- GTD 2025 Hackathon reflects bank’s push to embed security earlier into software delivery
- Students get closer look at expectations via mentors through an experiential learning platform
Over two dozen students from Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU), from various programmes ie Cybersecurity, AI, and Cloud Computing, participated in Maybank’s Group Technology & Digital (GTD 2025) Hackathon last Nov.
Nothing unusual about that. As one of the leading tech universities in Southeast Asia, APU students are always participating in corporate hosted hackathons (and winning many of them, the university likes to boast).
And as one of the most digital savvy banks in Southeast Asia, and the first in Malaysia to launch internet banking in early 2000, it is not unusual to see Maybank using hackathons as a way to source outside ideas unencumbered by corporate rigidity, applying a fresh lens to its problems.
Just looking at other hackathons it has organised in the past:
2017: Design Hackathon V 3.0 with Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman
2018: Smart City Banking Hackathon with Cyberview
2023: I(deas) of the Tiger 2.0 Hackathon with Human Inc and Dataiku
2025: Chaos to Clarity Hackathon with APU
Still, the bevvy of senior Maybank execs who attended the award ceremony on 8 Dec at Menara Maybank (HQ) hinted that maybe, this was no mere box ticking year-end initiative, but rather part of a deeper rethink into how to confront cyber risks.
Maybank execs attending the ceremony included Mazhatulshima Mohd Zahid, Group Chief Human Capital Officer; Suthesh Nathan, Head, CIO (International); Hiren Kumar Naranbhai Jadav, Head of the Cloud Centre of Excellence; Wee Yee Lee, Human Capital Director; and Lou Yih Ming, Head of Group Technology Risk Management – all from Maybank’s Group Technology & Digital division.
Maybank chose Intelligent DevSecOps assistant, as the theme for the hackathon — an AI-powered tool that embeds security directly into every stage of the development pipeline. The result is less friction, faster delivery, and software that’s built secure rather than patched security.
Maganah Chenderan, Vice President of Group Technology & Digital and Group Human Capital at Maybank explained that, “DevSecOps is a fundamental area in Maybank’s technology strategy. With increasing system complexity and rapid delivery demands, intelligent tooling can significantly improve productivity, code quality, and security. The challenge encouraged participants to explore high‐impact, future‐relevant solutions.”
Mind you, this was months before Anthropic’s new model Mythos, announced in Feb 2026, scrambled all assumptions about guarding against cyber threats.
Maganah said Maybank plans to continue organising hackathons, with a stronger focus on technology-driven themes. “As our digital landscape evolves, these events will centre on areas where emerging technologies and innovative engineering practices can create meaningful impact for the organisation.”
Maganah also responded over email to other aspects of Maybank’s hackathon in the following Q&A including offering tips to other corporate’s that plan to have hackathons.
Is the hackathon also a way for Maybank to identify technical talent to hire?
Yes. It gives Maybank useful insight into participants’ problem-solving ability, creativity, teamwork, and technical proficiency. High-potential participants may also be considered for Maybank’s talent pipeline.
The competition was judged entirely by Maybank. Teams were assessed on innovation, technical feasibility, business value, real-world applicability, presentation quality, and teamwork.
For Maybank, this made the hackathon more than a student competition. It became a way to expose students to industry expectations while giving the bank a closer look at emerging technical talent.
Will the winning projects be used in Maybank’s systems?
The winning projects will be reviewed internally. Those that show promise may be explored further. Not every idea will move into implementation, but the projects can still help shape future innovation within the organisation.
Maybank often partners external organisations for its hackathons. What has it learned from these collaborations?
Maybank has gained valuable insights from working with external organisations over the years. These partnerships bring fresh perspectives, strengthen innovation efforts, and open up potential talent pipelines.
While hackathons encourage creativity, they also give Maybank a useful platform to explore new ideas and new ways of working.
What challenges did the APU teams face, and how did Maybank help them?
One common challenge was turning broad problem statements into practical solutions. Maybank mentors helped by explaining real-world use cases and sharing industry examples, giving teams a clearer view of how their ideas could work in an operational environment.
Another challenge was integrating AI responsibly and securely. Many participants were keen to innovate, but needed guidance on risk mitigation, responsible AI practices, and secure coding principles.
Time and scope management was also an issue. With limited hours and ambitious ideas, some teams struggled to balance what they wanted to build with what could realistically be delivered. Mentors coached them on prioritisation, agile ways of working, and building minimum viable features that still delivered meaningful value.
What were Maybank’s key learnings from the APU hackathon?
The hackathon showed that students can produce sophisticated prototypes when given the right guidance. It also reinforced a few points for Maybank: clear problem statements lead to more focused ideas, mentorship helps teams stay on track, and AI-driven concepts continue to attract strong student interest.
Industry-academia collaboration can accelerate capability building by combining practical experience with fresh perspectives.
What advice would Maybank give other corporates organising hackathons?
Corporates should start with real, meaningful problem statements, not abstract innovation themes.
They should also provide structured mentorship, clear judging criteria, hands-on workshops, and regular checkpoints. A diverse mix of participants helps produce stronger ideas, while post-hackathon pathways, such as incubation support or talent-nurturing programmes, can help promising solutions move beyond the event itself.
The following three teams won the top spots from the 12 finalists.
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Team Byte-Sized, in the top spot, winning a cash prize of RM1,000 with Shahab Alizadeh, Senior Lecturer in Cyber Security & Forensics as its mentor.
Syafieqah Ahmad Shukri said, “Winning this hackathon is a meaningful milestone for our team, as it reflects the strength of our hard work, collaboration and shared passion for cybersecurity. Building an intelligent DevSecOps assistant challenged us to push our limits, think critically, and translate our ideas into practical solutions for real-world security challenges… This is only the beginning of our journey.”
1st Runner-Up was Team Tartarus with a cash prize of RM800 with Ts Dr Nurzati Iwani Othman, Lecturer in Cloud, Networking & IoT as mentor.
Aida Batrisya emphaised the value of perseverance and mentorship as her key learnings. “This accomplishment confirms our perseverance and cooperation. Our mentor emphasised that being an expert is not about what you say about yourself but what you truly know — from the basics to the advanced. That mindset has strengthened our technical and problem-solving capabilities, providing a solid base for our tech careers.”
Her teammate, Al-Aidan, reflected on personal growth, “The achievement highlighted the parts I need to improve rather than what I already know. I learnt to communicate in a way that is both technical and concise. This is just the starter — the journey to greatness is long, but it is a challenge we are willing to take.”
Second Runner-Up was Team McShield/Maybank2Everyone with a cash prize of RM500 and with Ts Mohd Norfahmi Jaafar, Senior Lecturer in Cyber Security & Forensics as mentor.
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