Building With Purpose: Financial Wellness AI Hackathon Wrap-Up

Building With Purpose: Financial Wellness AI Hackathon Wrap-Up

Western Australia is brimming with talent, ambition, and ideas ready to shape the future. Last week, that potential was on full display as WeMoney — one of Australia’s fastest-growing fintech companies — officially opened its Perth headquarters and joined forces with Venture UWA to deliver the Financial Wellness AI Hackathon.

More than just a competition, this event represented the best of what WA can achieve when industry and students collaborate to innovate for impact.

The Challenge: Turning Big Problems Into Bold Ideas

At its heart, the hackathon posed one ambitious question:

👉 How might we help people with multiple debts pay them off faster and achieve greater control over their finances?

This problem goes beyond numbers. Debt affects wellbeing, relationships, and people’s ability to plan for their future. For students, many of whom are just beginning their careers, tackling such a challenge was both confronting and empowering.

The event ran over two days, blending design thinking, rapid prototyping, and mentorship from WeMoney’s product, engineering, and growth experts. It was an opportunity for students to apply their studies in a real-world context, where the stakes and the outcomes were tangible.

The Winners: Celebrating Student Innovation

The energy and creativity in the room were extraordinary. Over 45 students and recent graduates formed cross-disciplinary teams, bringing together diverse skillsets across technology, business, design, and social sciences.

The standout achievements were:

🏆 Massive congratulations to the winning team,#Detto! Jay Nicholson Oscar Dobson-Brown Nicholas Nguyen Yogender Godara Amelie Tan hashtag#HillLe 🏆 You have shown once again that, with the right tools, a brighter financial future is possible. 🌎🥇

🏆Congratulations to the Hackathon MVP Ban Lanzona & to the special team recognition hashtag#Team hashtag#Budgeteers Zeel Vavaliya Courtney Banks Sreevals P hashtag#Umeesha hashtag#Rudransh Yashwardhan Laharia Joshua Bailey🏆

These results were about more than awards. Every participant walked away with sharpened skills, stronger networks, and greater confidence — vital assets for their careers and for the innovation ecosystem.

Why We Do This: Venture UWA’s Mission

At Venture UWA, our mission is to prepare students for the future of work through hands-on, real-world experiences. We believe innovation thrives when students are not only learning but building, experimenting, and connecting with industry.

Events like the Financial Wellness AI Hackathon are at the core of our “why”:

• Creating Opportunity: Students get exposure to WA’s fastest-scaling companies, mentorship from industry professionals, and pathways into meaningful careers.

• Driving Impact: By solving real problems, students see the power of innovation to change lives, not just create products.

• Building Community: Every hackathon strengthens the connection between students, startups, and the wider WA economy.

This is about more than one event. It’s about building a pipeline of talent, ideas, and collaboration that will help WA thrive well into the future.

Shared Values: WeMoney & Venture UWA

It’s no accident that WeMoney and Venture UWA came together for this event. We share a vision of what WA can become: a place where innovation, opportunity, and community drive lasting change.

WeMoney’s journey — from a startup founded just five years ago to Australia’s #1 CDR consumer brand — shows what’s possible when purpose leads growth. Their new Perth HQ, and their announcement of 50 new roles, signals a strong commitment to growing talent right here in WA.

For Venture UWA, this is invaluable. By partnering with WeMoney, we’re giving students access to industry leaders and entry points into careers in a sector that is transforming how Australians manage their financial wellbeing. Together, we are ensuring that WA students aren’t just participants in the innovation economy — they are leading it.

The Impact on WA’s Economy and Ecosystem

Innovation events like the Financial Wellness AI Hackathon do more than inspire students. They have ripple effects across the whole economy:

• Talent Development: WA students are upskilled with hands-on experience, making them industry-ready from day one.

• Job Creation: Startups like WeMoney attract and retain talent in WA, creating high-value local jobs.

• Ecosystem Growth: Stronger connections between universities, industry, and government foster a culture of collaboration.

• Economic Diversification: Supporting fintech, tech, and innovation sectors ensures WA’s economy isn’t reliant on resources alone.

This is how we build a future-ready WA — by investing in people, partnerships, and purpose-driven innovation.

Thank You To Everyone!

The Financial Wellness AI Hackathon would not have been possible without the contributions of many:

• The WeMoney team, whose mentorship and energy brought the event to life

• The students and graduates, whose ideas and passion reminded us why innovation matters

• The mentors, judges, and partners who guided teams through challenges

• Special guests Ms Zaneta Mascarenhas MP and Senator Dean Smith, who inaugurated the HQ and supported the event

Your presence and participation reinforced that WA’s innovation ecosystem is inclusive, collaborative, and full of potential.

Looking Ahead With Venture UWA & The University of WA

For Venture UWA, this event is just the beginning. Our goal is to continue creating platforms where students can:

• Test their ideas

• Build their skills

• Connect with industry

• Shape WA’s innovation future

  
  

The Financial Wellness AI Hackathon proved what’s possible when students, startups, and the community come together with purpose. WeMoney’s commitment to WA, and our shared values of community, opportunity, and impact, show that the future of innovation in Western Australia is bright.

This was more than a hackathon. It was proof that WA has the talent, ambition, and vision to lead nationally and globally in fintech and beyond.