From data overload to actionable insights: Hackathon innovations in wealth management, sponsored by Nutrient

In March 2025, I took part in START Hack 2025. Over the course of 36 focused hours, my team developed a project to help streamline the work of wealth managers — a group of financial professionals who guide high-net-worth individuals and families in managing and growing their assets.

My team consisted of myself, Tobias Lendl, Philip Duong, and Pablo Escandon. I met Lendl and Duong when we attended HTL Spengergasse. Both are fullstack engineers — Lendl has a strong interest in DevOps, and Duong is interested in exploring new Linux distributions. Meanwhile, Escandon, who is from Columbia, is a business administration student at IE University in Madrid, where I’m currently studying Computer Science and AI. Together, we brought a mix of technical and business perspectives to the challenge.

What do wealth managers do?

Wealth managers are responsible for much more than simply advising on investments. They develop comprehensive strategies that encompass asset allocation, risk management, tax planning, estate planning, and retirement goals. Their role involves:

• Analyzing market trends — Interpreting complex market data and economic indicators to make informed investment decisions.

• Personalized financial planning — Tailoring strategies to meet the unique financial goals of each client.

• Balancing risk and reward — Continuously assessing and adjusting portfolios to mitigate risks while aiming for optimal returns.

• Coordinating financial services — Collaborating with tax advisors, legal experts, and other professionals to ensure a holistic approach to wealth preservation and growth.

Managing these diverse tasks — ranging from live market feeds to individual client profiles — is both critical and demanding.

Our approach: Simplifying complexity with technology

At START Hack 2025, we focused on developing a tool that could help wealth managers by integrating multiple sources of information into one intuitive dashboard. Our solution pulls together:

• Live market data — Real-time updates reflecting the dynamic nature of the financial markets.

• Analyst recommendations — Expert insights that inform investment decisions.

• Client profiles from CRM systems — Personalized data that helps tailor advice to each client’s needs.

The goal was to transform a traditionally labor-intensive process into one where key insights are available in minutes, enabling wealth managers to make more informed decisions quickly.

The START Global Conference 2025 context

Our hackathon was part of the larger START Global Conference 2025, which brought together more 7,000 professionals from various industries. The conference featured speakers like Eric Schmidt, Jeannette zu Fürstenberg, Thomas Wolf, and Matt Cohler — leaders who shared practical insights on integrating technology into business practices. Their discussions underscored the importance of making complex data accessible and useful, reinforcing the relevance of our project.

The hackathon experience and challenge details

One of the strengths of the hackathon was its focus on real-world problems. Companies brought forward actual challenges, giving participants — from students to experienced engineers — a chance to work on solutions with tangible impact. There were eight challenges in total. One particular challenge was presented by the Swiss financial company SIX and focused on financial wealth management. This challenge — which was the one we took part in — prompted teams to reimagine how artificial intelligence can be used to simplify the process for wealth managers, enhancing efficiency and accuracy in decision-making.

Our learnings: Are dashboards still a thing?

At first glance, dashboards packed with data and eye-catching graphs can seem impressive, yet they often fall into the trap of information overload by presenting every possible metric instead of honing in on what truly matters. The real challenge is not merely about displaying data — it’s about transforming complex information into clear, actionable insights that empower quick and effective decision-making. By rethinking the traditional dashboard approach and moving beyond superficial visual appeal, we integrated public financial market data and timely news with personalized risk profiles to create a focused presentation of actionable knowledge. This method strips away the unnecessary clutter, enhancing clarity and precision, which in turn significantly bolsters the decision-making process in dynamic, high-stakes environments.

Conclusion

Participating in START Hack 2025 was a practical exercise in bridging technology with everyday professional challenges. Our project aimed not to reinvent wealth management but to enhance it — making it easier for wealth managers to navigate a complex financial landscape. I appreciate the opportunity to learn from and collaborate with so many talented individuals, and I’m excited to see how solutions like ours can make a real difference in the field.