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Indian-origin student wins grand prize at Stanford’s TreeHacks
He was awarded $1000 for his AI-backed virtual learning platform.
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Bhavana P - Fri, 23, May 2025
- 16:16 EDT
- 0
Samarth Shiramshetty / Northern Illinois University
Stanford University has awarded Samarth Shiramshetty the Grand Prize in Education at TreeHacks 2025, its annual premier hackathon.
A graduate student from Northern Illinois University (NIU), Shiramshetty, was recognized for his groundbreaking project HiveMind, an AI-powered platform aimed at enhancing virtual learning. “HiveMind was born from a simple yet powerful idea: How can we support students who are struggling silently during virtual learning?” he said.
Also read: This student-made app reduces dorm waste
Developed with a team during the TreeHacks competition, HiveMind integrates AI with platforms like Zoom to assess student understanding in real time. It then groups students into peer-learning “nodes” for personalized support, creating a more interactive and inclusive virtual classroom. The tool also uses APIs from OpenAI and Perplexity and features AI agents to enhance cognitive learning.
“Winning the Grand Prize in Education at TreeHacks validated the importance of this problem and our approach to solving it. Moving forward, we want to continue developing HiveMind to support hybrid learning environments, incorporate advanced analytics and, eventually, make it available to schools and universities around the world,” Shiramshetty said.
Currently pursuing his M.S. in Management Information Systems from NIU’s College of Business, Shiramshetty’s journey in technology began in Hyderabad, India. He earned his undergraduate degree in information technology from Osmania University and went on to gain professional experience at Accenture, working closely with Microsoft. He later interned at startups like Webacy and Episensor before joining NIU.
Assistant professor Biagio Palese, who mentored Shiramshetty at NIU, praised his drive stating, “I am especially glad he embraced the challenge and seized the opportunity to innovate, rather than just focusing on grades. Samarth’s journey is proof that our students have the talent and drive to make a meaningful impact on their own lives and in the world around them.”
The prize included $1,000 in cash, Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses, and exclusive merchandise. Leaders from Zoom, OpenAI, and other tech giants judged the competition.
TreeHacks seeks to empower the most talented and motivated collegiate hackers to tackle the world's biggest problems. The 2025 edition, held in February, brought together several teams from institutes across the globe. Participants engaged in a 36-hour hackathon, developing over 350 projects across domains like education, healthcare, sustainability, and fintech.
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