Madrid
14-16 April 2023
Sustainability & time series Dathaton
In this edition, in collaboration with IKEA and the University of Navarra, the 120 participants from over 30 universities used real data on visits and food consumption in various IKEA stores to tackle five challenges over the course of a weekend.We were joined by 10 judges, 15 experts who provided mentorship, and more than 20 volunteers who made this datathon possible.
Since 2017, IKEA has implemented an innovative artificial intelligence tool in more than 380 stores worldwide to reduce food waste in its restaurants. This system captures images, weighs, and records waste, allowing the reduction of food overproduction by more than 50%. This has led to a significant environmental impact, preventing the emission of over 28 tonnes of CO2, equivalent to the absorption of 1,250 trees over the past five years. IKEA strengthens its commitment to sustainability by addressing a global challenge and optimising the use of resources in its kitchens. Will you be able to help them continue improving?
Interactive Event: Datafest Spain 2023
A highly interactive event taking place from 14 to 16 April 2023 in San Sebastián de los Reyes, Madrid. It has been designed as a great opportunity for teams to work intensively on exploring and analysing a complex dataset, bringing together the Spanish data and analytics community.
Your Mission
Your role will be to represent your institution by analysing the data and communicating your findings. The teams that most impress the jury will win prizes and bring recognition to their school. Everyone will enjoy a fantastic experience, with plenty of food and lots of fun!
During the event, participants will have the chance to put into practice their curiosity, creativity, and knowledge.
Registration
Registration is open until 16 March 2023.
- Once the registration period ends, you will receive an email with the next steps.
- Teams registering together will be given priority.
- Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Teams
- Preference will be given to participants forming teams of two to five members. If you don’t have a team, one will be assigned to you.
- Team members may be from the same or different universities.
- Multiple teams from the same university may register.
- Each team must appoint a team captain, who will be responsible for communication with the Datafest Spain organisers.
Programme
14 April
- Registration opens on Friday afternoon.
- Kick-off session with an introduction to the business context.
- The dataset that teams will work on will be revealed.
15 April
- The data will be shared on Saturday morning.
- Teams will work on the challenge throughout the day.
16 April
- Project submissions will take place on Sunday afternoon.
- Teams will present their analysis, predictions, and conclusions to a panel of academics and professionals from various sectors.
- Closing ceremony: winners will be announced and prizes awarded.
Food will be provided and there will be surprise activities throughout the competition.
Get ready for a weekend full of data, innovation, and learning!
Participant Profile
- Graduates: You have completed your studies (Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD) within the last three years.
- Students: Master’s, PhD, or final-year Bachelor’s students.
- Enthusiasts: You can demonstrate knowledge of D&A, ML… and are under 30 years old.
The Dathaton in numbers
Social media reach
Publications on social media
Universities represented
Number of use cases presented
Five categories, Five winning teams!
Best Use Case
Best Use Case 2023
Act like a true consultant. Present insights derived from data in the most effective way possible.
The objective:
By acting as if they were a startup or consulting firm, contestants were expected to develop more than two robust and replicable solutions. Success was measured not only by the quantity and quality of the proposed use cases, but also by their ability to communicate solutions effectively, demonstrate advanced knowledge of analytics and machine learning, and present actionable, high-impact models.
Winning team (HIDB):
Daniel Beteta, Ignacio Cordova, Héctor Mejía, and Bruno Muñoz.
Findings:
The team identified that a major source of food waste in the stores used in the competition stemmed from overproduction in their kitchens.
Best Insight
Best Insight 2023
Use data to analyse, identify, and clearly explain the main findings.
The objective:
Participants were asked to use the data provided to analyse, identify, and clearly communicate the most relevant observations. Evaluation focused on the number of insights delivered, the value they provided to the business, the participants’ communication skills, and the business applicability of their conclusions.
Winning team (Los Coyotes de Córdoba):
Pablo Aparicio, Hugo Rodríguez, Andrés Vallespinos, and Alonso Villalón.
Findings:
It was observed that 85% of IKEA’s food waste was due to overproduction in their kitchens.
Best Prediction
Best Prediction 2023
Predict the future. Tackle the challenge of achieving the lowest RMSE on the test set to earn this award.
The objective:
Using the visit data provided, participants had to predict one month of future visits. The winning team would be the one with the lowest RMSE on the test set. In the event of a tie, the judging panel would consider the code, methodology, and storytelling used to approach the problem.
Winning team (Team Turing):
Francisco Javier Barranco, Wanyi Chen, Santiago Montiel, Lorenzo Seas, and Yang Zhou.
