Alabama's network of builders & guidesAlabama's network of builders & guidesAlabama's network of builders & guidesAlabama's network of builders & guidesAlabama's network of builders & guidesAlabama's network of builders & guidesAlabama's network of builders & guidesAlabama's network of builders & guides
The 8 Week Challenge

The Builder & Guide Network

Alabama's builders and guides, all in one place. Browse the network freely, find the right people to move your project forward, and connect — no login required to look around.

22Guides
208Builders
Inside the network

A peek at who you'll meet

Real builders and guides from the cohort. Explore the full directory to filter by expertise, location, and role.

AC

Andrew Crider

Mobile, AL, USA

Guide

I build and ship AI-powered products (apps, add-ons, data pipelines) and have deep experience in data engineering, cloud, and turning “five ideas” into one wedge and getting it out the door.

Building the ProductIndustry KnowledgeFoundational Skills
IA

Ifenna Arubaleze

Montgomery, AL, USA

Builder

One thing I’m particularly proud of creating is my first ever app. I used to see people on LinkedIn posting about building their third or even thirtieth apps, and I was always curious about how they actually did it. I remember searching online and learning that I would need strong skills in HTML, Java, and CSS to build one. At the time, however, I had already committed to learning Python, so building an app felt a bit out of reach. That changed when I participated in the Alabama Collective Hackathon. Through the program, I had the opportunity to build a safety tool using the Gemini API, a resource I discovered after completing a Generative AI course through Google and TMCF. Using the Gemini API, I developed an app with several features designed to enhance safety, including voice activation, audio-to-text transcription, and real-time location sharing. Building this app was exciting because it showed me that I could transform an idea into something functional even without mastering every programming language I initially thought I needed. It also strengthened my AI prompting skills, since I had to carefully structure prompts to help the AI accurately implement the app’s capabilities. Through this 8-week program, I hope to gain mentorship and better understand how Minimum Viable Products (MVPs) are built and what it takes to launch a product. Inspired by my first project, I’m already thinking about my next idea: an app designed for college students that stores and manages gift cards digitally, helping them track small remaining balances so those last few dollars aren’t lost or forgotten when the physical card is thrown away. Creating my first app showed me that curiosity and experimentation can turn an idea into something real, and it motivated me to keep building.

I have a business idea I want to bring to life
JM

Jay Maru

Mobile, AL, USA

Guide

I run an AI consultancy and have in-depth knowledge in AI automation, AI agents, and AI solutions, and converting business problems into working solutions. I am also the entrepreneur in residence at the Innovation Portal and work with entrepreneurs and co-found ventures.

Building the ProductRunning the BusinessIndustry Knowledge
TR

Tyrique Reason

Montgomery, AL, USA

Builder

In 2019 I spent 6-8 months developing brand identity, marketing strategy, Product & Website design for my clothing brand “Club Best” this was my introduction to entrepreneurship and I’m so appreciative for that time & everything I learned. In addition to this I also create documentary films my most recent film I produced, shot, & edited had the opportunity to be submitted to the National Association of Television Arts & Science for consideration for an Emmy. Last Semester at Alabama State University I had the pleasure of participating in an A.I Pitch Comp where participants used A.I Tools to create business plans & presentations to pitch their ideas. I used my media expertise to create a pitch for a Streaming Service catering to students studying any form of Law. This Service would be a hub for law content. trial footage, contract negotiations etc. Think YouTube But for Law students, an extensive library assisting study. Although I didn’t win the competition I was very proud of my courage to create something so quickly, and communicate it to an audience confidently. In conclusion, my experience in entrepreneurship along with my love for storytelling has motivated me to continue on the journey of creation. As of lately, I’ve started planning a new venture within the Hospitality industry. Which I believe will be very innovative and impactful. I’m excited to learn more about unlock Alabama and bring my new ideas to life.

I have a business idea I want to bring to life
JS

JC Smith

Mobile, AL, USA

Guide

A serial entrepreneur with experience in developing software and applications, scaling the business, and exit strategies.

Building the ProductRunning the BusinessGetting Customers
GB

Goodluck Badewole

Huntsville, AL, USA

Builder

ChessBlindspots - an AI chess coach that analyzes your games and identifies your specific tactical weaknesses. I built it from scratch over 8 weeks as part of the Innovation Portal internship. You enter your chess.com username, it fetches your last 10 games, runs Stockfish analysis on every move, and shows you exactly what patterns you keep missing - not vague advice like "study tactics," but specific insights like "you blunder knights in the middlegame between moves 21-30." It includes a full practice mode where you drill your actual mistakes as puzzles, with retry queues for wrong answers and session summaries showing your accuracy. The app is live at chess-blindspots.vercel.app with 10,000+ lines of React/TypeScript code. I built it end-to-end - game fetching, Stockfish integration, interactive chess boards, analytics dashboard, practice mode - and documented the entire process publicly on LinkedIn and Substack. What makes me proud isn't just that it works, but that real chess players can use it to improve.

I’m already building something and want to take it further

New here? Join the cohort

The applications below are the same short links from the main site. Get accepted and your profile shows up in the network automatically.

UnlockAlabama.org 8-week online cohort