TechTown and Detroit Hacker House host first AI build-a-thon event

Before the new year, TechTown, Wayne State University's entrepreneurship hub, celebrated the completion of a joint two-day artificial intelligence (AI) workshop alongside Detroit Hacker House.

Officially the "Live Innovate Play AI Prototype Build-a-Thon," the first-of-its-kind event welcomed roughly 20 participants to the Hacker House Dec. 5-6 to bolster their AI skill set and launch their business ideas. Like the Live Innovate Play program, participants - including local entrepreneurs, Wayne State students and alumni, and beyond - benefitted from free lodging, food stipends, working spaces, expert guidance, AI tools, and more throughout the two-day experience.

The event's goal was to strengthen participants' ideas, remove technical roadblocks, and build a community of innovators. At the end of the second day, participants walked away with new connections to Detroit entrepreneurs and mentors, new skills, and a prototype of a new application or business concept.

"Our pitch to people was basically, 'Come in and build with us for 48 hours. In that time we'll go from idea to deployed solutions using AI build tools,'" said Detroit Black Tech cofounder Jeseekia Vaughn. "Focus on working on your business and we'll remove the background noise."

This holistic support is crucial for entrepreneurs, Vaughn said, helping people eliminate distractions and focus on innovation and skill building. In addition to her role at Detroit Black Tech, Vaughn is a longtime Detroit entrepreneur herself and a tech strategist at TechTown. She was assisted by fellow TechTown employee Nicholas Slappey, program manager of tech-based programs, who cocreated the event with her.

"People were really excited about the experience; everyone was bouncing ideas off one another the entire time," Slappey said. "It was great to see people coming together."

Building ideas, sharpening skill sets and cultivating community

During event registration, each participant submitted an idea for a product or application that could be accelerated using AI tools (such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Lovable, etc.). The ideas did not have to be "fully baked," although many participants had some framework in place already, Slappey noted.

Workshop participant Eriyon Adams, B.S. '23, M.S. '25, for instance, entered the workshop with a concept for SmartLife, an all-in-one life management app. "Today you have fitness apps, finance apps, scheduling apps - SmartLife is designed to blend these and make your life smarter, not harder," Adams said. "I wanted to attend this event to both build the app and to just get out there: to get more experience and exposure to the ecosystem."

To that end, Vaughn, Slappey, and others from Detroit Black Tech served as mentors, motivators, and community builders.

"My role at TechTown is to build community and bring education to all," Slappey said. "These tech tools and skills are not just valuable but necessary in today's world. Our vision was to find unique ways to open doors for folks for them to get training and develop their skills. When you do that right, you start cultivating community, and that's exactly what this event was."

Vaughn and Adams agreed. "I have never had as amazing of an experience as a host," Vaughn said. "The environment was very collaborative, very warm; people were laughing, asking questions, working hard. You would've thought we'd been working together forever, even though it'd been just two days."

"I met a lot of people who have done things like what I want to do," Adams said, "and I really feel the event helped introduce me to Detroit's tech ecosystem and make valuable connections."

Laying the foundation for bigger impact

Vaughn and Slappey were especially proud that the event helped many participants overcome previous setbacks.

"Coming into this event, many people felt like their ideas weren't working out, for one reason or another. They were stressed and anxious, and at times felt like their idea was at the end of the line," Vaughn said. "But over the two days we saw people open up, relax, and smile. It was so gratifying to see those breakthroughs and get them to the next step."

Slappey noted that many attendees had spent precious time, energy and money on outsourcing and tools that didn't work or weren't right for them. The workshop helped them pair the right tools with the right community resources and support. "Often they just hadn't found the right environment or support system. To be a part of a community space that opened new doors and renewed folks' hope was amazing."

Reflecting on the experience as a participant, Adams highlighted the lasting impact the hosts' mentorship and guidance will have on himself and others. "The mentorship was great. Mentors are important for any professional, but especially for entrepreneurs," he said. "It's about knowing you have people there to support you. It's a big boost, especially early in your journey - and I feel this helped me get my foot in the door."

Vaughn said one of the event's most gratifying moments came at the end, when one of the participants stopped her before heading out.

"They asked me, 'Can we stay together as a cohort? When's the next time we can do this again?' If I could replicate that for every event, I would be forever grateful."

"Let's do something great together"

The Detroit Hacker House and TechTown plan to host more AI build-a-thon events throughout 2026 and encourage Wayne State students of all majors, grades, and skill sets to apply.

"I am so fired up about the programming we've got going right now," Vaughn said. "I want everyone - especially students - to see that this door is wide open for you. Come work with us and let's do something great together."

Adams, himself a Wayne State alumnus, encouraged everyone to take advantage of an opportunity to work directly with Detroit entrepreneurs. "What I would say to people considering attending is this: Just do it. What do you have to lose? You can gain so much: community, mentors, skills. It helps you understand your journey and connects you with people who've been there before you," he said. "Thanks to this event I have direct contacts, people I can talk to for guidance. I made the kind of connections that will help me later in life, no matter what it is I want to do."

Registration is now open for the next build-a-thon, taking place Feb. 6-8 at the Detroit Hacker House. All Wayne State students are encouraged to attend. Additionally, student organization leaders interested in hosting a build-a-thon or other workshop/panel for their organization are encouraged to contact Jeseekia Vaughn at [email protected].

Learn more about the Detroit Hacker House and TechTown's tech-based programs . For more information about the Live Innovate Play program and upcoming AI build-a-thon events, contact Nicholas Slappey , program manager of tech-based programs at TechTown, and Jeseekia Vaughn , TechTown tech strategist and cofounder of Detroit Black Tech .