In May, NayaOne had the privilege of powering the technology behind a four-week innovation hackathon hosted at Iona University, in partnership with the LaPenta School of Business and Valley Bank.
While the event may have ended, it’s something we still talk about – and for good reason.
The hackathon brought together 32 business and computer science students, faculty, and industry leaders in a unique, hands-on collaboration that mirrored the kind of cross-functional problem-solving seen in today’s most forward-looking financial institutions. Over the course of four weeks, teams worked under real constraints to tackle real challenges – and they did it with energy, creativity, and ambition.
Real Challenges. Real-Time Innovation.
Too often, hackathons can feel abstract-focused more on experimentation than actual implementation. This one was different.
Participants were given access to a version of the NayaOne platform, enabling them to test and validate ideas in an environment that mirrors enterprise-grade innovation cycles. From ideation to prototype, the teams had to think not just about what could work, but what would actually work in the real world:
→ Can it scale?
→ Is it secure?
→ Would it pass regulatory scrutiny?
→ Does it solve a problem that matters?
The solutions that emerged were diverse – tackling the challenge of predicting treasury customer churn through machine learning models, customer risk scoring, and proactive retention strategies – all grounded in real-world data and business context.
What Stood Out: Mindset Over Mechanism
What continues to resonate with us is not just the outcomes, but the mindset of the participants.
These students didn’t approach the challenge with hesitation. They embraced constraints, asked the right questions, and showed a level of systems thinking that’s rare – especially in early-career technologists. It’s the kind of thinking the financial industry needs more of: bold, practical, and grounded in outcomes.
Why It Matters
At NayaOne, our mission is to accelerate innovation in financial services by creating the infrastructure that turns ideas into tested, trusted solutions. Events like this reinforce why that mission matters.
The next generation of technologists, designers, and business thinkers is already here. They’re curious. They’re collaborative. And when given the right tools and environment, they can deliver far more than just code – they can deliver change.
What's Next?
We’re incredibly grateful to Iona University, the LaPenta School of Business, and Valley Bank for inviting us to be part of this initiative. Their commitment to bridging education, technology, and real-world impact made this event a true success.
And while the hackathon may be over, the momentum it created is just beginning.
Run a hackathon with NayaOne – and turn big challenges into real-world solutions, fast.
