It’s time for Monash Hackfest!

10 September 2024

Participants at Monash Hackfest 2024.

This year’s Monash Hackfest, organised by the Monash Blockchain Club and the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Hub, was an exciting three-day innovation marathon held from 23 to 25 August 2024. With a whopping prize pool of RM25,000 up for grabs, students unleashed their entrepreneurial skills, presenting innovative ideas using Blockchain technology. To those unsure as to what Blockchain is, just picture it as a super secure digital ledger that records transactions across a network of computers.

Participants were pushed to their creative limits, crafting unique business concepts that could shape the future of entrepreneurship through the power of technology. As part of Solana Superteam Malaysia’s mission, the event marked a significant step in empowering our next generation of leaders from top universities, igniting their passion for innovation and Blockchain.

Challenging the assumption that entrepreneurial competitions are solely for business majors, Monash Hackfest opened doors to students from various universities and diverse academic backgrounds.

Henry Lee Min Rong’s captivating sessions on Blockchain applications.

The event started with an engaging "Introduction to Blockchain Technology" session led by Sean Tham from Coingecko & Superteam Malaysia. This was followed by a series of sessions with Henry Lee Min Rong, the Country Lead of Solana Superteam Malaysia, where students delved into blockchain applications and participated in hands-on experiences.

Danesh Jothiprahasam’s engaging talk on digital advancement.

During the Hackfest, students had the opportunity to soak up knowledge from top industry leaders, gaining invaluable insights and inspiration. The event was graced by special guest Danesh Jothiprahasam, Head of Domestic Digital Investments at the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), who hosted a valuable sharing session for the students. Danesh explained the key roles of blockchain in advancing the digital economy in Malaysia and the importance of guiding students in the web3 and blockchain ecosystem.

Ian Phang and Vandyck Lai presenting their project—“Haiwan Lab.”

Monash University Malaysia was proudly represented by Ian Phang, a final-year Bachelor of Business and Commerce student, and Vandyck Lai, a final-year Software Engineering student. Together, they secured the runner-up position. Ian shared that his most rewarding moment was crafting a solution to a pressing sustainability challenge and collaborating with Vandyck to seamlessly integrate technology into the project. Coming from different educational backgrounds, this dynamic duo held the upper hand—one excelled in ideation while the other brought those ideas to life, demonstrating the power of interdisciplinary collaboration.

Having crossed paths in previous competitions and recognising Vandyck’s exceptional skills, Ian reached out to Vandyck via LinkedIn, confident their combined talents would lead to success.

Together, they brought "Haiwan Lab" to life—a visionary project that transforms food surplus into nutritious pet food, utilising Blockchain technology for unmatched traceability. Their collaboration was more than just a partnership; it was a mutual learning experience. Vandyck delved deep into the world of business and supply chain management, while Ian expanded his understanding of Web3 technology. Reflecting on the journey, Vandyck said, “It was a great learning curve, especially in understanding supply chains, business ideas, and how businesses work.”

Trevor Lim Yong Guan and his team presenting their innovative pitch during Demo Day.

Now, let’s introduce the dynamic team that secured fourth place in this year’s Hackfest! Leading the group is Trevor Lim Yong Guan, a first-year Bachelor of Computer Science student from Monash University Malaysia. He was joined by Ling Yu Qian, a second-year Computer Science student from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Rathinahganessha Sivakumar, a first-year Bachelor with Honours in Electrical and Electronics Engineering student from Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP), Joshua Cha Ming Hinn, a first-year Bachelor of Business and Commerce majoring in Fintech & Digital Marketing from Monash University Malaysia, and Amandev Singh, a first-year Bachelor in Business and Commerce student at Monash University Malaysia.

Driven by curiosity and a thirst for knowledge, the team embarked on their first journey into the world of Blockchain through Monash Hackfest. Despite being beginners, they approached the ideathon with a determination to push boundaries.

Trevor’s team aimed to create an online platform for storing wills on Blockchain, leveraging the technology’s security and transparency features. Their journey was far from smooth sailing. Just 18 hours prior to demo day, they hit a major hurdle and had to abandon their initial project and start from scratch with a new idea. It was a risk, but one that paid off. Reflecting on their experience, Trevor shared, “A skill I learned is not to be afraid or feel reluctant to completely change the idea, even though you are so far into it.”

These young innovators embody the spirit of resilience, turning every trial into a triumph. Watch as they blaze new trails and make their mark, because this is only the start of their journey to greatness.

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