Baylor MBA Students Win First Place at Google x Nuitee Global Hackathon
Three Hankamer School of Business (HSB) Full-Time MBA students recently earned first place at the 2025 Google x Nuitee Travel-lite Hackathon, held at Google’s London headquarters. The event brought together more than 60 participants from around the world to develop innovative applications using Nuitee’s LiteAPI and Google Gemini AI technology.
MBA candidates Marco Di Laudo, Nick Hruskoci and Mike Tibollo collaborated with software developer Dylan Baijnauth to design and present Roamin, a mobile application created to enhance the travel experience for fitness-minded users. The app enables runners to discover and book hotels near popular and safe running routes, integrating Nuitee’s LiteAPI for booking functionality and Google Gemini for AI-assisted route creation.
“Initially, I wasn’t sure what to expect in terms of the idea and project, but it soon became clear that this was a real opportunity to do something great as a group,” Di Laudo said. “Through it all, we gained invaluable insight into the potential of the international development space and proudly introduced Roamin.”
Over the course of several days, the team developed an end-to-end solution, from user interface to backend integration and business model. Tibollo designed and built the iOS interface using SwiftUI and UIKit while Baijnauth developed a scalable backend incorporating data from Strava, Gemini and Nuitee’s API. Hruskoci and DiLaudo developed the business case for Roamin, including its revenue model and strategic partnership proposal.
The team’s presentation earned the first-place award and a $10,000 prize, along with recognition from judges representing Google and Nuitee for their creativity, technical execution and practical application of business strategy.
Tibollo attributes the team’s ability to tackle a complex problem under tight deadlines to the skills and strategic perspective he has gained through the MBA program.
“This hackathon presented an ambiguous problem and an intense timeline,” Tibollo said. “Our MBA coursework prepared us to navigate uncertainty, manage time effectively and design a comprehensive solution that integrated both technology and business strategy.”
The experience demonstrated how the Baylor MBA program’s interdisciplinary approach, blending analytical rigor, strategic thinking and innovation, equips students to perform in dynamic high-pressure environments.
As the team continues to refine Roamin, they plan to explore opportunities to further develop the platform and bring it to market, continuing to build upon the knowledge and skills gained through their MBA experience.
