Computer Science Students Win GDGoC Hackathon 2026 with AI-driven Learning Platform

Two second-year Computer Science undergraduates, Muhammad Ahmad Nadeem and Maryam Khan, competing as Team Misc., have received the champion award at GDGoC (Google Developer Groups on Campus) Hackathon 2026 for their innovative AI project titled ATLAS (Autonomous Agentic Learning Platform).

Competing against more than 250 applicants from Hong Kong’s leading institutions, Team Misc. from HKBU advanced to the final eight and ultimately secured the first place in the intensive 24-hour hackathon. In this competition, participants were challenged to leverage Google technologies and AI to address real-world challenges across the domains of Health, Education, and Welfare.

Team Misc.’s winning solution, ATLAS, excelled in the Education pillar by reimagining the limitations of Traditional Learning Management Systems. Rather than passively tracking progress, the platform features a proactive AI-native autonomous tutor that continuously monitors student learning progress and provides timely interventions to ensure no learner is left behind.

Built on a custom five-level urgency state machine and neural search integration via Exa AI, the platform operates through an iterative Observe → Evaluate → Decide → Act cycle. It dynamically assigns personalised “Recovery Quests” and curated resources tailored to each student’s unique learning needs.

Despite challenges including sleep deprivation, cross-border travel, and technical setbacks during the live pitch, Team Misc. impressed judges with their resilience, technical depth, and creativity. The team credited their success to the guidance of their mentors, Hedy L. and Ekramul Haque Khan, whose expertise and encouragement proved instrumental throughout the project.

Reflecting on the experience, Muhammad shared, “Build when you’re tired. Build when the HDMI port doesn’t work. Build on the bus. The ‘Agentic’ mindset is about moving forward despite obstacles, and it applies as much to your career as it does to your code. Resilience is the real tech stack.”

The team’s outstanding achievement reflects not only technical excellence but also the HKBU spirit of Whole Person Education, where perseverance, creativity, and interdisciplinary thinking converge to deliver impactful solutions.