The HackAIThon - AI in Fintech: The Power of Personalization in Cyprus, June 15-16, focused on harnessing AI to create personalised fintech solutions. The event united more than 100 innovators, including developers, financial experts, data scientists and cybersecurity professionals, from around the globe. The participants tackled categories such as financial education, trading chatbots, customised trading experiences, voice-activated assistants, social networks, and AR/VR environments, aiming to transform user experiences in finance.
As I spend my summer holidays in Cyprus, I try to attend all the technology events there. Given my familiarity with Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence through multiple modules in my course and my dissertation project, along with my summer internship experience in 2023 at XM, a forex company, I saw the opportunity to attend this hackathon and took it.”
Andreas Evripidou
Andreas said: “As I spend my summer holidays in Cyprus, I try to attend all the technology events there. Given my familiarity with Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence through multiple modules in my course and my dissertation project, along with my summer internship experience in 2023 at XM, a forex company, I saw the opportunity to attend this hackathon and took it.”
The only representative from the University of Sheffield, Andreas collaborated with a diverse team of developers, financial experts and designers from many different countries including Cyprus, Egypt, Hong Kong and Greece.
He and his team developed FinBot, a personalised AI-powered trading assistant designed to simplify trading for inexperienced users. FinBot enables trades through natural language, targeting the low trust and high intimidation barriers of traditional trading platforms. It provides an intuitive, user-friendly interface that guides users in their trading journey, enhances user confidence and engagement, and ensures a seamless experience. Their project was awarded with a non monetary prize of €2,500.
Andreas added: “The idea came to me a few days before the hackathon. As someone new to managing finances and investing, I found traditional trading platforms confusing. When I tried to buy stocks online, the interface was overwhelming. That’s when I remembered my dissertation project on a voice-controlled system for databases, supervised by Professor Rob Gaizauskas. I thought, why not adapt this technology to help people trade using natural language commands?”
“I thoroughly enjoyed participating in the FinTech HackAIthon. It was an incredible opportunity to apply my knowledge of Machine Learning and AI from my coursework and internship experiences. Developing FinBot was particularly rewarding. The hackathon itself was extremely organised, and the venue was incredible. The talks and workshops by experienced industry professionals from well-known companies were highly informative and inspiring.”
The event opened with a speech by Mr. Demetris Skourides, the Chief Scientist for Research, Innovation, and Technology of the Republic of Cyprus. More than 70 participants and over 150 guests had the opportunity to witness a unique hackathon experience. It combined intensive coding sessions with public keynote speeches and workshops, creating a dynamic and inclusive environment for learning and innovation.
After a rigorous selection process, 10 out of 24 teams advanced to the final round and pitched their ideas in front of the judges. The judges, a panel of industry experts from leading technology and financial organisations, were very impressed by the innovative solutions presented at the hackathon.
HackAIThon - AI in Fintech: The Power of Personalization was organised by Quadcode, a company renowned for its innovative solutions in the fintech sector. Quadcode specialises in developing advanced trading platforms, financial software, and other tech solutions aimed at enhancing the financial industry.
The event was sponsored by ECOMMBX as the Quantum Sponsor and AdTech Holding and Roosh Circle as the Silver Sponsors, with additional support from Capacitor Partners and TechIsland as community partners.