Over 20 local innovators gathered at the Center for Innovation on October 9-10, 2025, for the region’s first Techstars Startup Weekend: AI Edition. The two-day event, hosted by the AI Institute at Fort Lewis College in partnership with West Slope Startup Week and Howdy Partners, invited students, professionals, and community members to brainstorm, build, and pitch AI-powered business ideas. Using new AI coding and design tools, participants built prototypes in hours instead of weeks—showcasing how accessible and fast innovation can be with AI.

Participants formed diverse, collaborative teams after the opening round of idea pitches, joining the projects that inspired them most. Meals, materials, and expert support were provided, creating a vibrant environment that encouraged experimentation and hands-on learning.  

By Friday evening, four teams presented their startup concepts to a panel of judges which included Mario Martinez, Wilson Warmack, and Britney Ramno. Each represented a unique approach to using AI for community impact, language preservation, business innovation, and workplace efficiency. While each project was distinct, what stood out was how AI helped teams move from ideas to functioning prototypes in just two days.

DurAIngo

Created by FLC students Kahlil Bellenger and Hunter Goggin, along with Durango local Debby Kruzic, DurAIngo aimed to make community information more accessible through an AI-powered local hub.

Seven Generations

Led by Valarie Jack with teammates Andrew Aiken and Nicholas Mashburn, Seven Generations explored how AI can support Indigenous language and knowledge preservation while addressing the digital divide.

Jack, a local entrepreneur, explained that her project focuses on using Ai to help close access gaps.  

“It’s really to solve the digital divide within those spaces, tribal communities, farmers, and women,” she said.

AP2 Gateway

AP2 Gateway focused on making AI-driven digital transactions more secure and transparent, developing infrastructure that could support future AI commerce.

CalmConnect (Winner)

The winning team, CalmConnect, founded by FLC student LaShaye Clemens, created an AI-powered assistant to streamline onboarding and scheduling in dental offices—an idea with potential across many industries.

A catalyst for regional innovation

Event facilitators and mentors said the weekend’s biggest success was how quickly participants turned ideas into viable business models.

Marc Nader, founder and managing partner of Howdy Partners and member of the AI Institute’s Council of Strategists, reflected on the power of the Startup Weekend format.

“This event provides a format where we group people based on real problems, real ideas that can actually one day maybe be real companies, and then a compressed time period to turn those into real businesses. Through that experience and working with the team, it's incredible how much you can actually learn going from zero to one,” he said.

Nick Goodman, who also serves on the AI Institute’s Council of Strategists and was another event facilitator, noted how the event’s impact is bridging education and application.

“I think that to bridge the gap between education and practical application you have to do. Events like this are a safe place for people to come and get a chance to actually put their hands on it, learn, find all of their own new capabilities,” said Goodman. “We give them the ability to take these skills back and apply them at their own organizations. We have given them what they need to be able to go back and feel empowered to actually make a change and do something really cool at their organization, whether that's a local nonprofit, another small business, or one of the civic organizations.”

Building momentum for AI in the Four Corners

The event served as a launchpad for collaboration, creativity, and confidence among participants. Teams blended technical skill with storytelling, design thinking, and entrepreneurship, showing what’s possible when people with different perspectives work together to solve real problems with AI. The weekend also highlighted how AI tools are lowering barriers to innovation and helping people in the Four Corners region move from idea to prototype faster than ever before.

More than just a competition, the event built momentum for future innovation in the Four Corners region. Many participants left with new collaborators, mentorship connections, and a deeper understanding of how to turn ideas into sustainable ventures with AI.

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