AI & Data Science for Good Hackathon Empowers Students to Support Newcomer Communities

Founder of Awaaz for Refugees, Life Skill Facilitator at Reception House

"For the first time, I saw the Rohingya language, which is so often overlooked, being prioritized at one of the leading universities. Watching the students dedicate their tablet to solving challenges my community has faced for generations was deeply moving. It felt like a powerful step toward recognition, inclusion and hope for our future."

Community Initiatives Projects Manager, Reception House

"We were delighted to collaborate with the University of Waterloo, Waterloo.AI, the Futures of Work Institute, and Wat.AI to co-organize this Hackathon. The creativity and brilliance we saw were genuinely inspiring. What we valued most was the magic that happens when people unite: students courageously imagining certain solutions to real-world challenges which newcomers face, universities providing wisdom and encouragement, and communities reminding us why this work matters. It’s through this shared purpose that ideas transform into meaningful, real-world impact. We are very thankful to have worked together on this important event!"

 Lead DBA, Take-Two Interactive Software Inc.

"It was a pleasure serving as a judge at the AI & Data Science for Social Good Hackathon. I was particularly impressed by how teams approached real-world challenges of new immigrants with a strong focus on data quality, scalability, and practical implementation. It’s encouraging to see emerging talent not only innovate, but also think critically about how AI can drive meaningful impact. Events like this highlight the growing importance of building reliable, data-driven solutions for the future."

WAT.ai Co-Founder

"Amazing work from all of the attending students! Huge thanks to Reception House and Waterloo.AI for making this possible! I was very impressed with all of the innovative AI4Good solutions that students came up with for the Rohingya community. Beyond just technical solutions, the top teams were able to demonstrate out-of-the-box thinking to accommodate learners from all English and education levels. I think this hackathon shows that interdisciplinary teams and deep problem-solving will win at AI. I hope everyone is looking forward to the next hackathon!"