Cohort 1 · Oʻahu 2026
Build something real.
Solve something local.
Hawaiʻi's first AI builders program pairing youth with local small businesses. Every team ships a working product.
Why this matters
Hawaiʻi's small businesses are running on pen and paper while the mainland automates. Our young people leave because they don't see opportunity here.
Build Hawaiʻi fixes both — by pairing the energy of youth with the wisdom of local business owners, and giving them real AI tools to build with.
How it works
Two experts. One problem.
Eight weeks to ship.
Young Builder
Ages 14–24. Fluent in AI tools. Brings energy, curiosity, and technical instinct.
Local Business
A real Hawaiʻi small business. Brings domain knowledge, real problems, and community roots.
The Output
A working AI-powered tool or workflow the business can use the day the cohort ends. Not a pitch deck. A real thing that works.
The Program
Eight weeks together
Discovery
Young builders interview their business partner. Define the real problem before touching any tools.
AI Basics
Prompting, no-code AI tools, rapid prototyping. Business owners learn alongside their builder.
Build Sprint
Teams build their solution. Mentors rotate in. Owners test and react in real time.
Ship & Showcase
Fix what’s broken. Simplify what’s confusing. Public demo day — every pair presents.
“A kid from Waianae has the exact same tools as a Stanford CS student. That's the point.”
What you get
Everyone takes something home
Young Builders
- ●A shipped product for your portfolio
- ●Mentorship from local founders
- ●Claude Max subscription for the full program
- ●Build Hawaiʻi alumni network
- ●A reason to stay
Local Businesses
- ●A custom AI tool built for your problem
- ●AI literacy for you and your staff
- ●Claude Max subscription for the full program
- ●Ongoing community access
Hawaiʻi
- ●Small businesses competing in the AI age
- ●Young talent building locally
- ●A scalable model across islands
- ●Proof for further investment
Cohort 1
The numbers
Pilot Budget
Hawaiʻi needs builders.
Are you one?
Whether you're a high schooler who wants to build with AI or a business owner who wants to bring technology into your operations — there's a seat for you.