Hack of all trades: Ascend sets new record at Hack Midwest 2025. October 27, 2025 For the fourth consecutive year, team members from Innovative Technology Solutions (ITS) demonstrated their creativity, collaboration and innovation, earning multiple recognitions at Hack Midwest, including first-place finishes in the Best Design and Most Impactful categories and Ascend's second consecutive Culture Champions Award for having the most teams participate in the event. Ascend's eight teams set a new record for the most teams ever to attend the event from one company. Hack Midwest brought together hundreds of software engineers in downtown Kansas City on October 11-12 for learning, networking, and an opportunity to hone their skills. ITS sent eight teams comprising 39 team members to compete against more than 350 software engineers and developers from 50 companies around the KC metro area in the hackathon. During the hackathon, teams are given a 24-hour window to ideate and execute a project from scratch that leverages one or more vendor-provided technologies. Nick Ide, vice president of software engineering, said Hack Midwest is a unique opportunity for team members to step out of their comfort zones and take on challenges they may not experience in their daily work. "It's something special to be vulnerable at an event like Hack Midwest. Putting your ideas out there for the world to see and also demonstrating your skills under a lot of stress with your peers - not everyone will sign up for that," Nick said. "The result of that is meaningful, inspiring growth. These events help our team members gain a greater understanding of their potential, a new understanding of technology or new ways to engage in solving problems - and it helps them envision what's next in their careers." Ascend's team's projects spanned a diverse range of challenges, including solutions that empower language learners, streamline digital payments, enhance access to public services, and foster safer dining experiences for those with allergies. Teams leveraged artificial intelligence, blockchain, and data-driven approaches to address real-world problems - such as improving family decision-making, supporting financial wellness, and enabling more efficient collaboration between clients and freelancers. Across all projects, the emphasis was on harnessing emerging technologies to create practical, user-friendly tools that drive positive change in everyday life. This collective achievement reflects its culture of innovation, collaboration, and leadership in the tech community, as team members pushed boundaries and delivered impactful results under the pressure of a fast-paced hackathon environment. Sweta Sinha, director of AI engineering, captured the essence of the hackathon's dynamic environment, highlighting the "great team collaboration and flow of energy and enthusiasm" that propelled the teams toward success. "What an experience, working day and night, totally focused and with so many unknowns to develop a working demo in less than 24 hours," Sweta said. "I'm proud of everyone who devoted their weekend to building something challenging and pushing forward." Prasanna Vorakkara, director of software engineering, echoed this celebration of creativity and teamwork, commending the teams for pushing the boundaries of innovation and demonstrating the power of collaboration. "Every line of code you wrote and every idea you explored has contributed to something greater," Prasanna said. "Carry forward the spirit of collaboration and innovation and use your newfound skills and insights to dream big and transform your visions into reality." Senior talent acquisition manager Niki Kearney and other talent acquisition and HR team members also represented Ascend during the event, connecting with talent ranging from current students to senior tech leaders. "This year, we were thrilled to have eight teams participate and win several awards, enhancing our brand visibility and career opportunities among technology professionals," Niki said. "It's great to see our talented teams collaborate and compete at Hack Midwest. Nick Ide does a great job engaging in the community, effectively showcasing Ascend's impactful work. All of these components help attract top talent to join our organization." Congratulations to all its creative-minded, innovative tech teams at Ascend for their outstanding efforts and demonstration of leadership in the tech community.

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