A two-week Hatch-a-thon in South Alabama is bringing students and professionals together to develop solutions for business challenges.
The event kicked off on Friday at Baldwin Preparatory Academy in Loxley and will culminate with a public finale at the University of South Alabama Fairhope Campus on Jan. 29. Over the next two weeks, teams will develop solutions for 26 real business challenges submitted by local organizations, nine of which come from area nonprofits.
“What we’re building here goes beyond a single event,” said Kai Gray, executive director of Lower Alabama AI. “We started the Hatch-a-thon to connect local talent with local businesses and show each group that the other exists. Our goal is simple: keep talented people here in Southern Alabama and help local companies find the skills they need right in their own backyard. Seeing nearly 100 builders (the companies involved) and 30-plus students ready to tackle real challenges from our own community – that’s exactly the innovation ecosystem we’re trying to build.”
The challenges represent a diverse cross-section of Baldwin County’s economy, spanning manufacturing, marketing, technology and nonprofit sectors. All event sponsors were in attendance to present their challenges and meet prospective teams, including Harris Vacation, Mississippi Export Railroad, C2 Wealth Strategies, Motive AI, University of South Alabama and Pilot Catastrophe Services.
“This is what economic development looks like when you invest in your own people,” said Keith Glines, executive director, Hatch Fairhope. “We have incredibly talented individuals living right here in Southern Alabama, and we have businesses hungry for innovative solutions. The Hatch-a-thon creates the bridge between them. Tonight, I watched students stand shoulder-to-shoulder with experienced professionals, all of them ready to build something meaningful for our community. That’s the future of this region.”
Demo Night, the finale, is Jan. 29 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the University of South Alabama Fairhope Campus. It’s free and open to the public and will feature live presentations from competing teams.
