Spacial Intelligence Ideathon

The Spatial Intelligence Ideathon is a one-day student pitch competition where UW–Madison students use patented university research to identify and develop solutions to real-world problems.

Participants will work in teams to explore applications of Spatially Grounded AI for Augmented Reality (SGA-AR), technology developed by Professor Kevin Ponto’s lab. SGA-AR allows teams working in the same physical environment to share a live spatial map, identify people and objects, add annotations and navigation paths, and collaborate with remote users.

This is an ideathon, not a traditional coding hackathon. You do not need to build working software or have previous AR experience. Instead, your team will identify a specific problem, define the user and buyer, explain why SGA-AR is essential to the solution, and develop a realistic path toward commercialization.

Teams may create slides, mockups, business models, or concept demonstrations before delivering a three-minute pitch to a panel of judges. Ideas will be evaluated based on problem quality, commercial potential, use of SGA-AR, and feasibility.

Schedule

10:00 AM: Check-in and team matching
10:30 AM: Opening presentation and challenge introduction
11:15 AM: Brainstorming begins
11:30 AM: Lunch and idea sharing
12:00 PM: Concept development and mentor checkpoints
3:00 PM: Team pitches and judging
4:00 PM: Awards and closing ceremony

Food and drinks will be provided, and winning teams will receive cash prizes. Strong concepts may also have the opportunity to continue development with the Tech Exploration Lab and its research and industry partners.

• Strategic Fit
  Addresses a real hospital workflow challenge involving care-team coordination, asset visibility, or spatial awareness through a specific, well-targeted solution.
• Operational Feasibility
  Presents a realistic plan for integrating SGA-AR with ZaiNar’s RF-based indoor positioning (for ZaiNar track) while recognizing technical constraints and implementation challenges.
• Enterprise Value
  Clearly identifies who will build the solution, who will buy it, and how a focused initial product or service could enter the market and create value.
• Decision Accelerator Readiness
  Presents a specific, defensible concept that a corporate partner can easily understand, evaluate, and use as the basis for further commercial investigation.