About Us
Who We Are
ML Challenges is a team of researchers and engineers passionate about advancing machine learning through open competition. We design and run AI competitions and benchmarks that bring together the global research community to solve real-world problems.
Founded with the belief that collective intelligence accelerates progress, we partner with academic institutions, industry leaders, and research labs to create challenges that push the boundaries of what AI can do.
How We Work
We work closely with our partners from the very first consultation to the final results. Every challenge is built for its own problem: the task formulation, the evaluation metrics, the platform configuration and the level of participant support are decided case by case.
Our process is built on transparency, scientific rigor, and technical excellence. Whether you need a public competition, a private benchmark, or a fully deployed platform, we bring the expertise to make it happen.
Our Team
Adrien Pavão
Founder, Benchmark Scientist
Adrien is the author of a PhD thesis about the methodology of the organization of machine learning competitions and benchmarks. He has extensive experience in organizing ambitious challenges, in collaboration with industry leaders and research laboratories. His research at Université Paris-Saclay explored the design, management, and evaluation of machine learning benchmarks, bridging theoretical insights with practical applications. Adrien also had a crucial role in the maturation of CodaLab and Codabench competition platforms. His numerous publications and conference presentations reflect his dedication to advancing the field. Adrien's expertise and passion make him a respected and influential figure in the machine learning community.
Ihsan Ullah
Co-Founder, Research Software Engineer
Ihsan is a highly talented Research Software engineer with a master's degree in Artificial Intelligence from Université Paris-Saclay. He is an expert in challenge organization. His extensive expertise includes software development, platform development and the design and analysis of competitions. Ihsan has developed and managed sophisticated platforms to support complex challenges, ensuring seamless integration and robust performance. His contributions feature innovative solutions and high standards machine learning benchmarks.
Abderrahmane Moujar
AI Research Engineer
Abderrahmane is an AI/ML Research Engineer with over three years of experience, holding a Master's degree in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence from Université Paris-Saclay and a Data Architect qualification from 42 Paris. His work focuses on building more efficient and trustworthy machine learning systems, with particular expertise in LLM optimization, AI safety, interpretability, and neuro-symbolic AI. Abderrahmane has contributed to the design and evaluation of machine learning benchmarks and challenges, bridging research with practical, real-world applications.
Mariéle Brambila
Communications and Partnerships Manager
Mariéle leads communications and partner relations at MLChallenges, and is the main point of contact for our clients. She trained in pedagogy and Applied Behavior Analysis, a background that shows in when presenting our work to teams new to machine learning competitions.
Our Impact
Want to know more about us?
Reach out and we'll be happy to tell you more about our team and mission.