TechPoint’s latest XTERN Challenge brought together 100 students from colleges and universities across Indiana to take on real-world enterprise AI problems, developed with Cummins.

Designed as a work-based learning experience, XTERN Challenge gives students the opportunity to collaborate across schools, apply their skills to real business problems, and gain exposure to the kind of teamwork, technical thinking, and communication required in the workplace. Cummins’ challenge pushed that model further, asking students to solve complex problems tied to AI systems, service workflows, and business operations.

Jennifer Rumsey, Chair and CEO of Cummins, speaks to students during the 2026 Xtern Challenge. A video wall behind her shows remote participants and audience views from the event.
Jennifer Rumsey, Chair and CEO of Cummins, speaks to students during the 2026 XTERN Challenge.

TechPoint selected the 100 participants from over 200 qualified applicants. Students qualified based on readiness for the challenge, a range of experience levels, and representation from as many universities as possible. Once selected, organizers then placed them into cross-university teams and spent several weeks working together remotely to build their solutions ahead of final presentations in Columbus, IN.

Cummins helped shape the experience from the beginning. The company partnered with TechPoint to create two challenge prompts: Enter the Matrix: Fortune 200 Edition, focused on enterprise agentic AI systems, and Service Engineering Reboot, focused on AI-assisted service workflows for technicians. Throughout the challenge period, students also had access to support from Cummins through Q&A sessions and ongoing guidance.

Paul Bautista of Cummins speaks at a podium during the 2026 Xtern Challenge.
Paul Bautista, Executive Director Enterprise Platforms Leader at Cummins, speaks to XTERN Challenge participants on Cummins IT & AI as part of the speaker track.

Final presentation day took place March 6 at Cummins in Columbus. Cummins CEO Jennifer Rumsey spoke to the participants before kicking off their presentations in front of live judging panels made up of Cummins professionals across AI, engineering, operations, and business leadership. Throughout the day, Cummins also provided a speaker track, with team members sharing expertise on a wide variety of topics.

After a day of presentations, judges recognized first-, second-, and third-place teams in both challenge tracks, along with honorable mentions.

Service Engineering Reboot

First Place

Karuna Saravanan (Indiana University Indianapolis), Inioluwa (Tina) Oyatobo (Indiana University Indianapolis), Kyra Truong (Indiana University Indianapolis), Mannandeep Caur (Purdue University), Nishad Patel (Purdue University)

Team 19 earned first place for SNIMMUC, an AI-powered decision-support system designed to help technicians interpret complex diagnostic data, troubleshoot more effectively, and make more confident repair decisions. The concept emphasized practical technician support, pairing AI-guided insights with the guardrails needed for safe, accountable decision-making in the field.

Team 19 poses with a ceremonial $5,000 check after winning first place in the Service Engineering Reboot track at the 2026 Xtern Challenge. Team members are Karuna Saravanan, Inioluwa “Tina” Oyatobo, and Kyra Truong of Indiana University Indianapolis, and Mannandeep Caur and Nishad Patel of Purdue University.
Left to right: Karuna Saravanan (Indiana University Indianapolis), Inioluwa (Tina) Oyatobo (Indiana University Indianapolis), Kyra Truong (Indiana University Indianapolis), Mannandeep Caur (Purdue University), Nishad Patel (Purdue University)

Second Place

Faris Ibrahim (Purdue University), Ahaan Kothari (Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology), Venkata Karthik Konduri (Indiana University Indianapolis), Key Weng (Indiana University Indianapolis), Iota Shrestha (Purdue University)

Team 17 took second place with FieldAssist, an AI-enabled platform built to support technicians with diagnostics, repair guidance, and safer, more efficient field service workflows. Its design reflected a strong understanding of real service conditions, including the need for reliable support, clear escalation paths, and better field readiness.

Team 17 poses with Cummins representatives and event staff while holding a ceremonial $3,000 check for second place in the Service Engineering Reboot track at the 2026 Xtern Challenge. Team members are Faris Ibrahim of Purdue University, Ahaan Kothari of Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Venkata Karthik Konduri and Key Weng of Indiana University Indianapolis, and Iota Shrestha of Purdue University.
Left to right: judges Saroja Bharath and Mayank Brijpuria; team members Faris Ibrahim (Purdue University), Ahaan Kothari (Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology), Venkata Karthik Konduri (Indiana University Indianapolis), Key Weng (Indiana University Indianapolis), Iota Shrestha (Purdue University); judge Suzanne Kawamaleh

Third Place

Ibragim Tleukulov (DePauw University), Adam Amar (DePauw University), Mian Abdullah (DePauw University), Nathan Vujaklija (Franklin College), Yejin Oh (Purdue University)

Team 20 placed third with Cummins Tech AI, a service support concept focused on guided troubleshooting, faster access to relevant information, and more efficient field service decision-making. The project centered on making technical knowledge more usable in the moment, helping technicians move more quickly from issue identification to action.

Team 20 poses with a ceremonial $2,000 check for third place in the Service Engineering Reboot track at the 2026 Xtern Challenge. Team members are Ibragim Tleukulov, Adam Amar, and Mian Abdullah of DePauw University, Nathan Vujaklija of Franklin College, and Yejin Oh of Purdue University.
Left to right: Ibragim Tleukulov (DePauw University), Adam Amar (DePauw University), Mian Abdullah (DePauw University), Nathan Vujaklija (Franklin College), and Yejin Oh (Purdue University).

