A Journey of Innovation, Improvement and Magic

On the 18th October 2024, in the heart of Valencia, in Lanzadera, a very special Datathon kicked off, organized by Marina de Empresas, with the collaboration of SNGULAR, Google Cloud and Cofares. During three weekends full of energy and creativity, 14 teams of participants got down to work to face the challenge posed by Cofares, a cooperative that brings together more than 12,000 pharmacies in Spain. The challenge: create a multimodal conversational assistant that will help pharmacists identify products from imprecise descriptions, thus improving efficiency in pharmacies. A challenge that really tested innovation and teamwork!

This event was a great opportunity to meet and learn from industry experts, share ideas and, most importantly, demonstrate how technology can transform the customer experience in the healthcare field. A challenge that not only pushed us to innovate, but also united us, teaching us the true value of collaborating and staying strong in the face of unforeseen events that arose.

Technology, magic and shared learning

SNGULAR was there at all times, as a strategic ally for the organization and the participants, accompanying them every step of the way while they created innovative solutions. Together with our partner Google Cloud, we shared our experience in topics such as artificial intelligence, data analysis and the development of cloud applications, always with the aim of supporting the teams to give their best.

Taking advantage of the expertise of the key players at SNGULAR, we generated several content pills on the key topics that marked the event, such as artificial intelligence, health and the potential of Google Cloud. Here you can see the result:

• Santi Alarcon, Director of Google Business at SNGULAR, spoke about how Google Cloud is revolutionizing the healthcare industry and the potential of artificial intelligence in the sector. See the interview
• Fernando Conde, Director of Artificial Intelligence Strategy at SNGULAR, shared his vision on the impact of AI on the modernization of technological infrastructures and its application in projects such as Cofares. See the interview
• Fernando Rojas, Global Executive in technological solutions for the health, pharmacy and life sciences sectors, explained how technology can transform health services, optimizing customer care and experience. See the interview

In addition to our technical participation, we bring a magical touch to the event, thanks to the Magic Cards, designed by Miguel Angel Gombau, member of the Marketing team at SNGULAR. Gemini was used to generate the texts for the cards and the prompts for the illustrations, which were brought to life with Instant-ID, an existing model in Google Cloud's Model Garden. Besides, Juanto, our fellow magician and Chief Envisioning Officer at SNGULAR, performed an incredible magic show to close the day.

But the real magic was the attitude of everyone involved: participants willing to learn and get out of their comfort zone, and a SNGULAR team that, like the others, joined in solving the challenge. It was exciting to see how people from marketing, communications and other departments, who are not programmers by nature, entered the world of coding to help their teams. The tenacity of each person, combined with a great dose of humility and desire to learn, was what brought the true essence to this event.

From theory to practice: competition becomes reality

During the Datathon, the 14 teams threw themselves into the challenge proposed by Cofares, putting all their creativity and skills to the test. They had to create a multimodal conversational assistant that, taking advantage of artificial intelligence and Google Cloud technology, would help identify parapharmacy products from imprecise or incomplete descriptions.

The challenge was not only a matter of solving a technical problem, but also truly understanding the needs of the pharmaceutical sector, which made it a much more complex challenge. It required a touch of creativity, good data analysis and, above all, a lot of collaboration. Meanwhile, the teams did not stop working, always supported by experts from SNGULAR, Cofares and Google, who were there during the "office hours", ready to offer their support and guide each group at all times.

How DANA transformed the event

This Dataton was marked by a tragic event that affected many people. On October 29, 2024, DANA, a devastating meteorological phenomenon, brought torrential rains and floods that overwhelmed the city of Valencia. The natural tragedy left its mark on the region, and beyond the logistical difficulties and complicated travel, there were people who faced very painful personal losses. These enormous challenges further highlighted everyone's solidarity and commitment. The teams helped each other, adapting to new challenges and ensuring that, despite everything, the event continued. The storm did not stop the spirit of the dataton, but rather strengthened it.

An achievement for all!

Finally, after weeks of hard work, it was time for the big unveiling. The teams presented their solutions at the Marina de Empresas DataHub, with proposals that reflected great dedication, innovation and effort. The winners were:

• #SensitiveData: First place, for its innovative approach and the most complete solution.
• #Everest: Second place, standing out for its technical robustness and originality.
• #DataSetA: Third place, for its unique approach and scalability.

While the jury made their decision, the atmosphere was filled with laughter and moments of fun. Juanto's magic show was the ideal finishing touch to relax the atmosphere and end the datethon with a big smile. Between tricks, jokes and a lot of fun, everyone present experienced a unique ending that mixed technology and entertainment in an unexpected way.

There was also a prize for the most SNGULAR participant of the event, Sonia Montagud, who showed great consideration for the brand, which is a source of pride for us. Although only a few took home the prizes, the truth is that each team contributed something valuable. Everyone demonstrated a great ability to work together, learn as they go and share ideas. In the end, the real victory was in the camaraderie and shared effort, which made this event much more special than a simple competition.

More than a Datathon, a community

This event would not have been possible without the help of everyone who participated: Cofares, Google Cloud, Marina de Empresas, the mentors, the organizers and, of course, the teams. Together, we created a community that worked for the same goal, shared knowledge, experiences and learning that will continue with us long after this Datathon. This Datathon was, without a doubt, much more than a simple competition; It was a lesson in teamwork, effort and how to adapt to any situation.

The impact of SNGULAR and the opportunities that open up

For SNGULAR, the event was an opportunity to support participants, drive innovation and strengthen our relationships with Google, Cofares and other key players. The visibility we achieved during the Datathon opens new doors in areas such as health, artificial intelligence and the cloud, where we continue to put effort into developing projects.

Looking to the future, SNGULAR remains committed to technological innovation and teamwork. This Datathon marks the beginning of a path full of new challenges and opportunities, and we are excited to continue learning, growing and collaborating on projects that really make a difference in society.