Innovate Alabama awards nearly $15 million to 58 organizations statewide, bringing total network to 170

Innovate Alabama is continuing to ignite growth and success in the state’s startup business community through its grant awards process.

The public-private partnership announced it has added 58 companies and organizations from across the state to receive a portion of a recent $14.9 million funding round.

The program reports it now supports more than 170 organizations driving innovation across Alabama.

The businesses selected are part of Innovate Alabama’s third round of designees for the organization’s Innovate Alabama Network. The designees represent all three Innovate Alabama pillars: Talent Development, Lifestyle & Recreation, and Access to Resources.

In this application round, 18 Access to Resources, 22 Talent Development, and 18 Lifestyle & Recreation-focused organizations received an Innovate Alabama Network Designation. The round’s total funding request exceeded $33 million. Award totals included approximately $12.8 million in project-specific funding and $2.1 million in general awards for new designees.

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“The Innovate Alabama Network is a catalyst, creating and strengthening our statewide network for innovation programming and bolstering entrepreneurship in all types of communities across the state,” said Cynthia Crutchfield, CEO of Innovate Alabama. “We are encouraged by the continual growth of interest in the program, spurred by momentum built in the first two rounds of awards.”

“Innovate Alabama is eager to harness this excitement to support designees through our most engaging and connective resources yet.”

Mike Putman, executive director of Jasper Main Street, and an Innovate Alabama Network member, also emphasized the major impact the organization has had on the state’s business community.

“Innovate Alabama has certainly been a game-changer in fostering entrepreneurship and economic development across the state. My perspective as an Alabamian and community leader gives me a unique insight into its real impact,” said Putman. “Jasper Main Street is the model community where Innovate Alabama has made a tangible and lasting difference by fostering our new Jasper Welcome Center, which will be the only welcome center between Birmingham and Mississippi along I-22. This will not only bring commerce and community to Downtown Jasper but to our Great State of Alabama.”

The designees who awarded a portion of the funding include:  (*new designee)

  • 8 Acorns*
  • Access Granted*
  • Advancing Sight Network*
  • Alabama A&M University
  • Alabama Alliance for Growth & Opportunity (ALAGO)*
  • Alabama Capital Network
  • Alabama Collective
  • Athens State University
  • Auburn University at Montgomery*
  • Bear Creek Collaborative*
  • BIO Alabama
  • Birmingham BIO Innovation Corporation*
  • Birmingham Business Alliance
  • Birmingham Urban Mountain Peddlers*
  • Boys and Girls Clubs of North Alabama*
  • Breakthrough Birmingham
  • Calera Main Street*
  • Central Alabama Community College*
  • City of Alabaster*
  • City of Bessemer
  • City of Birmingham*
  • City of Clanton*
  • City of Daphne*
  • City of Demopolis*
  • City of Eufaula Parks and Recreation Department*
  • City of Fort Payne*
  • City of Heflin*
  • City of Jemison*
  • City of Montgomery
  • City of Morris*
  • City of Ozark*
  • City of Pelham*
  • City of Selma*
  • City of Thomasville*
  • City of York*
  • DigitalWERX*
  • DiversifyIT*
  • Downtown Tuscumbia, Inc (DTI Shoals)*
  • Eastern Shore Chamber Foundation*
  • E-Center
  • EDPA Foundation
  • Esports AL*
  • Faulkner University*
  • Hartselle for Tomorrow Foundation*
  • Health Rounds*
  • Huntsville Madison County Chamber of Commerce Foundation
  • Huntsville Metro Black Chamber of Commerce (HMBCC)
  • Innovation Depot
  • Innovation Portal
  • Inspire and Achieve*
  • Institute for Digital Enterprise Advancement (IDEA)*
  • Jacksonville State University*
  • Jefferson County Greenways Foundation*
  • Jones Valley Teaching Farm*
  • Landmarks of DeKalb County*
  • Launch*
  • Legacy Partners in Environmental Education*
  • Made Media Group/Venture Alabama*
  • Major Virtual Innovations*
  • Measured Access (formerly Teach2Lead)
  • Microcollective for AI, Robotics, and the Sciences (MARS)*
  • Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Inc.
  • Momentum Leaders*
  • Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation
  • Montgomery County Commission
  • National Speleological Society (NSS)*
  • North Alabama Trails and Recreation*
  • Northeast Alabama Bicycling Association (NEABA)*
  • Northeast Alabama Community College*
  • Overton Fellowship
  • POLARIS*
  • Prosper Foundation
  • Ready to Work*
  • River Region Trails*
  • Rocket City Innovators*
  • Shelby County
  • STREAM Innovations*
  • Sylacauga Alliance for Family Enhancement (SAFE)
  • Trenholm State Community College
  • Troy University
  • Tuscaloosa County Park and Recreation Foundation*
  • Tuscaloosa Sports and Tourism Foundation*
  • U.S. Space & Rocket Center Education Foundation*
  • University of Alabama (UA)
  • University of Alabama Huntsville
  • University of Montevallo*
  • University of North Alabama*
  • Wild Alabama*
Austen Shipley is the News Director for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @ShipleyAusten