Huntsville native Larry Lowe named city’s first chief innovation officer

The city of Huntsville prides itself on being a city of creativity, innovation, and technology.

So, it would only make sense that the Rocket City has someone to lead that drive for new technology and innovation.

Well, Huntsville, which hired its first music officer in 2022 to head up a booming local music industry, has hired its chief innovation officer.

Dr. Larry Lowe, a seasoned tech entrepreneur and civic leader, signed an agreement with the city to be its first chief innovation officer, beginning May 1.

Lowe will work under a two-year consulting agreement with the Industrial Development Board, supporting the city, Huntsville Utilities, and the Solid Waste Disposal Authority.

“Innovation isn’t just about technology — it’s about making city services more efficient, scalable, and community-centered,” said Lowe. “I’m honored to serve my hometown and help lead its digital transformation.”

His role is to help these agencies embrace new technologies and find smarter, more efficient ways to better serve the community.

A Huntsville native, Lowe brings a deep background in technology, data science, and innovation strategy to the newly created role. He’s built and sold two successful tech companies and recently launched his own consulting firm, Fractal Analytics Project.

He also worked with the city’s Inspections Department and Huntsville Utilities to improve services using advanced data solutions.

“Lowe will help us think strategically about how to use innovation in ways that support smart, inclusive growth,” said Mayor Tommy Battle.

Lowe will lead the City’s push to evaluate and integrate emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence. His focus will be on using tech to improve how the city operates, without replacing jobs.

“Lowe will help us zoom out and see how advanced technologies can make our city run better,” Battle said. “We want to stay ahead of the curve, to give us a competitive edge and make our city a little bit better, a little bit leaner and more responsive to our citizens.”

Lowe is also part of the Mayor’s AI Task Force, which recently secured a $50,000 grant to create an AI-focused curriculum to boost STEM education in eight key industries across Huntsville. The mayor created the task force 14 months ago, choosing thought leaders from government, academia, and industry to ensure Huntsville would be at the forefront in using AI ethically and effectively.

“AI is a tool that we need to become familiar with,” Lowe said. “Part of the challenge is that the technology is changing so fast that it can be hard to get your footing. But the genie is not going back in the bottle, and AI has become part of our day-to-day work.”

Courtesy of 256 Today