36H Hackathon with Western Digital

The Western Digital and MUMTEC 36-Hour Hackathon is a design and innovation competition organised in collaboration between Western Digital and the Monash University Malaysia Tech Club (MUMTEC). The hackathon was held for 36-hours on the 28th of September 2024 with a total of 90 participants from education institutions in Malaysia such as UKM, UTM, Taylor’s University, APU, and MMU.

The challenge centered around addressing firmware-related problems by developing innovative Minimum Viable Products (MVPs), offering participants an opportunity to tackle real-world challenges, enhance their technical skills, and refine their ability to pitch solutions. Students were aided by 20 Western Digital staff, serving as mentors throughout the hackathon.

By the end of Day 1, the initial 20 teams were narrowed down to 6 finalists, based on their preliminary prototypes and problem-solving approaches. These 6 teams would then continue to iterate on their proposed MVPs while preparing a convincing pitch deck to showcase their solution. The hackathon culminated in a pitching session, where the finalists showcased their MVPs to a panel of judges comprising academic and industry professionals. Following the presentations, judges provided valuable feedback and announced the top-performing teams.

The hackathon concluded with a recognition ceremony where all participants received certificates of recognition, presented by Prof. Raphael, Head of School, and Mr. Christopher Ramirez, Senior Director at Western Digital. The top 3 teams were awarded cash prizes of RM3000, RM2000, and RM1000 respectively.

This 36-hour hackathon was an engaging and transformative experience for the participants, fostering technical expertise, teamwork, and confidence in presenting solutions. The collaboration between academia and industry showcased the potential to nurture the next generation of tech innovators, making the event a significant milestone for both students and organizers. There are plans for the hackathon to return in the year 2025 again given the success!

Group photo after winner announcement

Hacking session

Final pitching session