Turn Data Into Insights. Solve Real-World Problems. Compete for Prizes.
SFU DataJam 2026 is an annual data science case competition hosted by the SFU Data Science Student Society (DSSS), bringing together students passionate about data analytics, problem-solving, and innovation.
Participants will work in teams of up to four to tackle a real-world business challenge using data science, statistical analysis, and creative problem-solving. Teams will receive a business case and dataset, analyze the information, uncover meaningful insights, and develop actionable, data-driven recommendations.
Throughout the competition, participants will have the opportunity to apply their technical and analytical skills, collaborate with fellow students, and gain hands-on experience solving practical business problems.
The competition concludes with in-person presentations to a panel of judges, where teams will showcase their findings, defend their recommendations, and compete for prizes.
Event Details:
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Case & Dataset Release: November 8, 2026
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Analysis & Development: November 8–14, 2026
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Final Presentations: November 15, 2026
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Location: SFU Student Union Building (SUB) Ballroom
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Team Size: Up to 4 participants
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Total Prize Value: $400
Whether you're interested in data science, machine learning, business analytics, or simply enjoy solving challenging problems, DataJam is an opportunity to put your skills to the test and turn data into meaningful impact.
Analyze. Innovate. Present. Welcome to SFU DataJam 2026!
Prizes
First place
50$ value pp
Second place
30$ value pp
Third place
20$ value pp
Judges
Efe Erhan
ETRO Construction
Kristen Basaraba
Workstream
Devansh Shah
Microsoft
Vincent Liu
Safety
Nick Turenne
Vancity
Abdullah Naeem
Oxford Learning Centres Inc.
Alexander Khrissanov
Ebay
Adil Aliyev
Samsung
Greg Baker
SFU
Azhy Hama Gharib
Statistics Canada
Piyush Sharda
VCH
Inayat Lakhani
Lululemon
Judging Criteria
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See Business Case for details
Questions? Email the hackathon manager