TechTown Detroit AI and Automation Build Night: Learn. Build. Launch

Join us with Detroit’s builders for an intensive hands-on session where you’ll learn practical AI and automation, build working prototypes with expert mentors, and demo what you shipped by the end of the night.

What is Build Night?

TechTown’s AI and Automation Build Nights are a monthly series designed for beginners, founders, and builders who want to move beyond theory and actually ship something. Whether you’re a starting founder building your next product, a developer learning new tools, or someone just curious about AI then this is your night to experiment, collaborate, and create something real.

No pitch decks. No talking about building. Just build!

Who should attend?

• Beginners with no coding experience (we provide templates and guided support)
• Founders building products who need mentor help to ship an MVP feature
• Developers wanting to learn AI tools while building with experts
• Product builders looking to automate workflows and operations
• Anyone curious about AI who wants hands-on experience

Two Tracks to Choose From:

TRACK A: Beginner Builders

Perfect if you’re new to AI and automation. You’ll leave with a working prototype or automation using templates, guided steps, and mentor triage support. No experience required.

TRACK B: Founder & Builder Track

For those with an idea or existing project. Get advanced mentor support, architecture review, and deeper debugging help. Leave with a demo-ready build plus a clear next-step plan.

Workshop: Prompt to Prototype

This month’s workshop teaches you how to go from an idea to a working prototype using AI-powered development tools.

You’ll learn practical techniques for:

• Writing effective prompts that generate quality code
• Building full-stack applications without traditional coding
• Rapid prototyping and iteration strategies
• Debugging AI-generated code effectively

Tools you’ll use:

Prototyping & Apps: Lovable, Replit, Cursor

Automation & Workflows: Zapier, Make

AI Assistants: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini

Free tool credits provided by our partners at no cost to you!

What you will leave with:

• Hands-on mentorship from industry experts
• Free tool credits (Lovable, Replit, Zapier, Make, and more)
• A working prototype or automation by end of night
• Food and refreshments provided
• Application pathway for continued TechTown support
• Connections to Detroit’s builder and founder community
• Demo time to showcase your work and get feedback

This event is presented by TechTown Detroit in collaboration with:

– DevsCreate313 (engineering support and volunteer pipeline)

– AI Collective (education and ecosystem bridge)

– Venture313 (funding readiness support)

– Detroit Hacker House (advanced builder support)

Powered by our tool partners providing credits and resources.