Findings:
Team Turing achieved the lowest RMSE by applying effective feature selection and using forecasting models such as SARIMA and XGB.
Best Visualization
Best Visualisation 2023
Can data be sexy? Absolutely. Build the best charts and storytelling.
Create the best possible visualisations — charts, animations, dashboards — supported by strong storytelling. Observations made will be assessed along with the clarity and creativity of the visualisations. The more complex and better explained, the higher they will be rated.
Winning team (Data Wolves):
Gozde Yazganoglu, Alba Alcaraz, Carlos Soblechero, and Javier Pardo.
Findings
Interactive visualisations filtered by date or location, along with well-crafted charts such as heatmaps and treemaps, making excellent use of the data provided and consistently delivering valuable insights.
Best External Data
Best Use of External Data 2023
Be a data sleuth. Find the best external data to deliver valuable results with creativity.
Find the most useful external data not included in the original dataset. Evaluation was based on the number of variables, the creativity of the data source, its usefulness, and how it was used to address the other challenges.
Winning team (Hashing):
Santiago Fonseca, Guillermo Martín-Coello, and Daniel Varela.
Findings:
Team Hashing made bold use of the Yelp database to identify nearby restaurants to which IKEA could donate surplus food instead of discarding it.
The Prizes!
Each member of the winning teams received an IKEA speaker-lamp and a gift card!
Best Use Case & Best Insight
SYMFONISK lamp valued at €219 + IKEA gift card worth €150
Best Prediction & Best Visualisation
ENEBY lamp valued at €100 + IKEA gift card worth €150
Best External Data
VAPPEBY lamp valued at €70 + IKEA gift card worth €100
Meet our collaborators
Judges
Stella Salvatierra
Deputy Director - DATAI
Moisés Martínez
ArtificiaI Intelligence and Data, PhD - ESADE - UFV
Moisés M. holds a PhD in Computer Science and Technology, specialising in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. With extensive research experience, he has worked on the application of automated planning and machine learning in robotics and video games. He is currently an associate lecturer at Esade and the University Francisco de Vitoria, and has also led AI teams at companies such as Paradigma Digital and Capgemini.
Pablo Jordán de la Fuente
Data Quality Specialist - CEPSA
Gonzalo de la Torre
Global Director of Data & ML, Ingka Group | IKEA
Eugenia Pérez Pons
Senior Data Analyst - IKEA
Eugenia Pérez Pons is a Global Senior Data Analyst at IKEA Digital Hub, with experience in data science, strategic analysis, and machine learning. She has worked as a lecturer and content creator at UNIR, a researcher at the United Nations Capital Development Fund, and a consultant at the BISITE Research Group. She holds a PhD in Computer Engineering from the University of Salamanca, an MSc in Data Science, and an Executive Master in Digital Business from ESADE.
Javier Escobar Ortiz
Senior Data Scientist - IKEA
Pablo Varela
Advisory Director en JAKALA
Rubén García Céspedes
GRM Data & Analytics Principal Manager - BBVA
Raquel Bujalance
Head of ALM Models - Santander
Collaborators and Volunteers from the University of Navarra
José María González Gullón
General Manager, University of Navarra (Madrid Campus)
He has over 13 years of international experience in high-performing multicultural teams. He has worked as a financial advisor in private asset management in the United States and is currently General Manager at the University of Navarra (Madrid Campus), while pursuing an Executive MBA at IESE Business School.
Denise Abbub
Program Manager and Student Coordinator at University of Navarra
A professional with international experience in operations, logistics, and human resources. Graduated in Management, she has coordinated projects and processes in both academic and corporate environments. She currently works in office administration and has held key roles in human resources and student management at institutions such as the University of Navarra and companies in the US and Europe.
Jesús López Fidalgo
Professor of Statistics at the University of Navarra and Director of the Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Centre (DATAI)
Former President of the Spanish Society of Statistics and Operations Research and former coordinator of Spain’s National Mathematics Plan. He has served as Editor-in-Chief of the journal Test and as Director of the School of Industrial Engineering at UCLM. An elected member of the International Statistical Institute, he has published over 120 papers and is the author of El azar no existe (“Chance Does Not Exist”).
Paulina Vázquez
Associate Services Consultant, Celonis
Specialist in digital transformation and data science. Currently at Celonis, previously Digital Operations Intern at ABB. Holds a Master’s in Big Data Science from the University of Navarra, with experience in supplier segmentation, service optimisation, and economic impact analysis.
