ION, a global provider of trading, analytics, business information and risk management solutions for capital markets, commodities, and treasury management, launched its inaugural global hackathon initiative, ‘ION<athon> 1.0’, in partnership with HackerEarth.
The objective is simple: to welcome the next generation of talent to collaborate with ION’s network of experts to design and develop bold, creative software solutions to tackle real-world challenges facing businesses and society. Through ION 1.0, ION is inviting teams and individuals to challenge convention, showcase their skills without limits, and put forward ideas for industry-transforming technology.
Over 3,000 individuals have already registered for the month-long prototype phase, which starts on 3 March. Challenges have been set around four key themes: ‘Fintech’, ‘Employee Experience’, ‘Social Service’, and ‘Open Innovation’. All participants will have the opportunity to learn under the mentorship of ION’s industry experts, collaborate with like-minded tech enthusiasts from different countries, and demonstrate their skills on a public platform.
Judges will choose the winning concepts, to be announced at the Grande Finale on 14 April. In addition to $6,700 in prizes, successful participants will be put forward for work opportunities at ION, developing industry-shaping products for ION’s global customers.
Sanjay Chikara, Global Head of Talent Acquisition for ION and Country Head in India, said, “ION encourages its employees to be imaginative, view challenges as opportunities to innovate and disrupt, while delivering value to clients. We are delighted to host our first global hackathon as a way to offer talented individuals a taste of the learning and development opportunities within the ION community. We look forward to participating in the process, and uncovering ideas with the potential to change how we live and work for the better.”
Hishaam Caramanli, Group Chief Product Officer, added, “Solving hard business problems with great technology is what we love to do for our clients. Opening our doors to talented people is an essential part of our commitment to continuous innovation. ION provides an amazing opportunity for collaboration with new talent.”
From its origins, ION has recognized that innovation holds the key to transforming how financial markets and their participants operate. The company focuses on automation, digitization, consolidation, visibility, actionable intelligence, and analysis that enable institutions to work and grow more efficiently. Hosting a global hackathon complements this heritage and reflects ION’s ongoing ambition to embrace change for the benefits of its customers and the wider industry.
ION 1.0 is the first in a series of initiatives by ION aligned to its global commitments to encourage creative minds, nurture talent, and create employment opportunities.
Registration for 2022’s ION 1.0 is open until 20 February.