Real financial data highlights Sparkfestival’s open-data hackathon
- 08 October, 2018 15:13
Aspiring software entrepreneurs will get the chance to use real-world financial and accounting data to shape and test their creations as the NSW Sparkfestival welcomes open-data innovators for a weekend-long hackathon later this month.
The digi.spark hackathon, which will run from 26 to 28 October, will welcome participants for a weekend of open-data development that will see teams formed, ideas formulated, and a series of showcases as the projects take form.
“The opportunity being presented to innovators, entrepreneurs, inventors, idealists, creators, designers and engineers is to create something that is one in a lifetime,” the organisers have said, entreating participants to experiment with building “a new reality, a new disruption, a new business, a new industry for our citizens.”
Geared as a precursor of sorts to the looming open-banking regime that will come into effect next year, the competition’s focus on financial-services applications will see participants given access to a broad range of anonymised data from financial-services data feed provider SISS Data Services.
“Being able to explain and demonstrate open banking, and its future potential to enhance our members’ ability to better manage their finances with real working example, is going to be key to moving from concept and vision to reality,” Holiday Coast Credit Union CEO Neville Parsons said in a statement.
The hackathon will be held at the University of Technology Sydney, with meet-ups and webinars organised during the two weeks prior to help participants understand the format of the competition.
Teams should have an iOS or Android/React Native developer and designer as part of the crew; individuals will be paired up with others having a range of skills.
As well as a steady supply of food, drink, and swag, organisers have promised “industry luminaries and mentors” who will be presenting to keep entrepreneurial juices flowing.
Sponsors have ponied up $25,000 worth of prizes including a trip for 4 to next year’s Alibaba Cloud Conference. The hackathon is part of the broader Spark Festival, which runs from 19 October to 4 November and is designed to foster all kinds of entrepreneurship through a roster of more than 120 events.
Registration is in final days so register now if you’re interested.