Rep. Arlene Beckles to Give Keynote Address at Fall 2025 Kennesaw State University Fintech Hackathon

State Representative to Address 200+ Students at Innovation Competition Featuring $9,000 in Prizes

ATLANTA - State Representative Arlene Beckles (D-Norcross) will deliver the keynote address at the Fall 2025 Kennesaw State University Fintech Hackathon on October 24-25 at the KSU Center. The competition will award $9,000 in prizes to student teams developing solutions to fintech challenges.

"Georgia's fintech ecosystem depends on cultivating the next generation of innovators," said Rep. Beckles. "The KSU Fintech Hackathon provides students with hands-on experience solving the complex challenges facing our financial services industry, from payment security to regulatory compliance and cybersecurity."

As a member of the Georgia House Technology and Infrastructure Innovation Committee, Rep. Beckles advocates for policies that support the state's leadership in financial technology innovation. In her keynote, Rep. Beckles will discuss the role of student innovation in strengthening Georgia's position as "Transaction Alley," emphasizing that 70 percent of U.S. electronic transactions are processed in the state.

Rep. Beckles notes that the hackathon will challenge teams to assume the role of fintech consultants, developing solutions for certain problems, such as improving payment security, expanding financial access and simplifying compliance processes. She also reports that previous student innovations have included AI-powered financial coaching platforms, regulatory chatbots and instant cross-border payment systems.

During the event, teams will compete for the following prizes: $4,000 for first place, $3,000 for second place and $2,000 for third place. A panel of judges, comprising of academics and working fintech professionals, will evaluate solutions based on their understanding of the problem, innovation, feasibility, business strategy and presentation quality.

Rep. Beckles welcomes students from all institutions within the University System of Georgia and from all academic backgrounds to participate in the hackathon, emphasizing that the event highlights design thinking, business strategy and collaborative problem-solving alongside technical development.

Rep. Beckles also notes that Georgia's fintech sector generates more than $72 billion in annual revenue and employs more than 42,000 people. Major companies, including Equifax, Global Payments, Fiserv, FIS Global and NCR, maintain operations in Georgia, creating career opportunities for hackathon participants.

Additional event features will include mentorship opportunities with industry professionals, workshops on product development and networking sessions. Participants will also have opportunities to win raffle prizes, including an electric bike from event sponsor Orion Electronics, Inc.

Rep. Beckles encourages students to register as teams or individuals at https://www.kennesaw.edu/fintech/hackathon/. Registration closes on Tuesday, October 7, 2025.

Rep. Beckles includes a brochure with additional information about the event, which may be found here.

Representative Arlene Beckles represents the citizens of District 96, which includes a portion of Gwinnett County. She was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2024 and currently serves on the Special Rules, State Properties and Technology and Infrastructure Innovation committees.

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