Innovate Alabama awards $9.3M to spark local and state innovation

Innovate Alabama announced its inaugural list of 51 designees from 17 counties into the Innovate Alabama Network.  

Innovate Alabama awards $9.3 million in grants

As the first statewide public-private partnership focused on entrepreneurship, technology and innovation with a mission to help innovators grow roots here in Alabama, Innovate Alabama awarded up to $9.3 million in supporting funds to groups that will foster and spark local innovation.

“The Innovate Alabama Network is a major step forward to growing the entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem in Alabama. By providing funding and resources to our local communities, nonprofits and higher education institutions, we are developing a statewide network for innovation programming and catalyzing entrepreneurship in all of our communities, both rural and urban.”

~  Innovate Alabama CEO Cynthia Crutchfield

51 Innovate Alabama Designees

In total, 30 nonprofit entities, 11 communities and municipalities and 10 colleges and universities received an Innovate Alabama Network Designation. 

They are:

Communities: 

• City of Auburn 
• City of Bessemer 
• City of Dothan 
• City of Henagar 
• City of Hoover 
• City of Marion 
• City of Mobile 
• City of Pinson 
• City of Talladega 
• Shelby County 
• Town of Pike Road 

Nonprofit entities: 

• AL AI Center 
• Alabama Trails Foundation 
• Baldwin County Community and Economic Development Foundation 
• BioAlabama 
• Birmingham Bound 
• Birmingham Business Alliance 
• Bronze Valley Foundation 
• Cordova Economic Industrial Development Authority 
• Ed Farm 
• Economic Development Partnership of Alabama 
• Hardware Park 
• HBCU Cares 
• Higher Education Partnership 
• Innovation Depot 
• Innovation Portal 
• Main Street Marion 
• McWane Science Center 
• Montgomery Tech Lab 
• Prosper Foundation 
• QIE Foundation 
• REV Birmingham 
• Singing River Trail 
• Southern Research 
• Teach2Lead 
• The Alabama Collective 
• The Arc of Madison County 
• The E-Center 
• The Overton Project 
• United Way of Southwest Alabama 
• Venture for America 

Higher Education Institutions: 

• Alabama A&M University 
• Alabama State University 
• Auburn Lowder Center for Family and Entrepreneurship 
• Drake State Community and Technical College 
• Talladega College 
• Trenholm State University 
• Troy University 
• University of Alabama 
• University of Alabama at Birmingham 
• University of South Alabama 

Diverse ecosystem of innovation

“I’m encouraged and energized to see the overwhelming response to the Innovate Alabama Network. We have a diverse ecosystem for innovation in Alabama, so to bring all of these partners together in one place to partner and collaborate together on moving our state forward is a move in the right direction for Alabama.” 

~ Innovate Alabama Board Chairman and Alabama State Director of Finance Bill Poole

Applications for the second round of the Innovate Alabama Network are now open. Any interested Alabama community, nonprofit or higher education institution can apply by 5:00PM on Friday, January 5, 2024. 

Program guidelines have evolved since the Innovate Alabama Network was initially launched. For important key program updates and to apply to the second round of the Innovate Alabama Network, visit: innovatealabama.org/innovate-alabama-network 

Do you have a connection with one of the 51 Innovate Alabama Network designees? Tell us about their efforts to spark innovation by tagging us on social media @thebamabuzz