Think onthe Spot.Back to life.
A little Halloween spirit.
A room full of possibility.
100 people came together at Bamboo Midtown to bring forgotten ideas back to life with AI. The assignment: build something real, make it matter to Detroit, and show what was possible.
- People together
- 100
- To build
- 90 min
- In total prizes
- $2,000
- The connection
- Detroit
The idea
Old ideas.
New possibilities.
For the Halloween edition of Think on the Spot, we asked Detroit's builders to take the theme literally: Bring It Back to Life. Reimagine a business, product, or cultural idea from the past, give it a clear connection to Detroit, and turn it into a working prototype.
Hosted by Think Technologies at Bamboo Midtown, the afternoon brought people together around a shared challenge. OpenAI Codex and Claude Code helped participants move from an initial concept into building, testing, and preparing a demo.
The time limit kept everyone moving. The theme left room for personality. And the Halloween energy made an ambitious afternoon feel a little more playful.
The challenge
Bring it back.
Build it forward.
A 90-minute sprint put the focus on making decisions, trying ideas, and turning an interesting concept into something people could see.
Find the spark.
Choose an idea worth revisiting. Give it a fresh purpose and a meaningful Detroit connection.
Make it work.
Use AI coding tools to build a prototype, test the experience, and refine what matters most.
Show the possibility.
Bring the idea to life through a demo. Explain the problem, the reinvention, and who it could help.
Inside the room
Built together.
Made in Detroit.
The competition gave the afternoon momentum. The people gave it character. Participants shared ideas, worked through their builds, and brought their own perspectives to the challenge.
That is why we host Think on the Spot: to make room for people to try something ambitious, learn by doing, and connect with others who are ready to create.
For Detroit, every gathering like this is another opportunity to put local creativity into action.
The winners
A well-earned spotlight.
Congratulations to our top three finishers, and to everyone who stepped up to build and share their work.
- 1st placeQueentesa Fuggett$1,000
- 2nd placeRJ Mey$600
- 3rd placeShugmi Shumunov$300
The $2,000 prize pool also included a $100 best costume award.
Built with community.
Made possible by our partners.
Thank you to Bamboo and Michigan Founders Fund for supporting this edition, and to every participant who brought their curiosity, creativity, and Halloween spirit.
Keep the ideas coming.
Interested in a hands-on AI event for your team or community? Let's make space for the next great idea.
Event photography: Devankar Mukhi.