The 2023 Eccles Salesforce Ideathon showcased the excitement, knowledge, and passion of Eccles students for technology and problem-solving.

Competing across twenty-one teams, these students showcased their skills in designing and building Salesforce chatbots to address real-world business challenges. The event, hosted by the Information Systems major, concluded with five teams winning cash prizes and one student securing an internship on the spot.

Among the standout participants was the first-place team, who shared their experiences and insights in a post-competition interview. Dawson Bertuzzi and Christina Dong expressed their excitement and surprise at winning first place, despite facing several technical challenges during their presentation. Dawson shared how they managed to handle the pressure and adapt on the fly, particularly when their chatbot encountered issues during the live demo. Christina took the initiative to engage the judges and make the demo more interactive, ensuring that their presentation remained impactful.

The judges were particularly impressed with the team’s implementation of error handling, a complex feature given the short timeframe and the intricacies of Salesforce bots. This attention to detail and commitment to quality paid off, earning them high praise from the judges.

When asked about the most challenging aspect of the project, the team cited the time constraints and the steep learning curve associated with mastering a new technology in just seven to ten days. Balancing their coursework and part-time jobs, they dedicated approximately 15 to 20 hours to brainstorming, learning, and refining their chatbot.

Despite the hurdles, the team found the Salesforce infrastructure to be robust and user-friendly, enabling them to create a functional chatbot without extensive coding. They encouraged future participants to embrace the challenge and not be deterred by the competitive nature of the event, emphasizing that growth often comes from stepping out of one’s comfort zone.

Reflecting on their experience, the team rated it highly, acknowledging the difficulties but also the immense satisfaction of overcoming them. They proved to themselves that even without prior experience in machine learning or natural language processing, they could quickly learn and apply new skills to produce a successful project.

The 2023 Eccles Salesforce Ideathon not only provided valuable learning experiences but also fostered a sense of accomplishment and confidence among the participants. The event highlighted the potential of Eccles students to innovate and excel in the rapidly evolving field of technology.

Congratulations to our 2023 Eccles Salesforce Chatbot IDEAthon winners!

First-Place Team:

Team Interview Video
Team 21
Dawson Bertuzzi
Christina Dong

Second-Place Team:

Team 20
Michelle Kerven
Loc Nguyen

Third-Place Team:

Team 17
Annabella Miller
Misha Gupta
Simon Hong

 

Most Surprising

Team 11
Matt Sebahar
Kunal Kamtekar

 

Best Presentation

Team 7
Logan Bogesvang
Mary Cologna
Spencer Cologna