Arcnito Wins Alaska’s First AI Pitch Contest
Lorenzo Chu on the Arctic Ocean coast in Utqiaġvik, where the AI-enabled community resource platform Arcnito was born.
Photo Credit: Alaska Small Business Development Center
The first AI-enabled startup in the North Slope region is the brainchild of Lorenzo Chu. He created Arcnito, a community calendar and resource navigator that helps tribal communities find events, services, and benefits in one simple hub.
That innovation took first prize in Alaska’s inaugural AI Pitch Showcase held October 1 as part of Alaska Entrepreneurship Week.
Solving Alaska Problems
The Alaska Small Business Development Center (SBDC), in partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and PREDICTif Solutions, hosted the event at UAA. Nine entrepreneurs stepped up to solve problems that matter to Alaskans.
In addition to Arcnito’s vision of connecting rural communities, other pitches aimed at making Alaska’s wilderness safer, reducing food waste, and transforming how families experience the state. SBDC notes that these weren’t Silicon Valley pitches transplanted north; they were Alaska solutions, built by Alaskans, for Alaska’s future.
Industry leaders with both Alaska-focused insight and national technical experience judged the competition. They included SBDC’s AI program director Carlos Machuca; Markus Shriner, the partner territory manager for AWS, a global leader in cloud computing and AI innovation; and Jack Hood, a “solutions architect” from AWS partner company PREDICTif Solutions.
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“Watching these founders transform obstacles into opportunities is a testament to what happens when builders are given a platform,” says Hood. “The teams in this competition presented solutions built for Alaska’s unique challenges while demonstrating grit, resourcefulness, and the technical skill needed to make innovation real.”
As the top winner, Chu was awarded up to $50,000 in professional services from AWS and hands-on mentorship from PREDICTif Solutions. Cody Rice of Alaskan Intelligence (AI) claimed second, and Lee Brown of Safe Wild secured third.
All finalists contributed innovative ideas and demonstrated the depth of talent in Alaska’s AI and entrepreneurship community, according to Alaska SBDC Director of Strategy and Special Programs Gretchen Fauske. “What we saw on October 1 was more than just great pitches; it was proof that Alaska’s entrepreneurial spirit is adapting to meet our communities’ needs in bold new ways,” she says. “These entrepreneurs are building tools that will make life better for Alaskans across every region of our state. We can’t wait to see the participants grow, and how their solutions will strengthen our communities.”
Through partnerships with industry leaders like AWS and PREDICTif Solutions, the Alaska SBDC AI Resource Program provides technical support for AI research and development and implementation, direct access to expert partners and world-class platforms, education tailored to Alaska businesses, and connections to investors, mentors, and innovation networks.
“These entrepreneurs have vision,” Fauske adds, “and with validation, technical expertise, and connections to partners, they can scale. The work Carlos Machuca and his team are pioneering through the AI Resource Program is just the beginning of what’s possible for Alaska.”
Looking ahead, Alaska SBDC is preparing for its third annual summit on March 6, 2026, in Anchorage. Healthcare innovation will be the focus of a full day dedicated to AI and ecommerce. Alaska SBDC will host a live, in-person AI Pitch Showcase focused exclusively on healthcare solutions in continued partnership with AWS and PREDICTif Solutions.
“The solutions entrepreneurs develop for Alaska’s rural and remote communities could transform healthcare delivery not just in Alaska but across the nation,” says Fauske. “AI has enormous potential to improve how we deliver care across distance, and we’re going to showcase the innovators making that happen right here in our state.”
SBDC will announce application details for the healthcare-focused pitch competition in the coming months.
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