Huge congratulations to Teams "RetailHers" and "Alpha Centauri" for their stellar performances at the 2024 iRACE Hackathon! Hosted by Auburn University College of Human Sciences, Consumer and Design Sciences Department, and sponsored by Resource Label Group, this year's theme, "Combat Counterfeit and Boost Customer Loyalty with IoT Technology," sparked incredible innovation.

1st Place went to RetailHers, composed of three brilliant seniors in Apparel Merchandising (Kaitlyn Reedy, Elizabeth Eberwine, Annslie Gourlay). Their ingenious use of NFC-authenticated skincare product refill stations and a corresponding mobile app won the hearts of the expert judges. The judges couldn’t contain their excitement, declaring “love the use of recycling, customer cost savings & authentication of the product… leading to brand loyalty…You nailed it!”  “Bravo, tech like this very soon will power the machine-to-machine economy and human-to-machine economy!”

In 2nd Place, Alpha Centauri, comprised of two graduate students in Consumer and Design Sciences (Mohammed Siddique, Tahseen Tawseef) and a junior in Management (Ian Yang), impressed with their "NFC Shield Against Injection Counterfeit" concept. Their case proposed an “excellent product and application…where consumer safety is critical [and] the industry is left vulnerable to counterfeit!”, praised the judges.

A round of applause to both teams for fully embracing the hackathon challenge and showcasing their hard work, creativity, and innovative spirit. Special thanks to Resource Label Group for their support, as well as to the esteemed judges (Ted McCaffrey, Sam Rad, Matthew Russell, Susan Flake).

We already look forward to next year’s iRACE Hackathon, where a fresh wave of creative and innovative students will dazzle us with their unexpected and innovated ideas!