Washington State College Students Innovate at First Hackathon Hosted by Sound Credit Union and UW Tacoma

TACOMA, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sound Credit Union (Sound) and the Milgard Center for Business Analytics at the University of Washington Tacoma (UWT) welcomed Washington State college students to their first ever HuskyHack hackathon November 8 – 9, 2025. More than 141 students registered to participate in the competition, vying for a chance to win $15,000 and a six-month membership to CoMotion Labs in Seattle.

The HuskyHack represents an exciting new collaboration between Sound and UWT, designed to spark innovation and empower students to tackle real-world financial challenges faced by consumers. “Our partnership with UWT continues to grow stronger each year,” said Jennifer Reed, VP of Public Relations at Sound Credit Union. “The HuskyHack was a tremendous success. The creativity and teamwork these college students demonstrated in just 24 hours far exceeded our expectations. Each team developed a unique product or tool in a remarkably short time, and our judges believe these ideas have real potential to help consumers manage their finances with confidence.”

The 24-hour event, held on the UWT campus, brought together students from universities statewide. The competition included two phases. Phase 1, teams had five hours to brainstorm a FinTech tool that helps consumers use financial benefits, then pitched their ideas in two minutes to judges for feedback.

Phase 2 concluded Sunday at 1 p.m., with participants presenting their final projects for evaluation. After careful deliberation, judges selected Riddhi Bajaj as the 2025 HuskyHack winner for her solo project, CardGenie — an innovative app that helps users manage their credit cards and rewards.

“HuskyHack was an incredible 24-hour sprint that pushed me to turn an idea into reality. What made it special wasn't just building CardGenie but designing a solution for a problem that impacts millions of Americans who unknowingly leave money on the table,” said Bajaj. “Competing solo was challenging, but it taught me that with the right tools and mindset, you can accomplish far more than you think possible. I'm grateful to Sound Credit Union and UW Tacoma for creating a space where students can tackle real-world financial challenges, and to the judges for their invaluable feedback throughout. Excited for what comes next.”

Sound and UWT have already begun brainstorming for the 2026 HuskyHack. Both organizations agree that the innovation demonstrated during this year’s event has the potential to benefit not only consumers but also financial institutions. The student entrepreneurs approached financial products and services from a fresh perspective, offering ideas that could transform the way people manage their finances.

About Sound Credit Union

Sound Credit Union was founded in 1940 and today is one of Washington State’s largest credit unions. With 26 full-service branch locations throughout the Puget Sound area, Sound provides over 173,000 members with authentic and trusted financial support and services. Sound is driven by the purpose of standing with members, employees and the community through all waves of life.

About University of Washington Tacoma

The University of Washington Tacoma (UWT) is an urban-serving university providing access to students in a way that transforms families and communities. The university impacts and informs economic development through community-engaged students and faculty. UWT conducts research that is of direct use to our community and region. And, most importantly, UWT seeks to be connected to our community’s needs and aspirations.