April 25, 2026 | San Jose State University, Applied Data Science Department
On April 25, 2026, hundreds of innovators, engineers, and data leaders gathered at San Jose State University’s Applied Data Science Department for the EDGE Hackathon, short for Enterprise Data Architecture and Generative AI. Organized by DAMA San Francisco Bay Area in collaboration with SJSU, and made possible by the generous support of all sponsors and volunteers, the event was equal parts competition and community. It brought together some of the brightest minds in the field for a full day of building, learning, and collaboration, united by a shared belief that the next wave of enterprise transformation will be driven by the intelligent use of data and AI.
Keynote Speakers
Three keynote sessions set the tone for the day, each offering a distinct and valuable perspective on the road ahead for enterprise AI. Simon S.Y. Shim, Chair of the SJSU Department of Applied Data Science, opened with a compelling vision of how generative AI is reshaping enterprise data architecture at scale. Himant Goyal, President of DAMA SF and advisory board member, spoke candidly about the real-world challenges of adopting AI at the enterprise level and what it truly takes to move from pilot to production. Zara Hajihashemi rounded out the lineup with an address that had every attendee leaning forward in their seats, tackling governance, compliance, and the human factors that so often determine whether AI initiatives succeed or stall.
Advisory Board
Shaping the hackathon’s vision was an accomplished advisory board whose expertise spanned data engineering, enterprise architecture, AI research, and product strategy. The board comprised Simon S.Y. Shim, Kamal Mann, Sheetal Tatiya, Prabhav Rathi, Suneeth Maraboina, Vijay Sudhakar, Himant Goyal, and Nikhil Jain. Their active involvement throughout the day ensured participants had access to genuine, senior-level expertise exactly when they needed it, and their guidance gave every team a meaningful framework to build within.
The Challenges and Participation
Teams tackled open-ended briefs across tracks including intelligent data pipelines, AI-assisted decision-making, and generative UI for enterprise dashboards. The briefs were intentionally broad, encouraging participants to identify a real pain point and build something that could plausibly live inside an enterprise environment. Industry leaders, including directors, senior product managers, engineering managers, and senior engineers, actively mentored teams throughout the day. Rigorous evaluation was handled by a team of more than 20 judges drawn from across the industry, whose combined backgrounds in data engineering, AI research, product management, and enterprise architecture ensured every submission received a thorough and fair assessment.
Winning Projects and Winners
After hours of intense building, debugging, and refining, the judges deliberated and the winners were announced. PowerPuffGirls took the Champions title with RelocateIQ, an AI-based home search platform powered by intelligent agents that stood out for its clarity of purpose and technical depth. Sprinters claimed First Runner-Up with a strong and well-rounded submission, while Matrix earned Second Runner-Up for their innovative approach to enterprise data challenges. Agent Architects rounded out the honours with a Highly Commended distinction, recognised for an ambitious and well-executed project. All winning teams earned visibility across the EDGE Hackathon platform and partner networks.
Panel Discussion
One of the standout moments of the day was a panel discussion hosted by John Y. Miller, Vice President of Marketing at DAMA SF. Panelists Sushrut Naik, Sasi Inguva, Lin Yuan, Manish Shah, and Himant Goyal brought a wealth of industry experience to the conversation, covering AI adoption, data strategy, and career paths in a way that was candid, grounded, and refreshingly free of jargon. The discussion sparked genuine dialogue with the audience that continued well beyond the session itself.
Participant Experience
Beyond the competition, EDGE Hackathon was a deeply human experience. Corridors buzzed with conversations about architecture trade-offs, AI ethics, and career paths, with teams openly sharing ideas during breaks and celebrating each other’s progress as much as their own. First-timers found mentors, and veterans found fresh perspectives from newer entrants to the field. One participant summed up the day best:
“The energy in that room was something else. I came in hoping to learn something new and left with a working prototype, three solid connections, and a much clearer sense of where this field is going. Events like this remind you why you got into data in the first place.”
— Participant, EDGE Hackathon 2026
Takeaways and What’s Next
EDGE Hackathon 2026 proved that the intersection of enterprise data architecture and generative AI is fertile ground for innovation. The projects built in a single day demonstrated what becomes possible with the right community, the right challenges, and the right support around them. The quality of thinking on display across every team was a clear signal that this talent pool is maturing fast, and ready to make a real dent in the challenges facing enterprise organisations today. To every student who showed up, built something bold, and put their ideas in front of industry leaders, the future is in good hands. The official recap, project showcases, and highlight reel are available at edgehackathon.com. The EDGE community is only getting started.
For more information, visit edgehackathon.com or follow #EDGEHack2026 on LinkedIn.
