Innovate Alabama awards nearly $15 million to Innovate Alabama Network Designees

BIRMINGHAM, AL (FEB. 14) – Innovate Alabama has announced the third round of designees of the Innovate Alabama Network, a resource dedicated to catalyzing innovation by fostering three components of a healthy innovation ecosystem: people, places and resources. The newest designees include 58 organizations representing all three Innovate Alabama pillars: Talent Development, Lifestyle & Recreation, and Access to Resources. 

“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.” 

In this application round, 18 Access to Resources, 22 Talent Development and 18 Lifestyle & Recreation-focused organizations received an Innovate Alabama Network Designation. This 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. An impressive volume of funding requests underscores statewide enthusiasm around the Innovate Alabama Network and its opportunities for collaboration. 

Innovate Alabama is strengthening the state’s entrepreneurial ecosystem by supporting the key organizations, both rural and urban, that shape it. Network investments spark innovation, foster statewide collaboration and offer crucial seed funding to ignite innovation at both a community and regional level. The program’s designees, past and present, are contributing to the success of their local communities and helping set Alabama up for the economy of the future. 

“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 Mike Putman, executive director of Jasper Main Street, an Innovate Alabama Network member. “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.” 

To learn more about the Innovate Alabama Network, please visit https://innovatealabama.org/programs/innovate-alabama-network/.  

Round 3 Innovate Alabama Network Awards (* notates 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 Pedalers* 
• 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 Daphne* 
• City of Eufaula Parks and Recreation Department* 
• 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* 

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About Innovate Alabama 

Innovate Alabama is Alabama’s first statewide public-private partnership focused on entrepreneurship, technology and innovation with a mission to help innovators grow roots here in Alabama. Innovate Alabama was established to implement the initiatives and recommendations set forth in the Alabama Innovation Commission’s report, including smart policy solutions that will create a more resilient, inclusive and robust economy to remain competitive in a 21st-century world. With founding CEO Cynthia Crutchfield leading the charge, Innovate Alabama is also made up of a board of 11 innovation leaders appointed by Gov. Ivey, collaborating across sectors to advance industries, drive technology and facilitate an environment where innovation and entrepreneurship thrive. Learn more about Innovate Alabama at www.innovatealabama.org.