Four Alabama A&M students clinched first place and a $10,000 prize in the Alabama Collective x Innovate Alabama HBCU Business Pitch Competition, held during the Magic City Classic. The competition, designed to drive innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic empowerment within the Historically Black College and University (HBCU) community, brought together teams from various Alabama HBCUs.
Teams presented business ideas covering technology, social entrepreneurship, healthcare, education, and more, progressing through three competitive rounds. The finalists showcased their top ideas during the Pitch Finale at Top Golf in Birmingham on October 27.
“It was down to five teams,” shared computer science graduate student Oluwaseun Omotayo. “Alabama A&M, Alabama State, Stillman, Tuskegee, and Talladega. We found out we won about 30 minutes after the final presentation.”
Their winning concept, Thrive, is a personalized mental healthcare platform aimed at Black and Hispanic communities. It integrates scientific research with artificial intelligence to offer tailored mental health support.
“Recognizing the unique mental health challenges our communities face, we harnessed AI technology to deliver personalized support,” Omotayo explained. “Features include mood tracking, community support forums, cognitive behavioral therapy games, and an AI voice avatar for real-time support. This design not only makes mental health resources accessible, it also addresses the stigma often associated with seeking help.”
The team behind Thrive includes freshman computer science major Adeyori Adekunle from Osun, Nigeria; freshman computer science major Ehi Oko from Fajara, The Gambia; graduate computer science student Oluwatimilehin Oyediran from Masifa, Nigeria and Omotayo from Lagos, Nigeria. Together, they developed the concept over a month of dedicated work.
“Life brings many responsibilities, and balancing school, work, and personal commitments can sometimes feel overwhelming,” noted Oyediran. “During the competition, I certainly felt the weight of it all. However, the scripture Philippians 4:13: ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,’ has been a source of comfort and motivation, helping me navigate these challenges with faith and resilience.”
“It was reassuring to see that the judges recognized our problem statement as valid and our platform crucial for dealing with it,” added Omotayo.
In addition to the $10,000 prize, the team also gained access to mentorship resources, which will support their plan to further develop Thrive.
“We plan to work on the business and aim for a functioning minimum viable product (MVP), which will allow us to gather customer feedback,” said Oko.
Adekunle emphasized their vision. “We recognized the stigma in our community concerning seeking mental health support, as well as the lack of resources tailored to our lived experiences. Thrive will help tackle these challenges.”
