EY engages young talent to develop AI solutions to solve real-world problems

• Launches the fourth edition of its annual flagship challenge ‘Techathon’.
• Aims to expand its talent pool for its growing Technology Consulting practice; 1,300+ graduates hired from campuses in last six months alone.

New Delhi, 27 September 2023: EY, the leading professional services organization, launched the fourth edition of its flagship college campus challenge Techathon4.0. Focused on the theme of Generative AI (GenAI), the competition aims to address real-world challenges focused on revolutionizing, transforming, and enhancing the working world using the power of AI technologies.

Students will be provided access to EY proprietary technologies to help them develop GenAI-based solutions to solve problems across Healthcare, Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI), Education, Retail, and Media & Entertainment sectors.

Mahesh Makhija, Technology Consulting Leader, EY India, said, “As an organization deeply committed to pioneering tech-driven innovations and solutions, we are excited about the transformative potential of Gen AI. Organizations have already started building use cases with GenAI but will require focused effort on moving from a single use case to organization-wide deployments to create value.

With the adoption of emerging technologies, it has become even more imperative to focus on building quality talent. Techathon is not just another competition; it’s a reflection of our commitment to hone talent within EY and in the larger ecosystem.”

EY India’s tech talent has tripled at a 44% CAGR over the last three years. The past (calendar) year alone has witnessed a remarkable surge in campus graduate intake, exemplifying EY’s commitment to nurturing fresh talent from over 60 premier colleges across various business verticals.

About Techathon4.0

The EY Techathon challenge began in 2020 as a response to the urgent need for innovative solutions to vaccinate over a billion population to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Later in 2021, the Challenge pivoted to technology-led sustainability solutions, encouraging eco-conscious innovation as the pandemic brought to the fore the climate change challenges facing the planet. The third edition of EY Techathon in 2022 challenged students across the country to develop industry-relevant solutions in the dynamic space of Metaverse.

This year’s Techathon is focused on Generative AI, a disruptive technology which is changing the future of work and gaining significant adoption among businesses. Aspiring participants are invited to register along with the team details and problem statement(s) they aspire to solve. The winners will be awarded cash prizes, mentorship by industry and EY leaders, and an opportunity to intern with EY India.

Past years' winners and runners-up have come from PES University, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Shailesh J Mehta School of Management, KJ Somaiya College of Engineering, Thadomal Shahani Engineering College, and Vellore Institute of Technology.

Over the years Techathon has seen an eminent jury comprising industry experts and technology enthusiasts like R Chandrasekhar, Former Telecom and IT Secretary, Government of India, and Former President of NASSCOM, Dr. Rohini Srivathsa, CTO and National Technology Officer, Microsoft, Dr. Krishna Ella, Chairman and Managing Director, Bharat Biotech, Dr. Harish Iyer, Head of Digital and Health Innovation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Dr. Manish Pant, Chief, Health and Development, United Nations Development Programme, Aashish Kshetry, Vice President, Information Technology, Asian Paints; Bhuwan Lodha, Senior Vice President, Head of Digital, Mahindra & Mahindra; Deepak Bhosale, General Manager – Information Technology, Asian Paints; Madhavi Isanaka, SVP, Chief Digital Officer, Adani Green Energy & Adani New Industries, and, Manish Grover, Executive Director - Strategic Information Systems, IOCL, Bose Varghese, Head Green Initiatives, Infosys, Binu Treesa, IT Sustainability Leader India, Decathlon and Meenakshi Burra, CDO and VP Technology, Analytics & Business Services (South Asia), Hindustan Unilever.

To know more about Techathon 4.0: visit: Techathon 4.0 | Re-imagining possibilities with GenAI

- End -

Note to Editors

About EY

EY exists to build a better working world, helping create long-term value for clients, people and society and build trust in the capital markets. Enabled by data and technology, diverse EY teams in over 150 countries provide trust through assurance and help clients grow, transform and operate. Working across assurance, consulting, law, strategy, tax and transactions, EY teams ask better questions to find new answers for the complex issues facing our world today. EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. Information about how EY collects and uses personal data and a description of the rights individuals have under data protection legislation are available via ey.com/privacy. EY member firms do not practice law where prohibited by local laws.

For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com