Johannesburg, 30 Jul 2024
DVT, a global software and data engineering company, in partnership with Investec, successfully hosted a hackathon on Saturday, 20 July 2024. The event brought together talented developers, designers and innovators from both organisations to tackle pressing technological challenges and create groundbreaking solutions.
The hackathon, held at Investec's offices in Sandton, provided a platform for participants to showcase their skills and collaborate on innovative projects. The event's theme centred on leveraging cutting-edge AI/ML technologies, including OpenAI's GPT-4, to develop impactful applications.
"We are incredibly grateful to the Investec team for their exceptional hospitality and support throughout the event," says DVT's delivery executive Ronnie Cloete. "The hackathon was an amazing opportunity for our teams to learn, grow and have fun while creating solutions that can make a real-world impact."
The main attraction of the event was the announcement of the winning team. They created a Secure Parental Control Card using Investec's programmable banking APIs. This groundbreaking app offers parents powerful tools to monitor and control their children's spending in real-time. It includes dynamic spending limits, transaction triggers, usage restrictions and educational insights.
Projects were judged on tech innovation, design, implementation, market potential and presentation. The winning team members were:
- Richard Hudson
- Caitlin Robinson
- Kaitlyn Sookdhew
- Marco Van Der Merwe
- Sebastian Jacobs
- Simangele Mathenjwa
- Anas Ahmed Khan
Their project was developed using Swift UIKit for the UI, integrated with Investec's sandbox API and OpenAI API, and rapidly prototyped in Figma. They also created a Dockerhub repo for easy deployment.
"We are exceptionally proud of the winning team and all the participants who showcased their creativity and technical expertise," adds Cloete. "The event truly demonstrated the power of collaboration and the innovation potential when talented individuals from different fields are brought together."
The Investec team was equally enthusiastic about the event. Devina Maharaj, Head of API Channel at Investec SA, says: "Our API team loved the experience, and we were all blown away at the focus, competitive spirit and real gusto that is obvious in the DVT culture. These are essential ingredients in fostering a technology environment that has the potential to transform lives and industries, and ensure a future for generations to thrive."
"A core value within the Investec brand is supporting and empowering talented individuals from all walks of life," Kuberan Naidoo, Team Leader of Acquisition Banking at Investec Private Bank, adds. "It was a privilege to be exposed to a workforce and culture at DVT that so many aspire to, and it is the type of technology talent that we have seen at this event that is fuelling optimism for the future of our local and global economy. We remain committed to investing in and elevating this talent to new and exciting levels."
Investec's dedication to supporting the participants was evident on the day and in the lead-up to the event. To keep their energy levels high, the DVT team was treated to an array of refreshments, such as breakfast, lunch, popcorn, chocolates and Red Bull drinks. The event concluded with a networking session where participants could unwind and celebrate their achievements over drinks and snacks.
"We are thrilled with the outcome of the hackathon and look forward to many more successful collaborations with Investec," concludes Cloete.
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