We are looking for the next wave of data gurus and storytellers to help drive conversations around Pan-Asian empowerment in the workforce.
Teams of two (2) to five (5) will compete through a qualifying and a final round of judging to showcase their insights on the Pan-Asian workforce, and pitch their recommendations on how to further the career advancement of Pan-Asian business professionals across America.
We are currently reviewing initial pitches and selecting finalists. These finalists will have a chance to win a $10,000 grand prize and present at our Ascend National Convention on August 24, 2019.
Deadline for registration and submission of the initial pitch deck is on Sunday, May 5th at 11:59PM EDT.
Submission guidelines for the initial pitch deck can be found HERE.
Download the judging criteria.
Finalists will be announced and paired with mentors. Be sure to check back here to see our finalist pitches!
Finalists will work with their respective team mentors to further shape their findings and ideas towards actionable recommendations and help prepare the teams for their main stage presentation.
Finalists will participate in a live 15-minute oral presentation at the Ascend National Convention in Washington, DC on Saturday, August 24, 2019. The winning team will be announced live on that day and award presentations will be during the Ascend Dinner on Monday, August 26, 2019.
Teams may be comprised of a minimum of two (2) and no more than five (5) team members. Team members may be college students or working professionals from any industry or background, and can be located anywhere in North America. Team members must stay consistent throughout the Hackathon - no alternates or substitutions are allowed.
Teams that advance to the final round must have at least one (1) team member attend the mandatory pre-competition virtual prep session hosted 1-2 weeks prior to the final round. Team member(s) who attend are responsible for disseminating information from this session to fellow team members. In addition, teams that advance must all be or become Ascend members by the start of the convention and send at least two (2) representatives to attend the final round competition in-person at the 2019 Ascend National Convention on August 24, 2019 in Washington, DC. Grand prize winners must send at least one (1) representative to accept the prize at the dinner on August 26, 2019. Complimentary passes will be provided.
While Asian Americans are well-represented in the non-managerial workforce, they’re often significantly under-represented in the executive suite. A recent study by Ascend found that among five of the largest tech companies, Pan-Asians represent 27% of professionals, but only half that among executives. This is all despite the fact that Asian Americans outperform the average American when it comes to education, employment, and income, according to Pew Research.
The "model minority" stereotype paints Asian Americans in a positive light; however, the positive facade hides the insidious nature of the generalization, such as when Asian Americans are categorized as meek, submissive, and unqualified as leaders. These unique barriers comprise the "bamboo ceiling".
We’re capturing more data than ever before, and we’re doing it more precisely. But we’re still not using data to its full potential to understand and address the challenges facing the Asian American workforce.
How can we use recent data to highlight key trends and insights within the Pan-Asian workforce? How might we shatter the bamboo ceiling?
Show us your analytical and data visualization skills as you tackle this question! Finalists will not only be in the running for a $10,000 grand prize, they will score free passes to the Ascend National Convention (worth up to $1,400 each). This is a great opportunity to highlight your findings before an audience of over 2,000 people and a unique way to get visibility and strengthen your resume.
Ascend is the largest, non-profit Pan-Asian organization for business professionals in North America. Established in 2005, Ascend serves professionals and corporations across a multitude of industries. Ascend reaches 60,000 people with 34 student chapters and 17 professional chapters in the United States and Canada around major business hubs and educational institutions. We offer robust professional development and career enhancement programs designed to cultivate Pan-Asian talent.
Ascend Leadership is a thought leader that advocates for Pan-Asian professional development and career advancement. Ascend Foundation publishes numerous research articles and proposals to further advance Pan-Asian professionals in the workforce.
