Data Challenge IFCS 2026,

Data Challenge IFCS 2026,

by Riccardo Borgoni -
Number of replies: 0

Care Studentesse e cari Studenti,

con piacere vi segnalo l'interessante iniziativa che trovate nella comunicazione in calce al mio messaggio.

Cordialmente,

Riccardo Borgoni

Dear students,

We are pleased to announce the Data Challenge IFCS 2026, an official satellite event of the 19th Conference of the International Federation of Classification Societies (IFCS), with the patronage of Cariplo.

During this in-person competition, participants will challenge themselves by working on a complex dataset, containing financial information from nearly 20,000 Italian small and medium-sized enterprises, to address a specific classification problem, simulating a highly analytical professional environment. The dataset and the problem formulation will be revealed to participants on the morning of the event.

Teams may include from two to four members. The contest is addressed specifically to Master's degree and PhD students under the age of 30.

At the end of the day, each team will present its results in a short 5-minute pitch. The proposed solutions will be evaluated by a Scientific Committee based on predictive accuracy, methodological innovation, clarity of presentation, and reproducibility. Prizes will be awarded to the top three teams: €1,000 for the first-ranked team, €600 for the second-ranked team, and €400 for the third-ranked team, in the form of Feltrinelli gift vouchers. The winners will be announced during the Icebreaker of the IFCS Conference, ensuring that the best projects gain maximum visibility in front of the international scientific community.

Key details:

  • Event date: 13 July 2026

  • Location: University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy

  • Format: In-person, real-time competition

  • Language: English

  • Registration: Free of charge, limited to 20 teams

  • Conference registration: Not required

  • Equipment: Participants must bring their own laptops

Full details, including registration deadlines and the daily schedule, are available on the challenge webpage: https://ifcs2026.unimib.it/data-challenge/.

For any further information, please contact luca.brusa@unimib.it.

Best regards,

The Organizing Committee
Data Challenge IFCS 2026