KSU Sports Innovation Hackathon

February 21–23, 2025
Wilson Student Center
(Marietta Campus)

Kennesaw State University's Office of Research and College of Computing and Software Engineering are partnering with Athletics to lead an interdisciplinary Sports Innovation Hackathon, bringing together students from across the university to solve problems in the following categories:

  • Fan Engagement
  • Athlete Experience
  • Gameday Operations

Students will form into teams (max 4 students) and have from Friday to Sunday to research, investigate, and build an effective solution, which they will submit to a panel of academic and industry judges.

rsvp here!
sports innovation hackathon

Event Itinerary

Friday, February 21, 2025
5:15 – 5:30 p.m.

Welcome Remarks and Summary of Rules

  • Dr. Chris Cornelison, 
    Assistant Vice President for Innovation and Commercialization
  • Wesley Samples, Entrepreneur-in-Residence, HatchBridge Incubator
5:30 – 6:30 p.m.

Panel – KSU Sports Behind the Scenes

  • Colin Ake, Director of Incubation and Commercialization
  • Travis Glasgow, Sr. Associate Athletic Director
  • Joe Skopitz, Executive Director / General Manager of Event and Venue Management 
  • Caroline Cole, KSU Volleyball
6:30 – 7:15 p.m.

Workshop – User Research

  • Presentation by HatchBridge Incubator (Colin Ake & Graham Gintz)
8:00 p.m. Dinner with Athletes and Mentors (User Research)
10:30 p.m. Coffee & Cookie Hour 
11:59 p.m. Team Registration Closes

Location

Wilson Student Center
860 Rossbacher Way
Marietta, GA 30060

 

Saturday, February 22, 2025
10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. All teams are remote building and working

 

Sunday, February 23, 2025
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. Final presentation submitted via Microsoft Teams
11:00 – 11:45 a.m. Lunch provided
11:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Finalists announced
12:00 – 12:15 p.m. Faculty presentation
12:30 – 2:00 p.m.

Finalists judging

  • Dr. Rifatul Islam, Assistant Professor of Computer Science
  • Dr. Lei Zhang, Assistant Professor of Game Development
  • Graham Gintz, Associate Director of Hatchbridge Incubator
  • Ryan McNeil, Former NFL Player and Board Chair of Georgia Sports Innovation Coalition
  • Wesley Samples, Entrepreneur-in-Residence, HatchBridge Incubator
2:00 – 2:15 p.m. The Robin and Doug Shore Entrepreneurship 
and Innovation Center
2:15 p.m. Winners announced