Open. Transparent. Human-scale.
The floor is rising faster than the ceiling. Ackerson Labs is dedicated to building a world where your AI runs on your devices, networks on your terms, and interacts with the world through protocols and software that respect your sovereignty. We believe that AI, like your personal computer, should be yours to operate. Not packed away in someone else's data center. We're building the infrastructure for that transition: protocols, tools, and proof-of-concept experiments from two workshops, an RV, and a small town in Maine.
The Belhaven Portfolio
Community
Ackerson Labs keeps a workshop in Belhaven, NC (pop. ~1,500). These ventures serve the community around it — they demonstrate values, not venture scale.
Glitter & Grace
Bespoke antiques and custom design studio blending heritage craft with digital fabrication. Revenue-generating.
Operated by Lady Ninja; Ackerson Labs provides technical infrastructure.
Belhaven Bizarre
A hyper-local newspaper redefining small-town press with community-first reporting.
Great Loop Supply Co.
Nautical merch and resources for the 6,000-mile Great Loop boating community.
Belhaven Memorial Museum
Michael serves as informal fractional CTO. Recent project: an interactive AI avatar of the museum's founder, Miss Eva Blount Way — built from archival photo restoration, Hume AI voice synthesis, open-source talking head models, and a Pepper's Ghost display.
Fellowship
Talent is evenly distributed. Opportunity isn't. We're fixing that.
The Ackerson Fellowship offers room, board, and a weekly stipend to young adults who want hands-on learning in software, fabrication, and entrepreneurship. Fellows ship real projects beside our core team, graduating with a portfolio — and often a stake — in the ventures they helped build.
Interested in sponsoring a fellow? Tell us about your vision for supporting emerging talent.
Got an idea? Tell us about your project, constraints, and how we might work together.
Find Us
Belhaven, NC
254 E Main St
Hallowell, ME
2 Autumn Hollow — new HQ, spring 2027