Persistent Anchors Databricks‑Powered AI Hackathon to Build Enterprise‑Ready Talent

Persistent Systems (BSE: 533179 and NSE: PERSISTENT), a global Digital Engineering and Enterprise Modernization leader, collaborated on an AI engineering talent initiative with Databricks and the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) to help strengthen the next generation of enterprise-ready AI talent.

Developed in collaboration with the MSOE AI Club, Persistent anchored a Databricks-powered AI Hackathon to scale AI delivery capabilities through deeper collaboration across academia, technology ecosystems and industry practitioners. The program provided students with the opportunity to work with AI professionals, bridging the gap between academic AI learning and real-world implementation.

Using the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform and supported by the Databricks University Alliance, the initiative gave students hands-on exposure to advanced data and AI engineering environments used in modern analytics, Generative AI and operational AI deployments. It also emphasized on operational scalability, governance, reliability and engineering discipline. Participants worked across the AI lifecycle using technologies including Delta Lake, Unity Catalog, Agent Bricks, and Databricks Workflows, gaining practical experience in scalable AI pipelines, governed data environments, AI orchestration and production-ready AI architectures.

Persistent’s senior architects and project leads worked directly with participants to bring architectural thinking, governance frameworks and enterprise deployment considerations into the learning experience, helping students better understand how AI systems are built and scaled in business environments.

The collaboration also strengthens Persistent’s engagement with MSOE, a leading institution in applied AI and engineering education. Through its work with the MSOE AI Club, the Company is contributing to an academic ecosystem focused on AI, robotics, data science and next-generation engineering innovation while deepening engagement with emerging talent.

The initiative is part of Persistent’s broader collaboration with Databricks. As a Global Systems Integrator partner, the Company brings strong Databricks capabilities, including over 1,300 Databricks experts, 950+ certifications and proprietary accelerators such as the iAURA suite, helping enterprises modernize data foundations and scale analytics, Generative AI and enterprise AI adoption across the business.

Together, Persistent, Databricks and MSOE are establishing a model that integrates enterprise platforms, practitioner expertise and academic innovation to accelerate workforce readiness for an AI-driven economy.

Key Highlights

• Enterprise AI engineering initiative designed to strengthen workforce readiness for production-scale AI deployments
• Hands-on exposure to enterprise-grade AI engineering workflows, governed data environments and operational AI systems
• Participants worked with Delta Lake, Unity Catalog, Agent Bricks and Databricks Workflows
• Focused on scalable AI pipelines, AI governance, AI orchestration and production-grade enterprise AI architectures.

Sameer Dixit, Corporate Vice President and Head of Data, AI and Integration, Persistent, “The AI market is shifting from isolated pilots to enterprise-wide operationalization, demanding engineers fluent in governed data, scalable platforms and production-grade execution. Our exclusive AI Hackathon with Databricks and MSOE equips students with real-world platform experience and engineering discipline from day one. This approach is rooted in Persistent's hackathon DNA. ‘Semicolons’ - our flagship global annual hackathon, has consistently turned ideas into enterprise-grade solutions and we are now extending that proven model into academia. Strengthening this connection between academia and industry is key to sustaining innovation in the years ahead.”

John Young, Global Managing Director – Partner Solution Architects, Databricks, “AI is only as powerful as the data foundations behind it and organizations today are standardizing on platforms that bring data, analytics and AI together. Preparing talent to work in these unified environments is becoming critical. Collaborations like this with Persistent and MSOE help students build that foundation early, so they can contribute meaningfully from day one in enterprise settings. Strengthening this connection between academia and industry is key to sustaining innovation in the years ahead.”

Derek Riley, PhD, Professor, Program Director of Computer Science, Milwaukee School of Engineering, “The support from Persistent and Databricks has been transformative for the MSOE AI Club and our members. The hackathon brought valuable motivation, perspective, and experience into the classroom and challenged students to think beyond the academic lessons of their classwork. These experiences play an important role in how we prepare graduates to navigate a rapidly evolving AI landscape and deliver value for their future employers.”

Persistent Partners with IIT Kharagpur to Establish AI Innovation Lab for Research, Talent and National-scale Innovation

Persistent Systems (BSE: 533179 and NSE: PERSISTENT), a global Digital Engineering and Enterprise Modernization leader, today announced that its affiliate has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur (IIT Kharagpur) to launch an AI Innovation Lab in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE).

Aligned to Persistent’s AI-first strategy and a shared vision of “AI for All,” the Lab will serve as a long-term platform to advance AI research, deepen industry-academia collaboration and build future-ready talent. The initiative reflects a shared ambition to strengthen India’s role in the global AI landscape by preparing talent for the AI world through research excellence and responsible innovation.

The facility will host advanced computational, laboratory and instructional capabilities to accelerate research and applied development, with a focus on developing robust, safe and responsible AI systems across areas such as healthcare analytics, educational technology and financial intelligence.

Through an integrated approach spanning theory, systems development and deployment, the Lab will support scalable solutions while strengthening the link between research, engineering and real-world impact. This approach is expected to contribute to Persistent’s AI capability stack, including reusable frameworks, domain insights and talent pipelines that can be leveraged across engagements.

Beyond research and teaching, the Lab will promote international collaboration and cross-domain engagement, serving as a hub for knowledge exchange across academia, industry and policy stakeholders. By nurturing skilled talent and enabling impactful research, it will contribute to India’s evolving AI ecosystem and expand access to foundational technologies across sectors.

Dr. Anand Deshpande, Founder, Chairman and Managing Director, Persistent, “India’s AI promise will be built on original research, deep engineering, and work on real problems that shape everyday life. The Persistent AI Innovation Lab at IIT Kharagpur will work closely with faculty and students to advance research while remaining rooted in India-centric challenges. That is how we will prepare graduates who are capable, grounded and ready to make a difference.

IIT Kharagpur shaped my career and my way of thinking. I remain deeply grateful for that foundation. This initiative is a way to give back. Supporting the CSE@50 Mission as the Department approaches its golden jubilee in 2030 feels both natural and deeply personal.

I hope this Lab becomes a place where young researchers feel the same spark I once felt and go on to build things that make India and the world better.”

Prof. Siddhartha Mukhopadhyay, Dean – Alumni Affairs, IIT Kharagpur, “This partnership brings industry perspective into our academic ecosystem while giving our students and faculty deeper exposure to real-world challenges. It reflects the growing importance of academia-industry collaboration in advancing responsible and impactful AI at scale.

On behalf of the institute, I deeply appreciate this wonderful contribution made by the Deshpande family as well as Persistent Systems and remain thankful for their love and support for the institute.”

Prof. Niloy Ganguly, Head of Department – Computer Science and Engineering, IIT Kharagpur, “This partnership with Persistent Systems will create an environment where academic curiosity meets engineering discipline and industry relevance. It is especially meaningful that this initiative is led by Dr. Anand Deshpande, an alumnus of our very own CSE Department, whose journey from the Department to building a global technology leader embodies the spirit we strive to nurture.”