June 5, 2025 · Entrepreneurs, Innovation, Program Impact, Stories

Meet the Founders: Innovate Alabama Supplemental Grant Recipient XO Armor

As part of Innovate Alabama’s mission to support high-growth, high-impact startups across the state, the SBIR/STTR Supplemental Grant Program provides matching funds to Alabama companies that have received federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) or Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) awards.

In the most recent round of funding, Innovate Alabama awarded $3.3 million to 20 companies across the state. These founders are building the future — right here in Alabama.

Get to know them in our “Meet the Founders” Q&A series.

Company: XO Armor Technologies
Founder(s): Dr. Michael Zabala; Dr. Jacob Larson
City: Auburn, Alabama

Q&A with Dr. Michael Zabala, XO Armor

In simple terms, what does your company do?
XO Armor Technologies specializes in developing on-site, cutting-edge orthotic devices tailored to meet the unique demands of sectors such as athletics, healthcare, military and more. Launched in 2019 as a custom injury protection solution for athletes in Auburn, XO Armor’s presence continued to grow, and can now be found in athletic training facilities for multiple sports across the nation. Our success in athlete safety and protective devices enabled the company to launch into the healthcare industry. With first-of-its-kind software, the company is revolutionizing the medical industry by providing a faster, more efficient, and cost-effective solution for custom orthotic devices. At just 1/5 the cost of traditional, custom-made splints and over 30% time savings in custom splint creation, XO Armor allows clinics to run more efficiently, while increasing profitability. The on-site additive manufacturing model reduces supply chain headaches such as product shortages, shipping delays, and inventory management challenges. XO Armor is setting a new standard in modern, efficient, and patient-centric orthopedic care.

Why are you building and growing your business in Alabama?
Our company has strong ties to Alabama. I am a Mechanical Engineering Professor for Auburn University, which is how the idea came to fruition. I was approached about a customized protective device for an Auburn athlete’s football injury. The athlete needed a protective device to continue playing, and through my engineering lab, we created a customized, 3D printed device to get the athlete back in the game. He ended up wearing the device during the next game, allowing him to continue playing while fully protecting his previous injury. Our co-founder, Dr. Jake Larson, was a PhD student in my lab and helped get XO Armor of the ground. Jake is now our Director of Engineering, leading a full team of engineers in Auburn. Through Auburn’s Venture Accelerator program, we were able to grow our team and build out our early versions of scanning and software capabilities. Our headquarters remains in Auburn and our team here continues to grow.

Tell us about a recent success that you’re particularly proud of.
It’s hard to narrow down the accomplishments we are proud of! For starters, I am extremely proud of the team we have built. Two years ago, we added a CEO, and two sales reps. In the last year, we added a Chief Marketing Officer, Chief Operations Officer, an additional sales rep, and three new engineers. In the last six months, we have created long-term partnerships with Certor Sports, TruFit and Henry Schein. On the customer front, we signed several NFL teams as clients.

How will the Innovate Alabama SBIR/STTR matching funds help your company?
The Innovate Alabama funding will allow us to enhance our software with artificial intelligence (AI), taking our efficiency and ease of use to the next level. This type of capability opens up new markets in underserved areas of Alabama and other regions in the country.

What’s next for your business?
Our goal is to be in dozens of orthopedic, rehabilitation and therapy clinics around the U.S. by the end of 2025. We also hope to, and plan to, continue growing our footprint in collegiate and professional sports. With our partnership with the military for case studies, we aim to publish multiple efficacy studies this year around military and medical care, while continuing to validate our business in healthcare.