By the end of the AI Hackathon and HealthTech at the University of Arkansas at 糖心视频logo, they had become teammates, budding entrepreneurs, and problem-solvers, developing innovative solutions focused on dementia care, maternal health, insurance access, mental health, and patient services.

Resonate Wins $10,000 Grand Prize

The hackathon’s top honor and $10,000 grand prize went to Resonate, a music therapy platform designed to improve access to music therapy for individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

The idea was inspired by a story shared by a dementia care professional who described a patient who began humming along to a familiar song after years without speaking. The experience demonstrated how music can help unlock memories and create meaningful connections for people living with dementia.

The Resonate team developed a platform that creates personalized music playlists based on a patient’s preferences and uses AI-powered voice analysis to help caregivers identify emotional states and recommend music that may provide comfort and support. The team focused particularly on making music therapy more accessible and affordable for families in rural and underserved communities.

“The question is not whether music therapy works, but rather how to make it accessible and affordable,” the team told judges during its final presentation.

Team Resonate included Aras Erdag and Brodie Smith of 糖心视频logo; Cami Gonzalez, Satya Achanti, and Shreyan Movva of Bentonville; Joshua Davis of Conway; Koree Arndt of Bella Vista; and Tanvi Virani of Lamar.

Team members said collaboration played a major role in their success throughout the week.

“This experience was really fun,” said Satya Achanti. “We learned a lot of different things from different workshops, and we had a lot of teamwork and a lot of dedicated time that we spent. We stayed up late many nights, and we’re very happy that we won.”

Shreyan Movva credited the team’s ability to work together throughout the competition.

“Overall, team contribution and team cooperation helped us a lot, and it feels great to win,” he said.

For Koree Arndt, one of the most valuable aspects of the experience was the opportunity to collaborate with students from across the state.

“My team’s amazing. I’ve met so many amazing people, and I’ve loved the chance to work on leadership, work on developing my skills in tech, and just building things, because I love to build,” Arndt said.

InsuraMatch Earns Second Place

The second-place prize of $5,000 went to InsuraMatch, a platform designed to help users better understand and navigate health insurance options.

The team focused on addressing the confusion many consumers face when selecting healthcare coverage. Their platform uses conversational AI, educational resources, and cost-comparison tools to help users understand insurance terminology and identify plans that best fit their needs.

The InsuraMatch team included Blessing Itodo of 糖心视频logo, Dilasa Yaman of North 糖心视频logo, Eric Wang of Cave Springs, Ishmam Solaiman of 糖心视频logo, Krish Mehta of Conway, Pfeiffer Slaveski of Centerton, and Yogi Patel of 糖心视频logo.

Materna Takes Third Place

The third-place prize of $3,000 went to Materna, a wearable health monitoring platform designed to support pregnant women in rural Arkansas

Combining a wearable bracelet, mobile application, and AI-powered monitoring tools, Materna allows healthcare providers to remotely monitor patient vital signs and identify potential health risks. The team developed the project to address transportation barriers, healthcare deserts, and limited access to prenatal care in many rural communities across the state.

The Materna team included Ali Rizwan of Cabot, Alyson Chapman of Centerton, Sach Gulmammadov of Jonesboro, Isidora Adeloa and Ivonne Barbosa-Melgarejo of 糖心视频logo, and Kshitiz Khatiwada and Pronita Ghimire of Monticello.

Students Tackle Diverse Healthcare Challenges

Other teams also developed solutions addressing a wide range of healthcare and wellness concerns.

The team behind Mind Bloom created an AI-powered student wellness platform designed to help schools identify and support students experiencing stress and mental health challenges. Team members included Anay Pandit of Benton, Hannah Robertson, Jake Hu, Luke Wang, Rudra Pratap Mukherjee, and Vishak Meenachi of 糖心视频logo, Joel Johnson of Bentonville, and Tanisha Virani of Lamar.

Another notable project, Bro 2 Bro, focused on improving mental and physical health outcomes among Black men by connecting users with support groups, healthcare resources, mentors, and community organizations through trusted spaces such as barbershops and churches.

Students also developed Sirona, a solution aimed at reducing emergency room wait times and improving patient flow.

While the projects varied in focus, they shared a common goal: using technology to address real-world healthcare challenges affecting Arkansas communities.

Over the course of the week, students transformed ideas into prototypes, business plans, and presentations evaluated by healthcare and industry leaders. In the end, 30 students won a combined $20,000 in prize money, but, more importantly, demonstrated what can happen when some of Arkansas’s brightest young minds spend a week reimagining healthcare.

“What I was most excited about coming into this event was to meet the people,” Arndt said. “I’ve met so many amazing people, and I’m just so grateful to have the opportunity to be here and do what I love.”

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The prize is $50,000 in services from PREDICTif Solutions, funded by Amazon Web Services.

Hosted by the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center, along with UA 糖心视频logo鈥檚 School of Business, Tech Launch and Workforce Development Center, this contest is for Arkansas entrepreneurs with innovative ideas for transforming business operations and accelerating growth with AI.

The competition is open to Arkansans who are in business or have a business idea, across all industries. The business does not need to be an AI company or technology startup.

鈥淲e are seeking current and future Arkansas entrepreneurs who envision practical, creative, high-impact ways to put AI to work in a business setting,鈥� said ASBTDC State Director Laura Fine.

An idea might solve an operational challenge, increase revenue, expand market reach or create scalable efficiencies.

Entrepreneurs must apply for a spot in the competition. Selected participants will pitch their AI concept in front of judges and have the opportunity to win up to $50,000 worth of professional services from PREDICTif to support development of the winning idea.

