AI Hackathon Brings Arkansas’ Top Student Innovators Together to Tackle Healthcare Challenges
Fifty-four of Arkansas’ highest-performing high school and college students will gather at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock June 8-12 for an immersive AI Hackathon and HealthTech Startup Week focused on solving real healthcare challenges facing Arkansans.
The public is invited to attend the event’s culminating Demo-and-Pitch Showcase from 2-5 p.m. June 12 in the Engineering and Information Technology Auditorium on the UA Little Rock campus. Attendees will have the opportunity to see student teams present innovative healthcare solutions powered by artificial intelligence and vote for their favorite projects.
Hosted in partnership with BioVentures, Arkansas Children’s, and Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield, the weeklong program brings together students, healthcare professionals, technology experts, entrepreneurs, and mentors to develop solutions that could improve health outcomes across Arkansas.
“This is much more than a coding competition,” said Marla Johnson, tech entrepreneur-in-residence at UA Little Rock. “Students are working like startup founders. They’re identifying customer needs, collaborating with healthcare professionals, building solutions with AI, and learning how to transform ideas into products that can improve lives.”
Throughout the week, participants will work in teams structured like startup companies while gaining experience in artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, product development, customer discovery, business strategy, and public speaking.
Teams will tackle a variety of healthcare challenges, including next-generation drug testing, early mental health intervention, maternal and infant health in rural Arkansas, empowering cancer survivors, advancing Black men’s health, helping Arkansans navigate healthcare coverage options, and exploring music therapy for older adults.
The experience extends beyond technology and entrepreneurship. Students will participate in activities designed to foster creativity, wellness, and community engagement, including a drumming circle with support from the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, a community-focused experience connected to the Black Men’s Health challenge, and a branding and art project in partnership with Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.
Johnson said the event was created to help students see how innovation can be used to address meaningful challenges in their communities.
“We hope students leave with new skills, new relationships, and perhaps even the foundation for future startups,” Johnson said. “At UA Little Rock, we genuinely care about the health and well-being of Arkansans. That’s why this experience exists. We want students to see how technology, entrepreneurship, and collaboration can create meaningful change.”
Organizers hope the event will spark new ideas, new partnerships, and potentially new ventures while helping students connect with like-minded peers from across the state who share a passion for innovation and service.
The Demo-and-Pitch Showcase on June 12 will feature presentations from all seven student teams as they compete for top honors and audience votes. Community members, educators, healthcare professionals, and technology leaders are encouraged to attend and support the next generation of Arkansas innovators.
Through initiatives like the AI Hackathon and HealthTech Startup Week, UA Little Rock continues to create experiential learning opportunities that prepare students for future careers while advancing innovation and community impact throughout Arkansas.