When diverse groups of people get together in a creative and competitive environment, innovation happens. That is the idea behind a new series of global hackathons from SAS, a leader in analytics. The hackathons are focused on using advanced analytics and other technologies to solve big problems. SAS continually seeks to help more people use powerful analytics every day, shorten the path from data to insights, and inspire bold new discoveries that drive progress. The hackathons support this mission.
The initial #HackinSAS hackathon competition will take place this March. Individuals and teams must register by Feb. 14.
“Through the global hackathons, SAS is helping creative people use technology in new and innovative ways,” said Tom Fisher, senior vice president of business development at SAS. “Hackathon participants and teams are seeking solutions to big business and humanitarian challenges, all while experimenting with the latest analytics and cloud software. At SAS, we believe curiosity is at the heart of human progress, and curiosity abounds at these hackathons.”
Hackathons are well-known in the tech industry. During a hackathon, teams of participants collaborate and compete to find the best solutions to a business or humanitarian challenge using technology. The new global hackathons will gather people from different regions, backgrounds and skill levels to collaborate and develop applications and solutions using SAS analytics, AI, cloud and open-source technology. The vision is to empower everyone to be involved in solving business and society’s most compelling challenges.
These applications will aim to solve big problems, from global humanitarian issues such as fighting the pandemic and addressing climate change to business-focused challenges such as helping a bank reduce fraud or a retailer improve its online customer experience.
Through hackathons, participants can explore entrepreneurial approaches, network with fellow innovators, and try out new and emerging technologies like SAS Viya. Additionally, in the process, hackathon teams can create potentially viable applications and products for the marketplace that SAS will assist in developing and commercializing.
The SAS hackathon events are a great way for all people interested in analytics, including SAS customers and technology partners, independent developers, students and startup businesses, to use the SAS Viya analytics platform running on Microsoft Azure to address business and global challenges.
Hackathon teams can be made up of people within an organization, an organization and a technology partner, or an individual looking to join a group.
The hackathon will run throughout March. Finalists will be selected in April and connected with SAS experts for further application development. Winners will be announced at the Virtual SAS Global Forum 2021 in May.
