It started with acronyms. LOTS of them.
On day four of their RBC Amplify Program placement, McMaster University software engineering students Ethan Walsh and Noah Goldschmied found themselves in a meeting where acronyms were flying around like confetti. There was a lot to learn and some nerves and shared thoughts of ‘what did we sign up for?’.
Spoiler alert: they signed up for an incredible experience that tested their creativity and won their team $20,000.
Strangers to teammates
When Ethan and Noah were placed on the same team, they had no idea they were about to form a close friendship. Despite both being in McMaster’s software engineering program, they had never met. “We realized pretty quickly that we’re incredibly similar,” Noah shared. “Same program, same classes, same interests – we just never crossed paths until Amplify.”
The two worked with Rohan Sethi, a University of Windsor Masters of Applied Computing student and Andrew Rouse, a McMaster Bachelor of Commerce student. Together, the four students formed a well-balanced unit, each bringing unique strengths to the table to tackle one of RBC’s challenges: make wire payments better.
An unfamiliar problem
Wire payments are a critical part of how banks move large sums of money between institutions, but they can sometimes encounter delays due to missing or incorrect information requiring intervention from bank employees. While each fix might only take seconds, the volume of transactions can mean that small inefficiencies add up to additional operational costs and delays.
“We’d never sent a wire payment before ourselves,” Ethan admitted. “But we spent the whole summer learning how they break and how to fix them.”
The team began by interviewing stakeholders across the bank including branch staff and payment operations specialists to understand pain points. They learned that the software used to route wire payments was outdated, lacked the ability to adapt to incomplete or ambiguous data and often required human correction, which slowed down the entire system.
To tackle this, they focused on the system that determines how a wire payment travels from one bank to another, often through intermediary institutions. Using an analogy of airport layovers, Noah and Ethan explained how payments needed to “connect” through trusted banking relationships to reach their destination.
We’d never sent a wire payment before ourselves. But we spent the whole summer learning how they break and how to fix them.
Their solution? Blink, an intelligent routing engine that streamlines wire payments using deterministic logic. No flashy AI. No unnecessary complexity. Just clean, reliable engineering.
Ethan, Noah and Rohan worked closely on Blink’s technical development, sharing responsibilities across system architecture, backend logic and user experience. Noah’s engineering and management background helped align technical decisions with business strategy. Andrew, the team’s business analyst, led branding, pitch preparation and collaborated with Noah on financial modeling, ensuring the product was not only functional but also positioned for real-world impact.
The team’s collaborative approach allowed each member to contribute across disciplines, creating a well-rounded and agile development process.
Preparing for AmpExpo
Amplify isn’t your average internship. It’s more like a startup accelerator inside a bank.
The culmination of the Amplify Program is AmpExpo, a high-stakes competition where all teams pitch their solutions to RBC’s senior leadership including the CFO, CIO and heads of personal and commercial banking.
At AmpExpo, all teams deliver a pitch to a live audience of RBC employees and mentors. Teams also undergo technical judging, presenting their solution’s architecture and scalability to RBC engineers and technical staff, followed by an in-depth Q&A. Based on combined scores, the top teams advance to the finals, where they present on the main stage to more than 700 attendees including RBC’s executive leadership.
“It wasn’t just a competition for us. It was a masterclass in communication, collaboration and confidence,” Noah reflected. “It pushed us out of our comfort zones and showed us what we’re capable of.”
To stand out, the Blink team focused on clarity and relatability. They introduced a fictional persona named Jenny, a mother trying to buy a home whose wire payment fails due to a routing error. The story immediately connected with the audience, illustrating the real world consequences of technical inefficiencies.
Preparation for AmpExpo was meticulous. They began scripting their pitch weeks in advance, iterating through more than 15 versions. They practiced relentlessly, even recording voice memos to rehearse during commutes.
Their efforts paid off. Their team won the Technical Distinction Award, RBC’s Amplify Program top engineering prize, along with a $20,000 reward and the opportunity to file a provisional patent for Blink. The judges recognized engineering excellence and product craftsmanship in their work and complimented their decisions to avoid unnecessary complexity and focus on building a deterministic, production-ready solution.
Lessons beyond the code
While Ethan and Noah entered the Amplify Program as developers, they left with far more than technical skills. The experience challenged them to grow as communicators, collaborators and leaders.
From day one, students in the program were immersed in workshops on design thinking, public speaking and storytelling. They were challenged to refine their ability to communicate complex technical ideas in simple, relatable terms. They learned how to craft a compelling narrative, tailor their message to different audiences and present with confidence under pressure. “Technology can only take you so far,” Ethan reflected. “If you can’t explain your solution clearly, it won’t go anywhere.”
The program taught them the importance of cross-functional collaboration. Working with teammates from different units forced them to navigate diverse perspectives, align on goals and make strategic decisions together.
They also gained firsthand experience in stakeholder management, regularly meeting with RBC mentors, team leads and executives to gather feedback and refine their approach for their solution.
What matters most is your willingness to learn, contribute and work as part of a team.
What’s next?
Following their term with the Amplify Program, both Ethan and Noah accepted co-op placements at RBC, transitioning from the fast-paced innovation environment of Amplify to more traditional developer roles. They are currently working on production-level systems, collaborating with experienced developers and gaining hands-on experience in maintaining and evolving large-scale software applications.
Their Amplify project, Blink, continues to move forward within RBC. Though they’re not directly working on it day-to-day, they remain connected to its progress. “It’s surreal to hear that something we built is being considered for implementation,” Noah said.
It wasn’t just a competition for us. It was a masterclass in communication, collaboration and confidence. It pushed us out of our comfort zones and showed us what we’re capable of.
RBC has also invited them to participate in shaping the future of Amplify. Both students are helping review interview questions for next year’s cohort, offering insights from their experience to improve the selection process.
They’re also looking ahead to their final year at McMaster and possibly teaming up again for their Capstone project. Amplify gave them a taste of startup life and they’re motivated to keep building.
Interested in RBC’s Amplify Program?
Ethan and Noah have one clear message for their peers and future students: apply even if you’re unsure.
“The RBC Amplify Program is competitive, but it’s also designed to support growth, curiosity and collaboration,” said Ethan. “What matters most is your willingness to learn, contribute and work as part of a team.”
“Imposter syndrome is real,” Noah admitted, “but Amplify is built to help you overcome it and everyone is rooting for each other.”
