Penn Students Win Big at Philadelphia Maritime Defense Hackathon

Second-year graduate student Jen Shi and College sophomore Lela Sengupta were members of winning teams at the event hosted by Albacore Inc.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 4:48am

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Two Penn students, Jen Shi and Lela Sengupta, were part of winning teams at a recent maritime defense hackathon in Philadelphia. The event, hosted by Albacore Inc., invited over 150 builders to develop solutions for the future of maritime defense. Shi's team created a model mapping safe passages and potential dangers, while Sengupta's team also took home a prize. The hackathon was attended by defense industry leaders and aimed to expand interest in shipbuilding and defense technology on the East Coast.

Why it matters

The Philadelphia maritime defense hackathon highlights the growing importance of defense technology and the role students can play in solving real-world challenges. By participating in events like this, Penn students are gaining valuable experience and exposure to industries they may not have previously considered.

The details

The hackathon, which took place from March 27 to March 29, challenged participants to develop software, hardware, and sensing equipment solutions for maritime defense. Jen Shi, a second-year graduate student in computer information systems, competed in the Maritime Domain Awareness track. Her team created a model that mapped out safe shipping routes and potential dangers like mines. Lela Sengupta, a College sophomore, was also part of a winning team, though the specifics of their project were not provided. The event was attended by defense industry leaders, including Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker and U.S. Senator Dave McCormick, who spoke about the importance of these problems for national security.

  • The hackathon was held from March 27 to March 29, 2026.
  • Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, a Fels Institute of Government graduate from 2016, delivered the keynote speech.

The players

Jen Shi

A second-year graduate student in computer information systems at the University of Pennsylvania who was part of a winning team at the maritime defense hackathon.

Lela Sengupta

A College sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania who was part of a winning team at the maritime defense hackathon.

Dante Vaisbort

A co-founder of Albacore Inc., the organization that hosted the maritime defense hackathon.

Cherelle Parker

The Mayor of Philadelphia, who graduated from the Fels Institute of Government in 2016 and delivered the keynote speech at the hackathon.

Dave McCormick

A United States Senator from Pennsylvania who sent a video to the hackathon participants to discuss the importance of the problems being addressed.

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What they’re saying

“I think that was really, really generous of them, and goes to show how important some of these problems are to our national security and the important role that students can play in building the next steps.”

— Dante Vaisbort, Co-founder of Albacore Inc.

“I think there are a lot of real-world existing challenges for engineers to solve, and this seems like a domain that you can learn about and try to solve some of those challenges. I feel like every engineer, especially all Penn engineers, should try to just go out there and talk to people who might be needing their skill set, and oftentimes it will surprise you.”

— Jen Shi, Second-year graduate student in computer information systems

“A lot of us don't have experience in submersibles or in the maritime space at all. We're more aerospace focused, so it was really cool for us to venture into this and learn about the world of maritime.”

— Sam Hoffman, Engineering junior and master's student in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics

What’s next

The organizers of the hackathon plan to continue hosting similar events in the future to further expand interest in maritime defense technology on the East Coast.

The takeaway

This hackathon demonstrates the valuable role that Penn students can play in solving real-world challenges, even in industries they may not have previously considered. By participating in events like this, students are gaining practical experience and exposure to new fields, which can open up exciting career opportunities.