Torqata announced that it, in partnership with sponsors American Tire Distributors (ATD), Google Cloud, and Continental, will host the ‘Reinvent the Wheel’ Hackathon 2.0 on Nov. 11, at ATD’s headquarters in Huntersville, North Carolina. The 24-hour competition invites college students and professionals specializing in data science at all experience levels to develop sustainable solutions that reduce the environmental impact of the tire and automotive aftermarket industry.
The inaugural ‘Reinvent the Wheel’ Hackathon, held in 2019, attracted 85 participants across 17 teams. After postponements due to the pandemic, Torqata says this year’s hackathon returns with cash prizes, a newly redesigned venue at ATD Headquarters and perks on-site. During the event, the data science and engineering minds will be organized into 20 teams and challenged to drive sustainability in the automotive aftermarket by optimizing pick-up logistics for recycled tire feedstock.
While all applications are welcome, Torqata says the challenge requires skills in coding (R/Python), data visualization, data science, and some basic programming knowledge. After 24 hours of coding, mini-challenges, and giveaways, each team will pitch its solution to a panel of judges. The top three teams will be selected, followed by an awards presentation for the winners with local Charlotte businesses, industry leaders and media in attendance.
“During the first hackathon, we were blown away by the immense talent from even the youngest participants,” said Tim Eisenmann, Chief Executive Officer of Torqata. “Climate change is an undeniable reality, and these data scientists are in a unique position to help solve perhaps one of the biggest problems our industry faces.”
Torqata is seeking applications from teams and individuals who want to be added to teams through Saturday, Oct. 1. Participants can apply here.
