On October 24, 2024, the Station FinTech Montréal hosted the final round of the very first Asset Management Hackathon organized by FIAM in academic partnership with McGill Desautels Faculty of Management — an innovative event that brought together emerging talent in finance and technology. After an intense competition, Team VolSkew took home first place, followed by QUARCC and Quantum Alpha, who earned second and third place, respectively.

VolSkew, made up of Jonathan Campana, Antoine Chartrand-Deniger, Alexandre Lamarche, Akaash Mitsakakis-Nath, and Antoine Paradis, represented McGill University and HEC Montréal. Their innovative approach to portfolio construction, using advanced artificial intelligence techniques, earned them the top prize.

In second place, QUARCC consisted of Kenny Chavez, Lucas Cielo Miranda, Nicholas Cook, Casey Jussaume, and Valentino Magniette-Bosseboeuf from Concordia University. Their creative strategy and strong command of big data impressed the jury.

Quantum Alpha claimed third place. The team — Qingnan Li, Manas Manoj Bedekar, Sansitha Panchadsaram, Yinan Wang, and Tony Xu — all from McGill University, stood out for their effective use of machine learning to optimize stock selection.

This Hackathon showcased the immense potential of the next generation to reshape asset management through technology and innovation. The finalist teams demonstrated remarkable expertise, pointing to a promising future for finance.

The 2024 edition was just the beginning… we look forward to pushing the boundaries of innovation even further next year.

The first edition of the Asset Management Hackathon, organized by FIAM in academic partnership with McGill’s Desautels Faculty of Management, was a resounding success. The event brought together 50 carefully selected participants from a large pool of applicants across Canada and abroad. Over two days, these emerging talents showcased their ingenuity, discipline, and creativity to tackle complex financial challenges using artificial intelligence and Big Data.

The event enjoyed strong academic reach, with 22 universities represented, highlighting the growing interest in innovation within asset management. To guide the teams throughout the competition, 11 mentors from both industry and academia offered valuable insights and support.

Finally, 13 distinguished judges evaluated the projects, ensuring a rigorous and professional selection of the most promising solutions. This first edition sets the stage for a flagship event at the intersection of finance, technology, and strategic innovation in the years to come.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this success. See you in 2025 for the next edition!