New Mexico’s Largest Software Hackathon Tackles Food Access
Summary
NM Tech Talks hosted the second annual Desert Dev Lab hackathon in Albuquerque, bringing 27 teams and 70 coders to build software, data, and AI prototypes that address New Mexico food and agriculture challenges. Winning projects included an AI meal-planning solution (Crimson Devs), water-saving crop recommendations (Beep Bop), a food-sharing platform to reduce waste (Sowit), and automated coordination alerts for distributors (Koko). The City of Albuquerque, Talin Market, and other local sponsors supported the event and highlighted local talent and community-driven problem solving. The hackathon aims to advance sustainable community development, environmental protection, economic viability, and career-building resources, and Desert Dev Lab is already accepting participants for 2027.