Real projects. Real work. Real proof.
Your stalled project, finished by a UAH student.
Huntsville small businesses, startups and nonprofits post real projects. Vetted UAH students deliver them. If a student impresses you, hire them.
Example
Small business website
- Done when
- The site is live and you know how to edit it.
- Timeline
- 3–5 weeks
- Budget
- $1,000–$1,900
Accepted
Undone work
You know the project. It's been on the list for months.
The website that still shows last year's hours. The spreadsheet nobody trusts. The grant research you meant to start in the spring.
It's real work with a clear finish line. Nobody on staff has time for it, and it isn't worth a full hire. So it waits.
How it works
You define done. A student delivers it.
- 1
Post
Organization
Describe the project and write down what done looks like.
- 2
Apply
Student
Vetted UAH students apply. You see who applied and choose one.
- 3
Access
Organization
The student gets only what the project needs. Nothing more.
- 4
Deliver
Student
The student does the work and hands it over.
- 5
Review
Organization
You check the work against your definition of done and accept it when it meets your bar.
- 6
Proof
Both
Accepted work becomes a verified record on the student's profile.
Example projects
If you can say what done looks like, it fits.
Small business website
A clean, simple site on the platform you already use, plus a short guide for updating it.
- Done when
- The site is live and you know how to edit it.
- Timeline
- 3–5 weeks
- Budget
- $1,000–$1,900
Brand starter kit
Logo cleanup, a color palette, fonts and a set of templates you can reuse.
- Done when
- You have every file in the formats you asked for.
- Timeline
- 2–3 weeks
- Budget
- $500–$900
Data cleanup and dashboard
Your messy spreadsheet, cleaned up, with a dashboard that shows the numbers you care about.
- Done when
- The dashboard shows the metrics you agreed on.
- Timeline
- 2–4 weeks
- Budget
- $600–$1,250
Market research brief
A sourced brief on your competitors, a new customer group or a second location.
- Done when
- It answers the questions you asked at the start.
- Timeline
- 2–3 weeks
- Budget
- $500–$1,000
Ranges are typical. Every project gets a fixed price before work starts.
Why Aktern
Finished work now. Maybe your next hire later.
| Freelance marketplaces | Course-based student programs | Aktern | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who does the work | Freelancers from anywhere | Student teams in a course | A vetted UAH student |
| When it can start | Usually right away | On the course calendar | Usually within one to two weeks |
| Who is accountable | The freelancer you hire | A team, guided by an instructor | The student you choose |
| What you pay for | Hours or fixed packages | Usually nothing; students earn credit | A scoped project |
| Can you hire them afterward? | Often for a fee | Yes | Yes, and we encourage it |
| Local to Huntsville | Sometimes | Sometimes | Yes |
For UAH students
Your first real client, not your fiftieth application.
Take on paid projects for real Huntsville organizations. Do the work, hand it over and get it accepted.
Accepted work becomes a verified record on your profile, confirmed by the organization you did it for. And we encourage organizations to hire the students they've seen do great work.
The team
Built in Huntsville by three UAH students.
What kind of projects work?
Scoped work with a clear finish line, like a website, a brand kit, a data cleanup or a research brief. If you can write down what done looks like, it probably fits.
What does it cost?
Most projects fall between $500 and $1,900, depending on scope. You get a fixed price before any work starts. Students are paid for the work they deliver, and most of the price goes to them.
What if the work doesn't meet my bar?
Then you don't accept it. You review the work against the definition of done you wrote at the start. Every project includes a round of revisions, and you pay when you accept the work.
What does the student get access to?
Only what the project needs. If the project doesn't need a login, the student doesn't get one. We don't take classified or export-controlled work.
Can I hire the student afterward?
Yes, and we hope you do. A finished project tells you more than an interview. There's no fee to hire them.
Are you up and running?
Not yet. We're lining up our first projects with Huntsville organizations now. If you have one in mind, we'd like to hear about it.
Get involved
Bring us a project, or come do one.
For organizations
Tell Joshua what the project is and what done looks like.
Email JoshuaOr write to jmp1035@uah.edu
For UAH students
Join the student list, and we'll tell you when the first projects open.