State Representative Arlene Beckles (D-Norcross) is set to deliver the keynote address at the Fall 2025 Kennesaw State University Fintech Hackathon, scheduled for October 24-25 at the KSU Center. The event will award a total of $9,000 in prizes to student teams tasked with addressing challenges in financial technology.
“Georgia’s fintech ecosystem depends on cultivating the next generation of innovators,” said Rep. Beckles. “The KSU Fintech Hackathon provides students with hands-on experience solving the complex challenges facing our financial services industry, from payment security to regulatory compliance and cybersecurity.”
Rep. Beckles serves on the Georgia House Technology and Infrastructure Innovation Committee and supports policies that foster financial technology innovation in the state. In her keynote address, she plans to highlight the impact of student innovation on Georgia’s role as “Transaction Alley,” noting that 70 percent of U.S. electronic transactions are processed within Georgia.
The hackathon will ask participants to act as fintech consultants and propose solutions to issues such as enhancing payment security, increasing access to financial services, and streamlining compliance processes. Previous student projects have included AI-driven financial coaching tools, regulatory chatbots, and systems for instant cross-border payments.
Prizes include $4,000 for first place, $3,000 for second place, and $2,000 for third place. Solutions will be evaluated by a panel consisting of academics and professionals from the fintech sector based on problem understanding, innovation, feasibility, business strategy, and presentation quality.
Rep. Beckles encourages participation from students across all University System of Georgia institutions and academic backgrounds. She emphasizes that design thinking, business strategy, and teamwork are central components of the competition alongside technical skills.
She also points out that Georgia’s fintech industry generates over $72 billion annually and employs more than 42,000 people. Major companies such as Equifax, Global Payments, Fiserv, FIS Global, and NCR operate in Georgia and provide potential career opportunities for hackathon attendees.
The event will also offer mentorship sessions with industry professionals, workshops focused on product development topics, networking opportunities with peers and professionals in fintech, as well as raffle prizes like an electric bike sponsored by Orion Electronics Inc.
Registration is open until Tuesday, October 7th via https://www.kennesaw.edu/fintech/hackathon/. Additional details about the event are available through a brochure linked on the registration page.
Jon G. Burns was elected as a Republican representative for Georgia’s 159th House District in 2005 after Ray Holland.
