BoodleBox Turns Students and Communities into AI Builders Through a Season of Hackathons

The collaborative AI platform believes AI works best in the hands of students and communities who care about solving real problems

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Nov. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As skepticism about AI's impact on learning, jobs and critical thinking grows among students nationwide, BoodleBox is betting on a different story: that AI, used with purpose and put in the hands of people who care about their communities, is a force for good.

That belief has shaped a season of hackathons across BoodleBox's campus and community network, from a workshop in Colorado Springs to an upcoming event in Baltimore. Rather than treating AI as a shortcut, these events challenge participants to identify a real problem, consider the people affected by it, and build a working solution, putting students and residents in the role of creators rather than passive users.

"BoodleBox believes in the positive outcomes when AI is put in the hands of students who care," said France Hoang, CEO of BoodleBox. "Collaborative intelligence isn't just people working alongside AI. It's people working alongside each other, with AI as the connective tissue. These hackathons are proof of that: students aren't handing a problem to a chatbot and walking away. They're building something together, with AI as one more collaborator at the table."

In August, France Hoang facilitated an AI Solutions Challenge workshop at Southern Colorado Startup Week, hosted by Exponential Impact, bringing community members together to apply AI to local problems.

"The AI Solutions Challenge gave our community a practical model for working with AI. France led participants through a full day of using AI as a thought partner to develop real solutions for Colorado Springs in housing, economic vitality, and infrastructure," said Jon-Michael Horst, Director of Marketing & Outreach, Exponential Impact. "People kept their own judgment at the center and used AI to sharpen their thinking. Everyone left with skills they can put to work right away in their personal and professional lives. That kind of hands-on adoption is exactly what Exponential Impact and Southern Colorado Startup Week set out to deliver, and BoodleBox was the right partner to make it happen."

In September, Pikes Peak State College hosted a campus-wide hackathon in partnership with BoodleBox, where student teams built AI bots addressing challenges facing higher education and the greater Pikes Peak region, presenting their work to judges at the college's Centennial Campus Theatre.

"At Pikes Peak State College, we want students to see AI not just as a tool they use, but as something they can shape to solve real-world problems," said Enrique Romo, Ph.D., MBA, Vice President of Student Experience. "Through our partnership with BoodleBox, students built solutions connected to student success, career readiness, and community needs. The hackathon showcased the creativity, talent, and problem-solving ability of our students, while reinforcing the role colleges can play in preparing learners for an AI-enabled workforce."

In November, BoodleBox will sponsor the AI for Good Hackathon in Baltimore, extending the model to a new city and a new set of community challenges.

"By bringing the AI for Good Hackathon to Baltimore, we are creating space for students and mentors to collaborate on practical, human-centered AI solutions," said Dr. Jessica A. Stansbury, Founding Director, Center for AI Learning and Community-Engaged Innovation and Director of Teaching and Learning Excellence, Center for Excellence in Learning, Teaching and Technology "The goal is not just to build tools, but to build capacity, confidence, and community around responsible AI."

Hackathons have become a proving ground for how the next generation engages with AI, and BoodleBox intends to keep showing up where students and communities are already building. For BoodleBox, these events are a chance to put its platform to work in service of real problems, not just a demonstration of technology.

BoodleBox plans to continue partnering on hackathons throughout the academic year, with additional events to be announced.

About BoodleBox
BoodleBox is the collaborative AI workspace for teaching, learning, and work — providing more than 120,000 educators, students, and professionals across 1,300+ schools and enterprises with private, secure, and affordable access to every major AI model. From classrooms to companies, BoodleBox enables teams to build collaborative intelligence. Learn more at boodlebox.ai.

Media Contact
Taylor Murray
281-692-8700
[email protected] 

SOURCE BoodleBox