Four Queen Mary design students were invited by Hackmasters to take part in their Innovation Hack in Chicago this June.

Hosted in conjuction with EY, a global technology insights company committed to “building a better working world,” the hackathon explored the future of retail and consumer products, challenging participants to develop innovative business models for these industries.

Design, Innovation and Creative Engineering (DICE) students Faaria Ali, Georgina Cole, and Lucas Parrilla Santander were joined by Lily Montague from the School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, who is collaborating with DICE students on a third-year design project.

Through hands-on activities and workshops, the team worked alongside industry experts and professionals, brainstorming and shaping forward-thinking business ideas.

Reflecting on his experience, Lucas said:

“It very much gave me the skills to organise and communicate more efficiently and proactively. Additionally, working with people who are very experienced, up to an executive level, and respected within their industries was not only extremely fun and engaging, but also provided me with different mindsets, approaches, and ways of thinking. It has been one of the best academic/professional experiences that I’ve participated in so far.”

Lily added:

"The hack was an inspiring meeting of minds. It was powerful to be in a room with so many different perspectives and specialities. And so much fun!"

Following the Chicago event, the students participated in an additional hackathon in London, where they collaborated with creative teams of animators and videographers to further develop their product and service designs.

Hackmasters has a strong track record of engaging Queen Mary students in its global events. Previously, several design students took part in Hackmasters Dubai - where Sarah Bailey and Zayna Ahmed won the Ecology Challenge.