Innovation takes flight

Discover how the Cathay Hackathon fosters Digital & IT innovation and youth development.

The final of the Cathay Hackathon 2024 was held in Shenzhen – the Greater Bay Area’s globally renowned high-tech hub. The flagship tech event for young innovators attracted record applications from university students in Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and overseas, with 300 students in 74 teams competing in the 24-hour online Development Day to create, refine, prototype, and pitch their ideas to a panel of industry experts. Ten teams were then shortlisted to enter the final round and showcase their concepts to Cathay’s senior management.

The winning team, GingTrip, from Hong Kong, pitched a concept to automate recycling and waste sorting on HK Express flights, via a modular trolley backed by data analytics systems. On top of great prizes, the team will have fast-track access to ideation funding from incubation programmes, and to Cathay’s Digital & IT Summer Internship and Graduate Trainee programmes.