One of the highlights of the Freedom Data Challenge 2025 hackathon—a project that brought together students, young professionals, and aspiring analysts from across the country—was the solution presented by a team of SDU University students. They earned a prize-winning spot for their high-quality, practical approach to customer data processing.

It’s important to note that the Data Science Academy IT school co-organized the event and played a key role in preparing one of the members of the winning team. He successfully completed a training program in "Data Science and Machine Learning" at the academy, as part of the Tech Orda 2025 initiative. Mukhtar’s success confirms the applied value of the program and its alignment with the demands of today’s job market, where skills in data analysis, development, and teamwork are highly sought after.

— Congratulations on winning a prize at the hackathon! Could you tell us a bit about yourself and your team?

Thank you! My name is Mukhtar. I’m a 4th-year student at SDU University majoring in Information Systems. I also studied abroad at Hof University of Applied Sciences in Germany, in the Computer Science faculty. Recently, I completed a training course in "Data Science and Machine Learning" at the Data Science Academy through the Tech Orda program and ranked among the top 10 students of the third cohort. The knowledge and hands-on experience I gained provided a solid foundation for participating in the hackathon—especially as part of such a strong team. There were four of us: two junior-year students and two seniors. All of us had real-world experience—some already work in the industry, others are involved in research projects at university. This allowed us to establish clear collaboration and effectively divide tasks from the start.

— What task did you work on, and what was your solution?

We didn’t choose the task—it was assigned to us by Freedom Broker. The main goal was to perform an RFM analysis of clients and segment them based on their activity and value to the company. We approached the problem in a creative way and found an original method for calculating the metrics, which led to the creation of meaningful and high-quality clusters. As the jury noted, the outcome was both precise and practically applicable. In addition, we deployed an analytical web platform that visualizes the metrics and helps identify profitable customer segments.

— What technologies did you use?

We used Python and its libraries for machine learning and statistical analysis. The web interface was built with React using Vite and Tailwind CSS. The backend was implemented in Flask API, supported by Redis and a PostgreSQL database.

— What challenges did you face during development?

The main challenge was building a precise methodology for RFM analysis. We spent a lot of time discussing the logic, sketching the model structure on the board, and analyzing relationships between the parameters. It took quite a while but ultimately produced a strong result.

— How did studying at the Data Science Academy contribute to your success in the hackathon?

It contributed a lot. The academy’s program is practice-oriented, so we didn’t just know the theory—we understood how to apply it to real-world problems. That gave us confidence and flexibility when working on the case.

— You're also a participant in the Tech Orda program. How did it help your development?

Tech Orda is a powerful opportunity for Kazakh youth. In a short time, I gained knowledge that was directly applicable in practice. Thanks to the support of this program and my training at DSA, I got a job as a Data Miner, which became an important milestone in my development.

— Do you plan to further develop this project?

Not at the moment. The project was created to solve a specific task. However, the experience we gained during development will definitely be useful in future initiatives.

— What are your impressions of the hackathon?

The organization was excellent—everything was clear and comfortable. The only thing is that it might have been better to inform teams in advance that the jury's emphasis would be more on business potential rather than just technical accuracy of the models. That would have helped participants prioritize accordingly.

— What was the most important lesson you learned?

For a successful hackathon, roles must be clearly distributed—each team member should be focused on their part. Only then can you achieve a strong and complete result.

— What advice would you give to developers who are unsure whether to participate in a hackathon?

Don’t be afraid. Even if the topic is unfamiliar, the hackathon atmosphere will help you open up. In 10 hours, you can not only solve a task but also build confidence. It’s a great way to test and grow your skills in a short time.

— Thank you for the interview! We wish you success with your future projects!

Thank you! It was a pleasure to share our experience.

#Tech Orda 2024 #Astana Hub #Data Science Academy