APU Shines at PayHack 2025 with Clean Sweep of Awards
The teams took home Second Place, Fourth Place and a Consolation Prize at the hackathon.
Published 04 Sep 2025
Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) recently made headlines with a stunning performance at PayHack 2025, Malaysia’s largest intervarsity hackathon. In an event that brought together 97 competing teams from across the country, APU stood out by having all three of its participating teams walk away with awards — an impressive achievement highlighting the university’s strong focus on innovation and industry readiness.
Held from 2 – 3 August at Xsolla Curine Academy in KL EcoCity, PayHack 2025 was part of Malaysia’s annual Digital Payments Week. The event aims to innovate progress in the country’s digital economy by challenging students to create solutions for real-world payment-related problems. Organised by PayNet Akar, a talent development initiative under Payments Network Malaysia (PayNet), in collaboration with global fintech leader Ant International, the hackathon was a 24-hour challenge that pushed participants to their limits both mentally and creatively.
APU’s three teams returned with Second Place, Fourth Place and a Consolation Prize. At Second Place, Team Roti CanAI claimed an RM12,000 cash prize with an AI-powered solution that promotes the use of cashless payments. Comprising Ang Jvi Hng, Lai Ee Loon, Lai Lok Ze, Tan Shu Rou and Tong Ming Hong, students from Software Engineering and Artificial Intelligence programmes, the team was mentored by Ms Tan Li June and Ms Chong Mien May from APU’s School of Computing (SoC).
Fourth Place went to Team Da House, who earned RM3,000 for their creative and practical approach to solving payment challenges. This team brought together Low Yan Cheng, Lim Agnes Ngee Jin, Tan Hui Xin, Lim Li Ying and Tee Sze Ying, students from Computer Science with Data Analytics and Actuarial Studies backgrounds. Meanwhile, Team kreate secured a Consolation Prize and RM1,000 with a data-driven prototype aimed at improving the adoption of digital payments. Comprising Computer Science students Lee Xin Rou, Lee Yi En and Software Engineering student Chin Hong Wei, their solution was noted for its innovative use of analytics to tackle real-world barriers.
What made APU’s success particularly notable was its interdisciplinary approach. Students from the School of Technology (SoT), the School of Computing (SoC) and the School of Accounting & Finance (SoAF) collaborated to combine their strengths in software engineering, data analytics, actuarial studies and AI. Behind the scenes, academic mentors and school heads played a crucial role in preparing the teams, with faculty from all three schools offering support and guidance before and during the competition.
Reflecting on the university’s success, Associate Professor Dr Thang Ka Fei, Senior Head of the School of Technology, said, “This outstanding achievement underscores the strength of APU’s interdisciplinary ecosystem. Our students demonstrated creativity, resilience and the ability to apply their skills to real-world challenges in digital payments, a sector that is critical to Malaysia’s future growth.” He added, “It also reflects the dedication of our academic mentors and the collaborative spirit across our Schools. Supporting PayHack 2025 has been a rewarding experience, and we are immensely proud of the excellence and professionalism shown by our students.”
APU’s performance at PayHack 2025 is more than just a win. It’s a testament to the university’s ability to nurture forward-thinking graduates who are eager to make an impact in the fast-evolving digital economy. With innovation, collaboration and practical skills at the core of its education model, APU continues to prove why it remains one of Malaysia’s leading institutions in fintech.
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Amelia Ho
Always wandering, always wondering.
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