In this episode of The DNA of Things, host Dr. Jeremy Koenig visits Halifax, Nova Scotia—an unexpected hub of grassroots innovation and human-centered AI—and sits down with Noah Barrett, founder of Collect. Noah shares how he's transforming apartments and basements into creative co-working spaces that are redefining what it means to build meaningful technology in community. Together, they explore how AI, community, and intentional design are reshaping the builder landscape.

8 Key Takeaways:

• 🧠 AI as a Jetpack: AI is dramatically accelerating what solo creators and small teams can accomplish—turning month-long projects into day-long builds.
• 🛠️ BuildAon vs. Hackathon: Noah’s “BuildAon” reimagines hackathons by integrating artists, marketers, and technologists into one-day, full-product sprints rooted in collaboration.
• 🌱 The Power of Community: The real innovation isn't just in the tools—it's in the people coming together to support, inspire, and push each other’s projects forward.
• 🏡 From Apartments to Ecosystems: What started as intimate coworking sessions in local apartments is becoming a movement and framework for human-centered innovation.
• 🎯 Building with Meaning: Collect focuses on helping people work on projects they’re passionate about—because when passion meets structure, transformation follows.
• 🌐 Human-First Technology: This episode challenges us to think not just about what we can build with AI, but what kind of future—and community—we're building together.
• 💬 Sharing the Vision: Noah emphasizes shared ownership and empowering others to step into leadership and creativity through action and collaboration.
• 📍 Halifax as a Hotspot: Once overlooked, Halifax is emerging as a surprising leader in tech-enabled grassroots creativity and innovation.

Connect with NOAH

LINKS:
https://www.drjeremykoenig.com/
https://www.instagram.com/drjeremykoenig/
https://www.youtube.com/@drjeremykoenig

Here's the link for this week's episode: https://drjeremykoenig.substack.com/.