Enter the Matrix

First Place

Ameya Shukla (Purdue University), Tanay Patel (Purdue University), Samip Devkota (DePauw University)

Team 9 earned first place for Disrupt IQ, an AI-native disruption response planner designed to help warehouse and supply chain managers respond faster and more consistently to disruptions through a multi-agent, human-in-the-loop workflow. The project stood out for its clear focus on real operational decision-making, helping users evaluate options quickly while maintaining oversight and auditability.

Team 9 poses with judges at the 2026 Xtern Challenge. Team members are Ameya Shukla and Tanay Patel of Purdue University and Samip Devkota of DePauw University.
Left to right: judges Subu Kamath, Saroja Bharath, and Chitra Bhagat; team members Ameya Shukla (Purdue University), Tanay Patel (Purdue University), and Samip Devkota (DePauw University); judges Tammy Dugan and Agam Singh

Second Place

Vikram Kavalipati (Purdue University), Sanketh Patil (Purdue University), Seno Sanjeev (Purdue University), Somya Sakalle (Purdue University), Sinclair Nzenwata (Ball State University)

Team 10 took second place with Prescriptive Maintenance Dispatcher, a multi-agent work order intelligence system built to help field engineers diagnose issues earlier, arrive better prepared, and reduce costly repeat service trips. By combining machine data, diagnostics, and service documentation, the team proposed a more connected approach to field support and maintenance readiness.

Team 10 poses with a ceremonial $3,000 check for second place in the Enter the Matrix track at the 2026 Xtern Challenge. Team members are Vikram Kavalipati, Sanketh Patel, Seno Sanjeev, and Somya Sakalle of Purdue University, and Sinclair Nzenwata of Ball State University.
Left to right: Vikram Kavalipati (Purdue University), Sanketh Patel (Purdue University), Seno Sanjeev (Purdue University), Somya Sakalle (Purdue University), Sinclair Nzenwata (Ball State University)

Third Place

Avani Kabra (Purdue University), Sahmey Raiyan Khan (DePauw University), Allen Merrill (University of Indianapolis), Srihitha Tangudu (Indiana University Indianapolis)

Team 1 placed third with Procurefy, a multi-agent purchase order automation system designed to streamline procurement workflows and support faster, more consistent decision-making while keeping humans in the loop. Their solution tackled a highly manual business process and showed how agentic AI could reduce repetitive work while improving efficiency and consistency.

Team 1 poses with a ceremonial $2,000 check for third place in the Enter the Matrix track at the 2026 Xtern Challenge. Team members are Avani Kabra of Purdue University, Sahmey Raiyan Khan of DePauw University, and Allen Merrill of the University of Indianapolis.
Left to right: Avani Kabra (Purdue University), Sahmey Raiyan Khan (DePauw University), Allen Merrill (University of Indianapolis), Srihitha Tangudu (Indiana University Indianapolis)

Honorable Mentions

Service Engineering Reboot

Ramani Satishkumar (Purdue University Indianapolis), Freddy Da-silveira (Ball State University), San Mi Mi Thant (Indiana University Bloomington), Colleen Busher (Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology)

Team 12 was recognized for PMAdapt, an adaptive maintenance checklist system designed to help junior technicians think more like senior technicians through AI-guided diagnostics and supervisor-supported escalation.

Team 12 presents during the 2026 Xtern Challenge. Team members are Ramani Satishkumar of Purdue University Indianapolis, Freddy Da-silveira of Ball State University, San Mi Mi Thant of Indiana University Bloomington, and Colleen Busher of Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.
Left to right: Ramani Satishkumar (Purdue University Indianapolis), Freddy Da-silveira (Ball State University), San Mi Mi Thant (Indiana University Bloomington), Colleen Busher (Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology)

Enter the Matrix

Vihaan Pradeep (Purdue University), Monish Malla (Indiana University Bloomington), Sahi Maldoddi (Indiana University Indianapolis), Quynh Tran (DePauw University), Joshika Sathyamathan (Purdue University)

Team 5 was recognized for SupplyGuard, a multi-agent supply chain risk monitoring system designed to help teams identify disruptions earlier, assess supplier risk, and make more proactive decisions.

Team 5 presents during the 2026 Xtern Challenge. Team members are Vihaan Pradeep of Purdue University, Monish Malla of Indiana University Bloomington, Sahi Maldoddi of Indiana University Indianapolis, Quynh Tran of DePauw University, and Joshika Sathyamathan of Purdue University.
Left to right: Vihaan Pradeep (Purdue University), Monish Malla (Indiana University Bloomington), Sahi Maldoddi (Indiana University Indianapolis), Quynh Tran (DePauw University), Joshika Sathyamathan (Purdue University)

Donggyu Yoon (Purdue University)

Team 6 was recognized for Orange Lantern, an AI-powered supplier reliability and disruption-alert platform built to monitor vendor performance, flag risk, and support faster supply chain decisions. Due to late conflicts, Yoon developed and presented his project by himself.

Donggyu Yoon presents for Team 6 during the 2026 Xtern Challenge.
Donggyu Yoon (Purdue University) presents to the judges.

Beyond XTERN Challenge

TechPoint also recognizes the Cummins professionals who helped make the experience possible, including the company’s presenters and judges, who shared their time and expertise with students throughout the challenge and on presentation day.

At its core, Xtern Challenge is about more than a single event. In an economy where AI is changing how entry-level experience is built, students need more opportunities to work on real problems, build practical judgment, and gain exposure to the kind of collaboration employers value most.

The Cummins challenge shows what is possible when organizations design these experiences with intention, giving students meaningful work while helping rebuild the pathway from education to opportunity in Indiana’s digital economy.

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