The TDX Hackathon is a race against time that pushes participants to develop effective solutions using Salesforce’s AI tool, Agentforce. Competing under extreme time constraints, teams have to conceptualize, build, and then present a functioning solution that reflects the future vision of Agentforce.
This year’s winning team – which included Janeen Marquardt, Zachary Banks, Joseph Kubon, Vanessa Thomas, and Christopher Easter – developed an agent network that showcased a captivating real-world use case. In exclusive interviews, Janeen and Zach shared their experience of the hackathon – from the challenges of the project to the strategic thinking behind their winning idea.
Creating a Multi-Agent Network
Team Agent Halo’s concept was centered around a network of AI agents working together to solve complex, multi-step problems. Inspired by an initial idea created by fellow teammate, Joseph, they refined this idea into a solution that could be replicated across different industries.
“The idea was actually inspired by Joseph, who initially came to us with a similar concept – two agents communicating with each other. We explored several variations, both multi-agent and single-agent approaches. But ultimately, we came back to the idea of a multi-agent conversation,” Janeen explained.
One standout example of their solution was in emergency response. Their model was able to illustrate how AI agents could coordinate responses after car accidents, seamlessly handling emergency services, insurance claims, tow truck dispatch, and family notifications; all while keeping the user focused on their own recovery without the need to take on further admin responsibilities.
“Instead of making dozens of stressful phone calls, everything happens in the background, allowing the user to focus on their recovery,” Janeen added.
Beyond emergency scenarios, this framework was applied in travel coordination, customer service automation, and logistics – highlighting its flexibility and real-world potential.
Building Under Pressure
Hackathons are notoriously known for their intensity, and Team Agent Halo faced the full brunt of pressure in the early stages of their project.
Due to some technical issues, Zach missed the early stages of the build, with concerns that he may not return to the team to build the agent network.
“The hackathon started at 4 pm PT and ran until midnight. We had some initial issues getting set up, so I actually couldn’t contribute much [at first],” Zach said.
This missing expertise sparked some concerns in the team, who were waiting patiently for Zach to rejoin the project.
“Losing Zach was a huge setback because he’s an incredible asset to the team. We were worried – what if we didn’t get him back?” Janeen explained. “Luckily, he was able to rejoin us the next day, which was a huge relief.”
Once Zach had returned, Team Agent Halo went full steam ahead. The next day, the team worked non-stop from 7 am to 8 pm, recording their demo and preparing their submission.
They managed to submit the agent network with only two seconds to spare.
“Our submission went in at the 57-second mark, and we had to get it in before the 59-second deadline,” Zach detailed. “So, we were literally building and refining the entire day, preparing our talk track for the demo, recording it, editing it, and getting everything submitted under high pressure.”
This high-pressure environment encouraged the team to work more efficiently and trust each other’s strengths – a point Marquardt emphasized.
“We truly believed we had the perfect team for this challenge,” Janeen explained. “If even one of us had been missing or replaced, we might not have succeeded. The idea was strong, but the execution was key.”
What Set the Agent Network Apart?
Beyond the compelling idea and easy-to-understand use case, the real reason the project stood out – according to Janeen and Zach – was how they communicated their concept and how they aligned it with Salesforce’s vision for Agentforce.
“We reviewed the rules repeatedly and asked ourselves how this project would provide ROI for Salesforce, how it would help them tell the story of Agentforce, and how it would benefit their customers,” Janeen said.
Another key differentiating factor was their documentation. While many teams may have relied solely on the five-minute demo, Team Agent Halo added a 20-page presentation with their submission.
“A five-minute presentation video isn’t enough time to fully showcase what we built – it barely scratches the surface. We created a twenty-page presentation that included the user experience, system architecture, the future roadmap, the core idea, the MVP (minimum viable product) we planned to build, and a clear explanation of why we should win,” Janeen explained.
“We attached this as a PDF to our entry. This meant that beyond the five-minute video and whatever could be gleaned from looking at our org, the judges had additional information to evaluate. We didn’t just provide a demo; we gave them a full narrative, a compelling scenario, and a clear use case.”
Zach agreed that the presentation played a crucial role in their success.
“It’s really about how well you convey the concept. Execution matters, but if you can’t explain the business problem you’re solving, you won’t stand out,” he said.
Lessons for Future Hackathon Teams
For those looking to compete in future TDX hackathons, Zach offered some key advice:
“Don’t overcomplicate it. We only had about 16 hours to build it, make it look presentable, put together slides, and record a demo. That’s not a lot of time.
Some people have asked me if they should prepare LWC code in advance, and my answer is no – it’s overkill. We didn’t even use LWC! We focused on out-of-the-box Salesforce products and how well we could showcase the business problem and solution.”
Janeen echoed this sentiment, adding that teamwork and adaptability were just as important as technical skills.
“You need to have a well-rounded team. If you have five developers, you’re in trouble. If you have five admins, you’re in trouble. You need different perspectives to really hit all the right angles.”
Another crucial takeaway from the hackathon for the team was understanding the importance of staying aligned with the competition’s criteria. Many teams may have had technically impressive builds, but they need to align with Salesforce’s goals and vision.
“Some of these projects may not have had a direct benefit to Salesforce. While they were great ideas with altruistic intent, they weren’t fully aligned with the competition’s goals, which likely impacted their chances of winning,” Janeen said.
What’s Next for the Winners?
For Zach, winning was a bonus – his real goal was to learn and experiment with Agentforce.
“I wanted to see how easy it was to embed Agentforce into an Experience Cloud website, get it talking, set up prompts, and really test its capabilities,” Zach explained. “I got exactly what I wanted out of it!”
When asked about their winning, both Janeen and Zach laughed at the reality of post-tax prize money.
“There were five of us on the team, so that breaks down to $20K per person. After taxes, a big chunk of that is gone… I’m just going to put it into savings,” Zach said.
Janeen echoed a similar plan but hopes to donate a portion of her winnings to charity.
Final Thoughts
This year’s TDX Hackathon pushed Team Agent Halo to the limit and the last second.
Through strong team rapport and a clear, digestible idea, they created a fascinating idea that highlights how agents could one day work together to help someone in need and alleviate their manual tasks after an accident, as well as other useful and effective real-world use cases.
What are your thoughts on the agent network? Make sure to leave your thoughts in the comments below.