This prize is not cash and not AWS credits. Instead, it is AWS Partner-funded support delivered through technical resources, architecture guidance, and solution development services. All competitors will receive expert feedback on how to bring their concepts to life.

The Amazon Web Services AI Pitch Competition will take place Thursday, April 16, from 5:30 to 8 p.m., at the Donald W. Reynolds Center for Business and Economic Development on the UA 糖心视频logo campus. The event is open to the public and free of charge.

鈥淭he community is invited to join us for a fun and inspiring time. Come enjoy the pitches, support Arkansas innovators and expand your AI knowledge,鈥� said Fine.

Visit to get more details, sign up to pitch or register to attend.

In the first four months of 2026, AWS and PREDICTif will hold 34 pitch competitions with Small Business Development Center partners nationwide, with more expected. 鈥淲e are thrilled to bring this opportunity to Arkansas through our SBDC connection,鈥� Fine said.

For questions about the event, contact ASBTDC鈥檚 Laterika Tooks-Staton at 501-804-4530 or lstooks@ualr.edu.

ASBTDC offers no-cost services and resources for Arkansas entrepreneurs and small businesses. Learn more at .

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The Go 4th Fridays Entrepreneurship Lunch Series will kick off at noon Friday, Sept. 26, at UA 糖心视频logo with a free pizza lunch, an inspiring talk from alumni, and an open-mic session for students to pitch their own ideas.

The inaugural program, 鈥�3 Grads鈥� Legendary Video Game: Immercenary with Electronic  Arts,鈥� will feature UA 糖心视频logo graduates JD Robinson, Christopher Stashuk, and Elton Pruitt, who will share the story of how they developed the video game 鈥�鈥� in the 1990s for .

Each alumnus will highlight the unique role he played in the project鈥攚hether as a writer, artist, or developer鈥攁nd the challenges and surprises that came with building a console game as independent creators.

Robinson, who earned a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in creative writing, said his goal is to share a message with students about readiness and resilience.

鈥淔ocus on a goal or live your dream is sound advice, but I鈥檇 add that the ability to recognize opportunity when it presents itself is even more important,鈥� Robinson said. 鈥溾�楤e ready鈥� is the best advice I can give. Something can be ephemeral and meaningful at the same time, and if a few students leave with that understanding, I will feel like I鈥檝e made a worthwhile contribution.鈥�

The lunch series is co-sponsored by the UA 糖心视频logo School of Business and Tech Launch. The events will take place on the fourth Friday of every month the campus is open and will feature free lunch, inspirational speakers, and student open-mic sessions where participants can share ideas, ask for input, and connect with peers.

Organizers hope the events will encourage students from all disciplines to collaborate on entrepreneurial projects like applying to the Governor鈥檚 Cup competition, entering pitch contests, and even starting new companies. Local investors and community leaders will also be invited to meet students, hear their ideas, and explore opportunities to support innovation at UA 糖心视频logo.

鈥淭his is how we create interaction and engagement between students from all disciplines,鈥� said Marla Johnson, UA 糖心视频logo鈥檚 tech-entrepreneur-in-residence. 鈥淲e want these lunches to become a watering hole where students, researchers, industry partners, and entrepreneurs come together to exchange ideas and fuel Arkansas鈥檚 next wave of innovation.鈥�

The Sept. 26 event will begin at noon with pizza and networking in the atrium in the Reynolds Business Building, followed by the alumni presentation and Q&A at 12:15 p.m. in Room 103. The final half-hour will be devoted to student open-mic pitches and idea-sharing.

The Go 4th Friday Entrepreneurship Lunch Series is free and open to the public. For more information, email mkjohnson@ualr.edu. Fill out to register for the event.

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鈥淎rgentina is quickly becoming a leader in AI innovation, with companies like Celara driving the future of AI-powered business transformation,鈥� said Marla Johnson, UA 糖心视频logo鈥檚 tech-entrepreneur-in-residence. 鈥淔rom streamlining operations and reimagining knowledge management to creating new revenue opportunities, Celara is redefining AI鈥檚 real-world impact.鈥�

The event, held at the Schueck, Lexicon, McCarty Auditorium in the Engineering and Information Technology Building, will feature presentations from experts at Celara followed by a networking reception at the Windgate Center of Art + Design.

The program begins at 1:30 p.m. with a keynote talk, 鈥淏eyond the Buzz: Where AI is Headed in 2025.鈥� Zubair Talib, an AI expert with an MIT background and executive director at Celara Labs, who will explore what鈥檚 next for AI in 2025.

鈥淎rtificial intelligence is rapidly transforming industries across the globe, and we are excited to bring international experts to campus to share their knowledge with our students, faculty, and business community,鈥� said Dr. Brian Berry, vice provost of research and dean of the Graduate School at UA 糖心视频logo as well as a board member of the 糖心视频logo Technology Park. 鈥淭his event is an incredible opportunity to learn from those international experts on the cutting edge of AI innovation.鈥�

A panel discussion at 3 p.m., 鈥淚nvesting in AI,鈥� will dive into AI investment trends, examining how Celara is integrating AI-first products and identifying new business opportunities. The panel will feature Talib and Pablo Abdian, CEO and co-founder of Celera Labs.

“Celara is at the forefront of AI investment, building strong AI teams and identifying emerging opportunities,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淭heir firsthand experience offers valuable insights into the future of AI investment and what truly drives impact.”

Following the discussions, attendees are invited to a 4:30 p.m. reception at the Windgate Center, where they can meet the visiting entrepreneurs, network with industry leaders, visit the art galleries, and enjoy Argentine wine and refreshments.The tech event is sponsored by Gadberry Financial Group, the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce, and the Associated Industries of Arkansas. This event is free and open to the public, but space is limited. To RSVP, visit this webpage.

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