MIT-WPU Team Clinches Top Position at Hackademia 2025

MIT-WPU's team of computer science students demonstrated exceptional talent and innovation at Hackademia, organised by BMC Software, Pune, from 21-24 February 2025. Competing against seven prestigious colleges including MIT AOE, PCCOE, SIT, PICT, VIIT, and Cummins, our team emerged victorious, securing the First Prize in the Group 1 category of this highly competitive hackathon.

Under the expert guidance of mentor Dr. Sumedha Sirsikar, the team of third-year B.Tech Computer Science and Engineering students—Taksh Dhabalia, Ananya Salunkhe, Aditya Kulkarni, and Atharva Ghanekar—developed "Predicto," an innovative solution for predicting customer purchasing patterns. Their winning approach featured a sophisticated machine learning model achieving an impressive 87.24% accuracy using XGBoost technology.

The team created separate interfaces for technical, non-technical, and customer segments, integrated an AI chatbot, and implemented robust security features with authentication mechanisms. What set their solution apart was the combination of cutting-edge technical excellence and business acumen. Their implementation of SHAP values enhanced model interpretability, while comprehensive data visualisation dashboards provided valuable insights into transaction history and customer profiles.

This remarkable achievement highlights MIT-WPU's commitment to nurturing innovation and technical expertise, preparing students to excel in the competitive world of technology and business intelligence.