Hareem Khalid
Staying true to its commitment to empowering Pakistan’s next generation of talent through real-world problem-solving, Confiz proudly sponsored the 16th PSIFI Event under the HACKX competitions, showcasing innovation and brilliance in Website Development, Coding, Mechanical Engineering, AI, and more. This event was organized by The Society for Promotion and Development of Engineering and Science (SPADES), the largest student-led science Olympiad in LUMS.
This year’s PSIFI, held from December 26th to December 29th, 2024, featured a range of engaging competitions and activities to encourage innovation and problem-solving in the STEM and creative fields, attracting over 300 participants from esteemed institutions such as FCCU, NUST, GIKI, and Kinnaird College, all eager to push boundaries and showcase their skills. The HACKX competitions served as the centerpiece of PSIFI’s practical competitions.
For its 2024 edition, HACKX featured three distinct challenges, each designed to test the technical expertise and creativity of the participants. Three of our visionary Data and AI experts had the honor of serving as judges for these competitions. The challenges and their respective judges were as follows:
- AI Nexus: An artificial intelligence challenge judged by Naufil Hassan, Principal Data Scientist at Confiz.
- Code Rumble: A coding challenge evaluated by Rohail Usman, Project Manager at Confiz.
- Web Shark: A web development challenge judged by Muhammad Mujtaba Shahid, Associate Project Manager at Confiz.
Confiz proudly contributed to the event with a generous sponsorship of PKR 300,000, while also lending expertise through its judges and workshop facilitators. Through this sponsorship, we not only supported the competition but also enriched the experience for participants, offering them exposure to industry expertise and insights. Confiz further strengthened its partnership with SPADES by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to provide ongoing support to SPADES and its initiatives, creating pathways for young talent to grow and excel.
The 16th PSIFI HACKX competition was a four-day event, with each day offering unique opportunities for learning and collaboration:
Day 1: Kickoff and collaboration
The event kicked off with an opening ceremony that set the stage for the competition. Participants were introduced to the problem statements for AI Nexus, Code Rumble, and Web Shark, igniting their creativity and determination along with opportunities to collaborate and network.
Day 2: Innovation in action
The second day of the event focused on participants diving into their problem statements, showcasing their creativity and technical skills. The day also featured a thought-provoking panel discussion among students and a lively concert to energize the participants.
The concert featured two incredible artists, Maanu and Mustafa Zahid, who captivated the audience with their performances. Their energy had everyone swaying, cheering, and celebrating together, while seamlessly highlighting all the sponsor logos throughout the concert.
Day 3: Solution refinement and skill building
The participants delved deeper into their projects, refining solutions to align with the challenges. Additionally, the day featured a three-hour workshop on DevOps Essentials led by Hira Nisar, Machine Learning Engineer at Confiz; and Afroz Amjad, Software Architect at Confiz. This session showcased Confiz’s global expertise while emphasizing the pivotal role of DevOps and cloud technologies in powering the cutting-edge solutions it delivers.
Day 4: The grand finale
The final day focused on project submissions, where teams presented their work to the judges. Engaging in live discussions, the judges explored technical details, asked insightful questions, and provided valuable feedback.
The day transitioned seamlessly into the evaluation phase, where the judges meticulously reviewed each project against predefined criteria. The evening was reserved for celebration as the much-anticipated award ceremony recognized the winners. The champion and runner-up teams of each competition were honored with cash prizes – PKR 75,000 for the winner and PKR 25,000 for the runner-up – sponsored by Confiz. The judges presented the awards and commended the participants for their creativity and technical brilliance, as well as appreciated the SPADES and LUMS management for their spectacular organization of a fantastic event.
The 16th PSIFI’s HACKX competition was a vibrant showcase of the talent and creativity brimming within Pakistan’s youth. Confiz’s active involvement in the event highlighted our role as a catalyst for innovation and a champion for future leaders.
This dedication to fostering young talent is not limited to a single event. With initiatives like HACKX, Confiz continues to fuel its mission to mentor, inspire, empower, and transform the next generation of tech professionals.
