So after having a wonderful experience from 17th Softcom 2016, we were back again to GIKI for the 18th Softcom by having a slide change that, this time the Softcom was powered by SPS.
So, the 18th Softcom 2018 boost up on Friday eve on the 23rd of February in a wonderful weather with a great opening ceremony;
Participants from all over the Pakistan participate in Softcom with full energy and passion to do some great really awesome. This was the 18th Softcom which was held first time in 2000 and since then GIKI has been holding this event regularly every year in which hundreds of participant from all over the Pakistan take a part with full preparation. These three days filled with learning, fun, enjoyment, thrill and competition, participants have an experience of the lifetime that is worth remembering for them.
The fire that starts on Friday eve continues till the Sunday eve on closing ceremony and people left with great learning and lot of memories and motivation that will stay with them throughout their lives. Everybody was highly enthusiastic about their role in Softcom and for us, their passion was encouraging to boost their energy for continuous three days. So, during the sessions along with technical and mentorial concepts, we were pushing everybody to keep motivated for their tasks.
#Day-1
- Blockchain Hackathon – Day#1;
So just like the previous year, this was the major part of Softcom. It continued on all three days of Softcom. Participants give their best to build something outstanding in the very limited time. The most interesting thing is that most of the people don’t even know about the Blockchain before perhaps they start understanding from the very first session from us and give their best to execute their projects for next 48-Hours according to the plan from our side.
Blockchain Hackathon starts with a detailed JumpStart session on Design Thinking and Blockchain;
- During the design thinking session, I also explained the whole plan to participants for next days of Hackathon;
- During the Bilal Session, I was continuously coordinating from the stage and responding all queries raised by the participants;
The participants were focusing on their tasks which they needed to perform. Everyone was highly curious to learn about Blockchain and eager to learn about how that could work with their ideas and projects.
The sessions on day-1 continue till 2:30 AM night. And we asked participants to work upon their ideas whole night so at morning we can give them their solution from Blockchain accordingly.
Few participants back to their rooms to rest perhaps most of them were continuously sitting there asking questions to Bilal and me about the Blockchain and further steps…
So, that’s how we conclude our Day#1. : – )
#Day-2
The second day of Softcom starts with the full momentum from early morning. Everyone was highly excited and participants all set to put their best into it.
- Blockchain Hackathon – Day#2;
The second day of Blockchain Hackathon was all about the implementation of ideas. Participant teams who worked upon their ideas whole night, back to us early morning for the brainstorming and solution from the Blockchain Hyperledger Fabric.
Participants were all set with their dev environment at the beginning of Day#2. So after setting up, we started the One-to-One Mentorship session with each team. As we asked them to choose idea from the domain of Education, Travel, Health and Corporate/Banks. So they finalized their ideas in the meeting and set a complete roadmap how they are going to execute that before the Hackathon conclusion.
During the one-to-one mentorship sessions;
- Each Team discusses their ideas in detail with us.
- Finalized an Ideas and get a complete roadmap to execute.
All the other competitions also started in Day#2 including;
- Speed Programming Competition.
This was the major event of Day#2 that captures the attention of everyone. Teams work so hard to resolve the problems given to them.
- Quiz Competition.
- Startup Competiton.
- Designing Competition.
- SPS TechTalk | “Innovation”
During the second half of Day#2, everyone was all set for the SPS TechTalk. Paul Lebar (VP Innovation) joined us from Washington-DC. The agenda of the TechTalk was “Innovation”;
We had a large audience in the hall eager to know about Innovative tools and technologies.
Here is the recording of the TechTalk;
During the last part of our TechTalk we talked about Cognitive;
- Theme Dinner
The theme dinner was organized for the Softcom Participants and organizers. Everybody was there with theme dressing. For everyone especially for Hackathon participants, this was the great relief as were running through an extremely busy day. It gives us some time to relax and meet people. I also got a chance to interact with faculty and students during the dinner.
- Hackathon Night | Da Night
The Day-2 was never ended for us, after the Theme Dinner, we were back to Hackathon with our participants. They were working with full concentration as they have to submit deliverables till the Day-3 midday.
So although we had rainy cold weather outside, we had Hackathon running with full heat. Participants were working upon their project whole night. And I was standing at the front of them, boosting their Moral… : – )
#MostMemorableMoments
Late night, when most of the Softcom participants and teams were sleeping, Hackathon participants were working on their projects. I was there with them throughout the night. Some of the participants complete their most of the project during that time and showing me their working stuff.
At 6:30 in the morning, I asked participants to have a quick Powernap (as I was also awaking for more than 24hours, so also required a peaceful powernap) and join us back around 10 AM. Perhaps most of them were continually working upon their projects…
So, that’s how our day#2 dissolve into day#3.
#Day-3
- Blockchain Hackathon – Day#3;
So, we were moving towards the climax of the Blockchain Hackathon. Participants teams who spend their all efforts upon their projects were concluding their projects for the showtime.
And finally, we conclude the Cognitive Hackathon ask participants to submit the deliverables.
- Hackathon Final Pitches;
So, participants were all set to present their great project which they were developed
So, all teams show us their great work. All of them could be set as winner perhaps on the basis of the points we had following results;
- Team Arrow, Project: “Tabeeb” (Winner)
- Green Team, Project “Flight Insurance” (RunnerUp)
- Developers_007, Project “Easy Traveler” (RunnerUp)
For me, the best thing about the Presentations was that; three days ago the participants who were sitting without even knowing “What is Blockchain, standing now with complete Blockchain Projects.
Closing Ceremony;
And finally, we move to the Closing Ceremony. Everybody was there for Results announcement.
- So we had our Blockchain Hackathon winners with us, “Team Arrow”;
- Our Runner-Up, “Green Team“;
- And our Runner-Up, “Developers_007“;
- Also, Outstanding Participation, “RoundCube Labs“;
Credits:
This big event was executed so well due to the great hard work ACM GIKI team. Perhaps most importantly for us this team of Fantastic#4;
- Bilal Qureshi (SPS Ambassador for Softcom), he was Leading Hackathon with us on day timings;
- Abdul Mutaal Azhar (SPS Ambassador for Softcom), he was Leading Hackathon with us on evening timings;
- Shanza Hameed (SPS Ambassador for Softcom), she was leading all the actions from management side that we required to perform throughout the Hackathon;
- Most importantly Safi Ahsan (President ACM GIKI), he did the major work from Softcom side to organized the Blockchain Hackathon;
- Dr Masroor Hussain (Incharge High-Performance Computing), he was leading and managing everything from GIKI;
That this point, I really want to mention “Bilal Arshad (The Invisible Mentor)“, who was Physically unvisible throughout the Hackathon perhaps without whom it was impossible for me to go with Blockchain theme in the Softcom. So the true credit and applause goes to him;
So finally, we conclude 18th Softcom 2018 successfully, with lots of memories and tears… : – )
For me this was the wonderful event. Although we had a challenge on Day#1, due to proxy server we quite stuck with the blockchain VM, that waist our lot of time, other than that everything was fine
