September 20, 2024 · Entrepreneurs, Innovation, News, Stories
Storyteller Overland Amplifies Alabama’s Best-Kept Secret: The Great Outdoors
On Thursday, Storyteller Overland engaged the Fast Company Innovation Festival in a fireside chat, where Jeffrey Hunter, the company’s CEO, displayed Alabama’s best-kept secret: the great outdoors. The outdoor recreation market is already worth more than $800+ billion, and according to Hunter, it’s on the cusp of another explosion.
Storyteller Overland is at the forefront of innovation in the outdoor recreation space, paving the way with best-in-class vehicles equipped for exploring natural wonders in Alabama and beyond. Continued investment in organizations committed to expanding access to and conserving Alabama’s natural environment promises to cement Alabama as the right place to call home.
Hunter shared, “In Alabama, I think what people discover, is that it’s actually the most biodiverse state in the country. And as you travel through, it’s the foothills, to some of the most pristine, beautiful beaches. And from edge to edge, and both sides of the map, it’s just some of the kindest people you’ll ever meet. And that’s what kind of packages it all together. Yes, it’s the natural beauty, the natural wonder. Yes, it’s the fact that it’s open for business. There’s a lot of great interaction in the public-private arena. Everyone is dreaming a better way forward. It’s also got its own quirky identify that’s pretty special. All of those things. And Alabama in general doesn’t suffer from an inferiority complex. It invests in its own growth and it’s going at its own pace and that pace is accelerating. And that’s fun not only to see but it’s fun to be a part of.”
Alabama The Beautiful
Throughout the week’s events at Fast Company’s Innovation Festival, Alabama innovators have displayed the state’s depth of expertise in technology and entrepreneurship. Homegrown companies like Acclinate, Harmony Venture Labs and others have illustrated Alabama’s unique strengths when it comes to fostering growth for small businesses and startups. But Alabama’s innovation ecosystem is only part of the story for many of Alabama’s entrepreneurs. Those who call the state home recognize they thrive here personally and professionally because they love the life they have built outside of the office. For many, access to outdoor recreation undoubtedly plays a role. No matter where you are in Alabama, you’re never very far from natural beauty. Whether you hike, bike, kayak or just like to enjoy the view, there are endless opportunities to get outside in Alabama.
SEEK AL Makes its Big City Debut
Storyteller Overland is playing a pivotal role in spreading the word about Innovate Alabama’s SEEK AL campaign, a front door for Alabama’s outdoor recreation that showcases our state’s biodiversity, our recreation ecosystem and our outdoor lifestyle as an accessible and inclusive lifestyle advantage for Alabama’s workforce of tomorrow. SEEK AL has traveled across Alabama in its Storyteller Overland van, coined the “SEEK van,” spreading the word about Alabama’s outdoor offerings through virtual reality technology and a comprehensive outdoor recreation asset map. And this week, the van made its debut on the bustling streets of New York City for people from across the nation to learn about what all Alabama has to offer.
Alabama is living proof that entrepreneurs can have the best of both worlds: a collaborative innovation hub committed to supporting its small businesses and the ability to build a life they love outside of their 9-to-5. Thanks to the commitment of companies like Storyteller Overland in partnership with Innovate Alabama, people across the world are learning about Alabama’s one-of-a-kind value proposition. After years of flying under the radar in the technology and innovation sphere, it is high time that Alabama’s story is told far and wide.
To see a highlight of Alabama’s outdoor recreation assets, like breathtaking waterfalls, caves, and inviting bike trails, view a 30 second video set to the aptly titled The Who song, ‘The Seeker’.
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