Alabama HBCU Students Win $15K for AI Safety Startups

Students from Alabama's HBCUs just proved that the next generation of entrepreneurs isn't waiting for permission to solve real problems. At the Innovate Alabama Entrepreneurship Hackathon, ten finalists pitched AI-driven solutions designed to make their communities safer.

The competition, held January 29 near Birmingham's Railroad Park, challenged students to create responsible AI tools addressing public safety issues facing Alabamians. Out of 33 applications, the field narrowed to ten promising startups founded by students from Alabama A&M, Oakwood University, and Talladega College.

Oluwaseun Omotayo from Alabama A&M took home the $10,000 first prize for RantiAI. Her platform helps small and medium businesses stay compliant and improve workplace safety through WhatsApp and SMS, delivering instant assessments and real-time risk alerts without expensive software.

Marc-Anthony Jones from Oakwood University earned second place and $3,000 for Sentinel Sync, which connects police, fire, EMS and dispatch systems so agencies can detect patterns faster during emergencies. Third place went to Team Mesh from Talladega College, a network bringing hospitals, transit, 911 and emergency management into one real-time system.

The day offered far more than prize money. Successful entrepreneur Matt Hottle from Redhawk Advisory taught students about today's venture capital landscape, warning them that investors now expect startups to develop further before seeking major funding.

The Ripple Effect

Innovate Alabama and The Alabama Collective, partnering with the Alabama Power Foundation, created this program to address a critical gap. Many talented student founders lack access to the networks, mentorship and early-stage capital that turn ideas into thriving businesses.

A panel of founders and funders shared hard-won wisdom during lunch. Cori Fain-Forrest, founder of childcare technology startup Moxi, urged students to "build for the problem you're trying to solve, not what you think an investor wants to hear."

Amanda Williams from the Prosper Health Tech Accelerator reminded participants that rejection from one funder doesn't mean no. Sierra Peña from Bronze Valley Investment Accelerator emphasized smart spending, noting that investors watch closely how founders allocate every dollar.

The event equipped these young entrepreneurs with training in design thinking, AI possibilities, and funding strategies. They also gained something equally valuable: a network of mentors who understand their journey and want to see them succeed.

These students are building the future of public safety technology while proving that innovation thrives when opportunity reaches beyond traditional tech hubs.