Sound Credit Union and University of Washington Tacoma to Host Second Annual Hackathon
WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2026 -- Sound Credit Union (Sound) and the University of Washington Tacoma Milgard Center for Business Analytics (UWT) have announced the return of HuskyHack: Turning Innovation into Trust, a financial technology (FinTech) innovation event that invites college students from across Washington State to develop solutions that improve financial confidence and enhance the user experience.
The second annual hackathon will take place on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at the University of Washington Tacoma. Students from colleges and universities throughout the state will have the opportunity to innovate, design, and pitch FinTech solutions that address real-world challenges facing consumers and financial institutions.
"We are thrilled to host the second annual HuskyHack," said Jennifer Reed, Vice President of Public Relations at Sound Credit Union. "Last year, we didn't know what to expect. To say we were impressed by the innovation, collaboration, and dedication demonstrated by the participants would be an understatement. The students exceeded our expectations and developed creative solutions to real financial challenges. We are excited to see what this year's participants will create."
Participants may compete individually or in teams and will have 24 hours to develop a product, prototype, or concept that empowers consumers to manage their financial lives with greater confidence while strengthening trust in financial services. The specific challenge participants will be tasked with addressing will be revealed during the opening ceremonies of HuskyHack on October 17.
Participants may compete individually or as teams and will spend 24 hours developing a product, prototype, or concept designed to help consumers manage their financial lives with greater confidence while strengthening trust in financial services.
The competition will unfold in two phases. During Phase One, students will build and present their initial concepts to a panel of judges. The top three submissions will each receive a $1,000 award in recognition of their innovation and progress. Participants will then continue refining their projects before submitting final solutions for evaluation.
In Phase Two, a panel of judges – that consist of business leaders, mentors, and industry experts will evaluate submissions based on technical execution, functionality, user experience, scalability, and presentation quality. The team behind the top overall project will receive a $15,000 grand prize, along with mentorship opportunities, expert coaching, a six-month membership to CoMotion Labs, and the opportunity to explore potential partnerships that could help bring their ideas to life.
"HuskyHack gives students a unique opportunity to move beyond the classroom and apply their skills to complex, real-world challenges," said Michael Turek, Director of the Milgard Center for Business Analytics at the University of Washington Tacoma. "By bringing together students, industry professionals, and mentors, we're creating an environment where students can experiment, collaborate, and turn innovative ideas into solutions with real potential to improve people's financial lives. We're excited to partner with Sound Credit Union again to provide this kind of experiential learning opportunity for students across Washington."
Beyond competition, HuskyHack provides students with hands-on experience in product development, collaboration, and entrepreneurship. Participants will have the opportunity to engage directly with business leaders, credit union professionals, and technology experts while gaining valuable experience in what it takes to build and pitch a fintech solution from the ground up.
Registration and additional event details are available on the event website
About Sound Credit Union
Sound Credit Union was founded in 1940 and today is one of Washington State's largest credit unions. With 26 full-service branch locations throughout the Puget Sound area, Sound provides their over 185,000 members with authentic and trusted financial support and services. Sound is driven by the purpose of standing with members, employees and the community through all waves of life.
About University of Washington Tacoma Center for Business Analytics
The Center for Business Analytics (CBA) in the Milgard School of Business at University of Washington Tacoma serves as a catalyst for research, education and innovation. It advances the use of "analytics", "big data" and "smart machines" for actionable insights and business decision-making. The CBA draws on the expertise of the Milgard School's faculty in Accounting, Business Analytics & Operations, Economics, Finance, Management and Marketing. The Center works directly with corporate partners to identify, frame and study critical business issues and opportunities.
