From the invention of windshield wipers to the Saturn V rocket that put man on the moon, Alabama is rooted in innovation. Innovate Alabama is harnessing this ingenuity to prepare the state for the economy of the future. For the past several years, public and private leaders have come together to advance innovation and technology through public policy, focusing on talent recruitment and retention, economic development and entrepreneurship.

To foster a robust, inclusive economy and drive Alabama forward, Innovate Alabama joined forces with Alabama native Condoleezza Rice and Stanford University’s Hoover Institution to conduct extensive research to help us grow smart. A primary takeaway from this research was the opportunity to leverage Alabama’s natural resources to help innovators grow roots here, thus the Innovate Alabama Council on Outdoor Recreation was formed.