation of digital talent for the aviation industry. The ingenuity and resourcefulness on display has been truly inspiring, and it goes to show how talented these young individuals are and how much can be accomplished with a progressive and can-do spirit,” says Lawrence Fong, Cathay Director Digital and IT.

During the Cathay Hackathon journey, participants explored emerging technologies such as machine learning and artificial intelligence, gained insights into acceleration opportunities to kick-start their ideas, and received an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Cathay’s operations both on the ground and in the air at its Cathay City headquarters. The event was supported by leading partners, including Alibaba Cloud, Amazon Web Services (AWS), BytePlus, Cyberport, Google Cloud, HK Express, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks (HKSTP), Hong Kong International Airport, Huawei, iOS Club, Microsoft, and China Merchants Shekou Cruise Homeport. These partners provided participants with essential guidance, tools, and resources to ideate, develop, and refine their concepts, the release added.

The winning team of this year’s Cathay Hackathon, GingTrip, consisted of students from various Hong Kong universities. Their innovative idea introduced a modular trolley for HK Express flights, designed to automate recycling and waste sorting. The system processes waste data automatically and integrates it into a dashboard, enabling data-driven decision-making to improve operational efficiency.

“It’s great to be back at the Cathay Hackathon. We took part last year and learnt a great deal from the guidance and feedback provided by our coaches, subject matter experts and the judges. This year, with the Hackathon expanding into the wider GBA, we gained valuable insights into the region’s growing tech landscape and were honoured to come out on top. We would like to thank the Cathay Hackathon team for creating such a unique experience for all of us,” says Andy Ng, GingTrip member.