2026 Wharton Hack-AI-thon
Presented by
61 Teams. 5 Days. One Winning Idea.
The 2026 Wharton Hack-AI-thon, presented by Expedia Group, has wrapped.
The Wharton Hack-AI-thon is a dynamic, co-curricular program where students explore the power of artificial intelligence through hands-on innovation. This year, 61 teams entered the competition to develop AI-driven solutions to enhance travel reviews, collaborating within their groups to push the boundaries of what’s possible.
Open to students of all skill levels, the program brings together AI novices and experienced tech enthusiasts to develop practical solutions, learn from industry experts, and engage with one of today’s most rapidly evolving fields.
Save the date for the 2027 Hack-AI-thon.
March 29–April 2, 2027
Sign up for our interest list below to receive updates and early information.
Interested in 2027 sponsorship opportunities? Contact Tania Rorke at rorket@wharton.upenn.edu.
Meet the 2026 Winning Team
Congratulations to Team Waywise, who took first place at the 2026 Wharton Hack-AI-thon! In less than a week, the team built a mathematical ranking system that detects what hotel information is missing, stale, or contested, asking the right guest the right question at the right moment.
- Utkarsh Lal, Master’s Degree Program (MA/MS/MBA), School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania
- Prithvi Seshadri, Master’s Degree Program (MA/MS/MBA), School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania
- Vedant Zope, Master’s Degree Program (MA/MS/MBA), School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania
- Vamsi Krishna Naghichetty Kishore Kumar, Master’s Degree Program (MA/MS/MBA), School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania
2026 Finalists
Thank You to Our 2026 Presenting Sponsor
Expedia Group helps travelers explore the world, one journey at a time. As travelers and technologists, we are passionate about making travel more seamless, accessible, and memorable. Our diverse, vibrant, and welcoming community is at the heart of our success. We embrace different perspectives, celebrate new ideas, and empower every Expedian to drive meaningful change.
2026 Judges
Ajay Anand
Senior Vice President, Johnson & Johnson
Georges Haddad
Vice President, Product – Agentic Experiences, Expedia Group
Khushi Kaur
Partner, Bain & Company
Ashish Shah, W’92
Advisory Director, Goldman Sachs Asset Management
Jennifer Spada
Managing Director, Accenture
Manish Varma
Vice President, GSK
Achim Welter
Owner, GapPath Tech Advisory