TBS Education Hackathon 2024: When Innovation Meets Professional Development
Each year, TBS Education offers its students a unique experience blending innovation and professional development: the Hackathon. For the 2024 edition, MSc Data Science & Artificial Intelligence and MSc Digital Transformation & Business Innovation program students worked on the theme: “Generative AI for Wellness: Personalizing Pierre Fabre Solutions.” This event perfectly illustrates TBS Education’s commitment to preparing students to address contemporary challenges while combining academic knowledge with practical application.
A Strategic Partnership for an Innovative Challenge
To professionalize its students, TBS Education collaborates with renowned industry partners through its Hackathon. This year, Microsoft and Pierre Fabre bring their expertise to provide a professionally enriching experience for the students.
Microsoft is the educational partner for the event, introducing its generative AI tool, Copilot Studio, to enable students to create innovative solutions. The company is also providing expert staff to provide technical support.
Pierre Fabre, a key actor in the healthcare sector, is taking on the role of client by proposing a concrete problem, data, and technical support for the event.
‘Pierre Fabre is already a partner of TBS Education and, specifically these days, our company is a partner of this hackathon which, for us, is part of an inter-partner approach as Microsoft is our technical partner and TBS Education is one of our academic partners.’ Clara THIBAULT.
The Centre of Excellence for Artificial Intelligence & Business Analytics will also be taking part. This is a real asset for students, enhancing both their professional and academic experience.
‘The Centre of Excellence in AI and Business Analytics is TBS Education’s reference point for the development of training, multidisciplinary research and collaboration around artificial intelligence, mainly involving teachers, students and numerous industrial and academic partners. This Hackathon specifically highlights the current theme of generative AI, in collaboration with Microsoft and Pierre Fabre, offering students a concrete opportunity to acquire practical skills and come face to face with the realities of the field.’ TCHUENTE Dieudonné, TBS Education Professor-researcher
Hands-On Learning with Generative AI
The main objective is to immerse students in a concrete and stimulating professional environment, while offering them skills that can be deployed on the job market.
Students explore the use of generative AI to produce solutions adapted to contemporary issues, the structuring and exploitation of data to feed artificial intelligence, and the creation of a product or service that meets the needs of an entrepreneurial client. This approach enables them to gain first-hand experience, which is essential for their future careers.
‘We proposed various themes and in the end it was a marketing and consumer- focused theme that was chosen, as it was the most in tune with the different classes present today. We also made data available to the students and provided support during the hackathon through coaching, not technological support, but rather around data.’ Clara THIBAULT
Hackathon program
The Hackathon 2024 was held from 9 to 13 December in Toulouse, on the TBS Education campus. This intensive program combines masterclasses, working sessions and final presentations in front of a panel of experts.
Day 1: Inspiration
The first day allows students to attend talks on technological trends and market challenges, followed by a presentation of the issues by Pierre Fabre. A masterclass led by Microsoft on the principles of generative AI and the use of Copilot Studio, followed by a fun integration session, is also offered to the students.
Day 2: Ideation
Teams dive into the world of prompt engineering through workshops and mentorship provided by Microsoft and Pierre Fabre. They begin crafting their prototypes, exploring innovative solutions aligned with the provided data.
Day 3: Execution
On the third day, students test their low-fidelity prototypes, guided by expert mentors and TBS faculty, ensuring a solid foundation for their solutions.
Day 4: Validation
During the validation phase, students test their prototypes with potential clients and gather feedback to refine their solutions. They also receive training on pitching techniques to effectively present their projects.
Day 5: Pitch Day
The final day culminates in project presentations before a jury comprising representatives from TBS Education, Microsoft, and Pierre Fabre. This step showcases students’ ability to address real-world challenges with innovative solutions.
An enriching experience
In addition to the academic aspect of the event, students also benefit from a highly professionalising experience, working with companies such as Microsoft and Pierre Fabre, and participating in the resolution of a real issue.
‘What I got out of this event was the energy of students, their understanding and interpretation of the subjects. They bring a lot of new approaches to the issues and come up with solutions that are off the beaten track. This freshness provides me with an enriching experience, both from a marketing point of view and from the approach, and, finally, from the perspective of data processing and how that data can be used. It also helps, and I say this with a lot of conviction, to strengthen their resumes, because, in a few days, they have a concrete case to think about, and that is valued by employers. It takes them away from theory and brings them back to a practical level, where they are faced with a customer. I think it’s also a good way for them to get their first real-life experience. ‘ Clara THIBAULT
Conclusion
By leveraging real-world tools and challenges, the TBS Education Hackathon stands out as a pivotal step in shaping future professionals. It reflects the school’s educational philosophy: blending academic excellence, technological innovation, and real-world immersion.
This unique experience offers students much more than an academic project—it equips them to tackle the challenges of their future careers with confidence and expertise.
The Hackathon is part of one of TBS Education’s main objectives, which is to professionalise its students and strengthen its links with renowned companies by proposing solutions adapted to their needs.
This unique experience offers students much more than just an academic project: it prepares them to meet future professional challenges with confidence and expertise.