I have been participating in NetSuite-sponsored hackathons at SuiteWorld for ten years now. It's always an unforgettable and humbling experience realizing there is so much more you can do with your skills and knowledge. This year was no different. In fact, it was particularly inspiring, as it tasked us with leveraging AI and machine learning to tackle a critical problem for the American Bird Conservancy (ABC), an organization dedicated to conserving wild birds and their habitats across the Americas.

Our challenge was to build an AI solution that could prioritize conservation projects based on bird risk levels, population density, and program expenses—ultimately ensuring that resources were allocated where they could make the most difference. Teams around us built impressive solutions, with models delivering precision-driven predictions, managing outliers, and creating detailed visualizations that made complex data easy to interpret.

While my team didn’t take home the top prize, the experience was deeply rewarding. As I reflect on the hackathon, events like this are more than just competitions. They’re opportunities to bring people together to solve real-world problems using technology in ways that can truly make a difference. I’m proud to have been part of it, and I would encourage more “NetSuite Ninjas” to be part of it—and show that technology can be used not just for business gains, but for the greater good.