Jaime Forero
Data Scientist, ProCibernética - Gobierno de Colombia
Specialist in machine learning and audio processing in governmental environments. Develops advanced algorithms for automatic image tagging and audio transcription, using Hadoop and HUE for the analysis of large-scale datasets. Has 4 years of experience in the data lifecycle and results visualisation.
Rafa Teran
Inside Sales Representative, Amadeus
Industrial Management Engineer with a Master’s in Big Data Science from the University of Navarra. Passionate about process optimisation through technological innovation and statistical analysis. Currently part of the Inside Sales team at Amadeus for the DACH region.
Diego Farkas
Senior Analyst, MercadoLibre
Data Analyst with over five years of experience in financial services and technology. Specialised in data analysis, process automation, and Business Intelligence using SQL, R Studio, and BigQuery. Currently pursuing a Master’s in Big Data Science at the University of Navarra.
Collaborators and Volunteers from IKEA
Rebeca Abella
Vice President of Data & Analytics, IKEA
Leads a team of data & analytics managers, data engineers, data scientists, and data analysts at IKEA. Her main goal is to understand the needs of customers and co-workers in order to enable product development teams to make data-informed decisions in product, technology, and design. She is passionate about understanding users to build products and services that improve everyday life.
Elena Gatats
Digital Talent Sourcing & EVP Leader, IKEA IT AB
Specialist in talent management, organisational development, and digital transformation. With over 18 years at IKEA, she leads the Talent Sourcing and Employee Value Proposition strategy for Ingka Group Digital. Passionate about empowering personal and professional growth.
Frida Nilsson
Project Leader, Employer Branding & L&D, IKEA
<p>Specialist in event production, project management, and communication. Passionate about creating innovative digital and physical experiences. Currently leads Employer Branding and Learning & Development initiatives at IKEA.</p>
Juan Sebastián Trujillo
Local HRBP Service Office, INGKA Centres & Digital Hub en IKEA | HRBP | Talent | Leadership | International Environment IKEA Instituto de Estudios Cajasol
With over 10 years of experience in human resources. Specialised in leadership, talent development, and internal communication, he manages recruitment, training, and employee well-being across three companies within the INGKA Group.
Ana Salinas
Digital Project Coordinator at IKEA Group Digital
Project Coordinator with over four years at IKEA. Currently facilitates communication and connection with support functions at IKEA, ensuring team alignment with the organisational strategy. She lived and developed her career in Ireland for 20 years before returning to Madrid.
Santiago Salgado
Global Data & Machine Learning Director at Ingka Group | IKEA
Data & Machine Learning Director with experience integrating analytical solutions into digital products. Specialist in data analysis, engineering, and management, with strong expertise in cloud computing and systems architecture. Proven leadership in product innovation, financial management, and team development.
Marino Serna
Senior Data Engineer at IKEA
Senior Data Engineer with experience in Big Data solutions and cloud architecture. Responsible for defining architecture, best practices, and project management in GCP for B2B clients at IKEA. Specialised in ETLs, MLOps, APIs, and automation using Terraform. Extensive experience in multi-cloud environments (AWS, GCP, Azure) and in developing scalable infrastructures for data analytics and machine learning.
Javier Rodríguez
Senior Data Engineer at IKEA
Senior Data Engineer with over 10 years of experience driving digital and sustainable transformation at IKEA. Specialised in data integration, pipeline development, data architecture, and cloud solutions (GCP). Passionate about innovation, AI, and teamwork to create global impact.
Alicia Alcalde
Senior Data Analyst at IKEA & University lecturer at UNIR
Data Analytics professional with experience leading projects and supporting strategic decision-making through data analysis. Instructor at UNIR, where she teaches online courses for the next generation of analysts.
Alicia Martínez García
Data analyst at IKEA
Currently works at the IKEA Madrid Digital Hub. Before joining IKEA, she worked as a Data Analyst at Farmacias Trébol and as a Data Visualisation Engineer at JUMP – Data-Driven Intelligence. She has also been a BI Analyst at Vodafone through The Next Peak, and a Business Intelligence Analyst at ALSA.
Ion Carmona
Country Data and Analytics Leader at IKEA Spain
Professional with over six years of international experience in consulting, specialised in Business Intelligence and Big Data. Currently serves as Country Data and Analytics Leader at IKEA.
Patricia Fresno
Digital Hub manager at IKEA-Ingka Group
Professional with over 16 years of experience at IKEA. She is the Digital Hub Manager in Madrid, leading digitalisation and process optimisation initiatives. Previously, she held positions such as Digital Project Leader in digital transformation and Product Owner.
Something to tell us?
Datafest Spain is a people-driven association created to foster interaction among professionals in the sector. Don’t hesitate to share your ideas with us!