From data to decisions
Group photo of the participants and mentors of the L’Oréal x Monash Datathon 2025.
The L’Oréal x Monash Datathon 2025 has brought together some of the brightest young talents in Malaysia, uniting nearly 500 undergraduate participants from 30 universities to tackle pressing challenges in data science and artificial intelligence. During the opening ceremony, Associate Professor Vishnu Monn Baskaran, Deputy Head of School (Education) from the School of IT emphasised its real-world impact by saying, “The Datathon is more than just a competition, it trains our students to think across the entire data science lifecycle, from acquisition and cleaning to modelling and deployment.”
Associate Professor Vishnu Monn Baskaran delivering the opening speech at the Opening Ceremony.
Following months of preparation, mentoring, and problem-solving, the teams were narrowed down to ten who earned their place in the finals. These teams were LESGO, KLEOS, SCDS, AI Glow-rithms, WeAreNewbie, Runtime Terror, Aurametrics, WhateverWorks, Lamimi, and YuYoJaMe. They presented their solutions during the Pre-Demo Day, held on campus on 2 October 2025, where they received structured feedback and guidance from industry mentors. The mentoring program and dry runs on campus were designed to help them sharpen both their technical outputs and the clarity of their pitches, before moving on to the final showcase at L’Oréal Malaysia HQ.
Team members approach their mentors for discussions regarding their project.
The second day opened with a welcoming address by Tomas Hruska, Country Managing Director of L’Oréal Malaysia–Singapore, before the top ten teams took to the stage to pitch their data-driven solutions. The session featured approaches that spanned AI, analytics, and real-world business challenges. Once the final pitch concluded, juries convened over lunch to deliberate before appreciation tokens were presented. Professor Anthony Guo, Head of the School of IT and Engineering, presented a unique 3D-printed trophy, designed and created by our students, alongside certificates of appreciation to L’Oréal and the four final judges.
Professor Anthony Guo (left) presenting a token of appreciation to Tomas Hruska (right).
Group photo of the final judges, with Professor Anthony Guo (far left), and Tomas Hruska (far right).
First place went to Team WhateverWorks, a team comprising students from Monash University Malaysia and Heriot-Watt University Malaysia, whose approach combined computer science, data science, and business analytics. The runner-up position was awarded to Team Lamimi from the University of Malaya, while third place went to Team Kleos, a team of Monash University Malaysia undergraduates with strong technical fundamentals and teamwork despite being in the early stages of their studies (Years 1 and 2).
Team WhateverWorks became the champions for the L’Oréal x Monash Datathon 2025 competition.
The L’Oréal x Monash Datathon 2025 has proven to be more than just a competition. It is a platform where academia and industry intersect, equipping students with both the technical skills and the mindset required to lead in the era of data-driven innovation.
Group photo of the winners, as well as the judges and the rest of the participants at L’Oréal HQ.