Innovate Alabama Hosts State of Innovation Day 2024: Celebrating Innovation, Talent and the Future of Alabama 

Birmingham, AL — Innovate Alabama’s State of Innovation Day 2024, held on Dec. 10, 2024, at Regions Field in Birmingham, brought together stakeholders to celebrate Alabama’s growing role as a hub for technology, innovation and entrepreneurship. The program featured engaging keynote speeches, inspiring panel discussions and networking opportunities that underscored the state’s dynamic ecosystem. 

“Today is a great day for innovation in Alabama. We have come together to celebrate the progress and accomplishments of our founders, investors, students, corporate partners and ecosystem builders,” said Cynthia Crutchfield, CEO of Innovate Alabama. 

As Alabama’s first public-private partnership focused on innovation and entrepreneurship, Innovate Alabama also convened numerous elected officials who continue to play a crucial role in the organization’s success.  

“A public-private partnership only thrives when the public sector stakeholders are committed, and I am confident that is the case here in Alabama,” said Bill Poole, chair of the Innovate Alabama Board of Directors. “We are grateful for the public officials who are committed to fostering innovation and driving progress in our state, especially our public sector Innovate Alabama board members: Governor Ivey, Senate President Pro Tempore Reed, Senator Singleton, Representative Garrett and Representative Daniels.” 

Two of the most anticipated segments of the day included a spotlight on Jesse Draper, founding partner of Halogen Ventures, and a fireside chat featuring Alabama native Dr. Lonnie Johnson, founder of Johnson Energy Storage and inventor of the Super Soaker. Jesse announced Innovate Alabama’s InvestAL investment into Halogen, ultimately leading to Halogen Ventures’ $10 million investment in Alabama founders.  

“This would not be possible without Innovate Alabama,” said Draper. “We are excited to work and partner with you. Alabama has world-class universities and more innovation accelerator programs than I can count. The state is full of incredible opportunities, and I am looking forward to catalyzing change.”  

Dr. Johnson’s conversation ranged from discussion of his groundbreaking work in energy storage to the critical role that mentors can serve in a young inventor’s life. 

“I think of inventing as planting seeds, which will grow and branch into job creation and, ultimately, improvements to quality of life. When innovators are excited and follow through; that makes all the difference,” said Dr. Johnson. 

The event also featured a couple of insightful panels on two of Innovate Alabama’s core pillars. The Talent Development panel, moderated by Senator Bobby Singleton, an Innovate Alabama board member, showcased six exceptional students from Innovate Alabama’s programs. The conversation emphasized the organization’s commitment to developing young talent and empowering them to succeed in Alabama’s rapidly growing innovation economy. Student panelists included Raegan Harris (University of Alabama), Irene Kihara (Jefferson State Community College), Calvin Kim (high school senior), Kashmere Miller (Tuskegee University), Hunter Stepanovich (University of Alabama) and Jesse Yankey (Alabama A&M).  

Attendees heard a discussion on lifestyle and recreation, specifically how Alabama’s natural beauty and recreational assets play a key role in attracting and retaining top talent. The panel was moderated by Dr. Tim Lindblom, dean, College of Arts, Humanities and Science, Jacksonville State University, and panelists included Kellie Clark, managing director, gener8tor; Christopher Joe, founder, the Joe Farm: Connecting with Birds and Nature Tours, LLC; and Chad Scroggins, county manager, Shelby County.  

The day concluded with the announcement of the Innovate Alabama Innovator of the Year Award, presented to Dr. Todd Greer, executive director of Innovation Portal. The evening also included the Alabama Founder Fest Showcase, where six Alabama-based entrepreneurs were awarded for their innovative products, ideas and pitches. 

For more information about Innovate Alabama and to learn about upcoming initiatives, please visit https://innovatealabama.org/.  

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. 

About Johnson Energy Storage 

Johnson Energy Storage (JES) is a cutting-edge technology company dedicated to transforming the way the world stores energy. Our team of experts is committed to developing innovative solutions that will make energy storage safer, more efficient, more affordable, and more sustainable. We believe that our all-solid-state battery technology will be a step towards realizing this goal. JES is dedicated to leaving a softer footprint wherever we tread and to making a positive impact on the environment.   

About Halogen Ventures 

Halogen Ventures is an early stage venture capital fund focused on consumer technology companies with a female in the founding team. The Halogen team brings deep expertise and experience in understanding consumer and B2B trends and behavior and identifying entrepreneurs who will innovate and solve problems at scale. General Partner Jesse Draper is a 4th generation venture capitalist, and advocate for investing in women, one of Marie Claire’s ‘Most networked women in America’. Halogen has invested in over 75 early stage deals including Everlywell, Babylist, HopskipDrive, Metropolis, Flex, ThisisL. (acquired by P&G), Squadapp (Acquired by Twitter) and Eloquii (acquired by Walmart). For more information, please visit https://halogenvc.com/.