Jointly organised by HTX and Microsoft, the second edition of HacX! kicked off on 24 August, with 56 teams witnessing the release of the challenge statements at the Police Cantonment Complex Auditorium.
Just like last year, the challenges posed for this edition of the hackathon are all fronted by HTX and the various Home Team Departments (HTDs). The event was also an opportunity for HTX and HTDs to groom future S&T talents.76873383-dd86-43a5-a975-91f73d8ff651.jpg?sfvrsn=3ee51a54_1)
HTX Assistant Chief Executive (Digital and Enterprise) and Chief AI Officer Ang Chee Wee (left) speaks to participants. (Photo: HTX)
Up for grabs this year are cash prizes totalling S$32,000 as well as exclusive internship and scholarship opportunities for all participants. The 10 finalist teams will also receive Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub memberships (worth up to US$150,000)
Check out the challenges the contestants are up against at hacx.sg.jpg?sfvrsn=e1d76a67_1)
Challenge owners posing with their statements. (Photo: HTX)
What’s next?
In the coming weeks, participants will develop their prototypes under the guidance of their HTX and HTD challenge owners. HacX! will also provide resources such as access to Microsoft training workshops, Microsoft sandpit accounts, and Microsoft advisors to support each team’s hackathon journey.
Teams will submit video pitches showcasing their prototypes after the hackathon period. Those who make the grade will enter the semi-finals on 15 October.
The top 10 teams will then compete at the HacX! Grand Finals on 29 October. But it won’t just be the judges they have to impress here – contestants will also have to win the votes of the audience in a live-voting segment.
Looking back
At last year’s inaugural HacX!, the first-place team designed a cloud-based slingshot simulator program that could accurately pinpoint the position of a person shooting slingshot projectiles at windows. This program could help the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and our forensics specialists identify the origin of fired shots and enhance crime scene reconstruction.
The second-place team created RentSG, a web-based application that helps homeowners check the validity of their foreign tenants’ passes. This application could be useful for helping homeowners ensure that they are not breaking the law by renting to foreign workers with expired visas.
The third-place team developed a tool-checking application that uses video analytics to scan items belonging to personnel leaving the prison compound. This application can help Singapore Prison Service (SPS) officers avoid time-consuming manual checks and ensure that no items are left behind, which may pose a security risk.