On Dec. 7, startup founders with Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator present their ideas.
Birmingham is at the center of the future of energy. For the past 13 weeks, startup founders from across North America have been working diligently to develop their companies, focused on addressing innovative electrical and utility solutions.
On Tuesday, Dec. 7, nine entrepreneurs of the Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator will present their groundbreaking ideas and companies at Demo Day in Birmingham. The event is open to the public but registration is required.
Founders in the second class of the Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator have traveled from seven states and Canada to participate in the program. The companies specialize in technologies and business models to enhance the future of energy, including artificial intelligence (AI) for the power grid, renewable energy, consumer sustainability and weather prediction.
The Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator is the only Techstars accelerator in the world focused on energy, attracting startups that are building technologies and business models to enhance the future of energy. Through its corporate accelerators, Techstars develops partnerships with corporations to add industry expertise through mentorships, business development opportunities and access to resources. Alabama Power is Techstars’ first electric utility partner.
This accelerator has been one of the most successful accelerators in the history of Techstars, having raised more than $30 million in capital from the first class in 2019. Of the first class, four companies are now raising seed-series B and four companies have committed to maintaining a presence in Alabama.
The accelerator is supported by Alabama Power, the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama (EDPA), the Alabama Department of Commerce, Altec, PowerSouth, the University of Alabama and Southern Research. These supporters have a key role in the accelerator process, with the common goal of growing the Alabama startup ecosystem.
“The second class of the Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator has brought some of the brightest minds and entrepreneurs to the state of Alabama this fall,” said Tony Smoke, Alabama Power’s senior vice president of Marketing and Economic Development. “We can already see the success of this year’s class and the investment they are making in the energy industry.”
Meet the teams:
St. Louis, Missouri
Making wind energy generation affordable on commercial buildings.
Founder: Erika Boeing (CEO)
San Francisco, California
Automated inspection and monitoring for physical assets.
Founder: Keith Miao (CEO), Robert Reynoso
Raleigh, North Carolina
A system to convert vehicles to plug-in hybrids at a price that pays for itself.
Founders: Micah Ulrich, (CEO), Cody Biedermann, Clay Dowdey
Joliet, Illinois
Automating energy regulatory data and business intelligence.
Founder: Hudson Hollister (CEO), Yuval Lubowich, CTO
San Francisco, California
Getting petroleum out of the chemicals industry by electrifying chemical reactors and replacing petrochemicals with waste-based alternatives.
Founder: Julie Kring (CEO)
Montreal, Canada
Smart energy-storage platform designed to lower greenhouse gas emissions, prevent energy overproduction and shift peak consumption times.
Founders: Jonathan Lamer (CEO), Mario Leboeuf, Alvaro Macías Fernández, Alexandre Gibeault
Stamford, Connecticut
Vehicle-mounted computer vision to inspect the electric grid.
Founder: Chris Ricciuti (CEO)
Baltimore, Maryland
Weather simulation for renewable energy prediction.
Founder: Rob Cirincione (CEO), Mitch Walk
Telluride, Colorado
The sustainable habit-building app makes adopting a climate-smart lifestyle easy and empowering.
Founder: Olivia Pedersen (CEO)
Throughout the program, the founders have worked with more than 120 corporate and community mentors across the state. Renown Birmingham founders, including Shegun Otulana, Chris Hastings and Jim Cavale, have led Founder Story events to educate the teams on entrepreneurship.
“I’m so proud of this year’s class,” said Nate Schmidt, managing director of Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator. “They joined us entirely from outside Alabama and have embraced our program, and city, in ways I would have never imagined. They spend long hours working, and then head out to experience all of Alabama’s wonders, from hiking and getting outdoors, to Saw’s BBQ and everything in between. We’re lucky to have this class join us in Alabama, and I can’t wait to experience their success post-program.”
Join Techstars for Demo Day Tuesday, Dec. 7, to hear more from the founders who are leading the way in energy technology. Register online.
The live event begins at 4 p.m. with cocktails, pitches at 5 p.m. and a reception with food and beverages immediately following to meet the entrepreneurs. The event location is Red Mountain Theatre Arts Campus, 1600 3rd Ave. S., Birmingham, Alabama, 35233.
For more information, visit the Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator program page at https://www.techstars.com/accelerators/alabama-power
Thank you to our “Connect to your Future” sponsors: Alabama Power, AlabamaWorks and Manufacture Alabama for making this initiative possible.
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