Team with a ‘vision for the future’ wins Matrix Hackathon

Innovative, future‑focused ideas were to the fore at Matrix NI’s “Hack to the Future” hackathon.

Delivered as part of the NI Science Festival, the one‑day event was hosted to encourage collaboration between students, technologists, and future‑thinkers, using evidence‑based Matrix foresight research as a foundation for ideas, with the potential to influence policy, innovation and society in the years ahead.

Robert Hill (Matrix, Chair) opened the event stating:
“We are inviting participants to develop solutions inspired by Matrix foresight research, exploring how technology and data can help shape Northern Ireland’s future in 2050 and beyond.”

Following a day of intensive collaboration, pitching and presentations the winning team ‘MindLens’ was announced.  Team members, Ambrish Muniraju, Yashwanth Mahesh, and Sourav Janbandu are three friends who all graduated from Queen’s University with a Masters in Business Analytics.

They impressed judges with a real time visual processing system designed for AR smart glasses, that help those living with a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) to manage visual sensory overload. A debilitating condition affecting up to 90% of the 42 million people who suffer concussions worldwide each year.  The MindLens solution could help support rehabilitation after a traumatic brain injury. The team are keen to transition the platform to wearable AR glasses integrated with biometric sensors.

The runners‑up award was presented to Queflex, developed by Amar Deep Shukia, Nishant Patel and Ajay Sai Kummara. Their solution aimed to eradicate shop queues through smarter digital coordination, improving efficiency, customer experience and sustainability outcomes for both retailers and shoppers.

The People’s Vote for Best Presentation was awarded to TravelKind, a solution that focused on supporting tourism by identifying congestion at popular destinations and recommending optimal times to visit, helping manage visitor flow and enhance the overall tourist experience.  Team members were Gail Cook, Su Jean NG, Oisin Toner, Matthew Qua Jin Chuan and Siddhartha Srivastava.

Judges Rebecca Walsh (Matrix), Beth McEvoy (QUB), Jill Shaw (Matrix), Brendan Lowry (Matrix) also commended the breadth and quality of ideas presented throughout the hackathon. Each concept demonstrated creative approaches to challenges spanning health and wellbeing, sustainability, safety, and mobility, reflecting the ambition and capability of participants to address real‑world issues through innovation.

The event was kindly sponsored by: Ulster University, Queen’s University Belfast, and NI SPACE.