Nearly 100 builders officially launched their two-week innovation journey at the Hatch-a-thon Winter 2026 Kickoff, held at Baldwin Preparatory Academy in Loxley.

With almost 100 people registered for the event's Demo Night finale on Jan. 29, as of press time, the region's premier innovation competition is on track to be its largest yet.

The kickoff drew over 100 attendees, including more than 30 high school students participating in the region's first-ever dedicated student track. 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," Kai Gray, executive director of Lower Alabama AI, said. "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 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," Keith Glines, executive director of Hatch Fairhope, said. "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."

The Hatch-a-thon is presented by Lower Alabama AI, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and Hatch Fairhope, a nonprofit division of the Baldwin Alliance.