August 20, 2025 · Entrepreneurs, Innovation, Program Impact, Stories
Outpost Proves You Don’t Have to Leave the South to Work on Cutting-Edge Tech
Outpost Technologies is achieving what many small companies aim for but few accomplish: turning early-stage research into real-world outcomes — and using that momentum to bring top engineering talent to Alabama.
Nearly a quarter of Outpost’s team relocated from out of state, bringing with them eight STEM degrees and a shared drive to build meaningful careers in a region that values both innovation and quality of life. Based in Huntsville, the company tackles complex challenges for the space and defense sectors, from military assets to mobile observatories. Its impact, however, stretches beyond its technical scope.
As a multi-round recipient of the Innovate Alabama Supplemental Grant Program, Outpost has grown from a promising startup into a company with an unusually high success rate in converting federal research dollars into long-term contracts.
That support has helped launch three separate projects that advanced from feasibility to implementation, including a $1.5 million Astrophysics Research and Analysis (APRA) grant from NASA to develop a large telescope mirror. The award highlights Outpost’s role as a valued presence within the defense and space community.
Outpost’s work on the Telescope for Autonomous Remote and Universal Surveillance (TAURUS), a trailer-mounted observatory system developed for the U.S. Space Force, is a case in point. Where most companies stop at reports or simulations during Phase I SBIR efforts, Outpost leveraged Innovate Alabama’s support to build real hardware. The team acquired a high-end telescope system, integrated it into a stabilized mobile platform and produced a working prototype within months. That early proof impressed their federal customer and positioned the company for a successful Phase II award.
This kind of delivery has become a pattern. Outpost’s above-average Phase I-to-Phase II conversion rate is part of what distinguishes it. So is the company’s investment in the broader innovation ecosystem. Outpost has committed more than $500,000 to university research across the state, supporting projects at the University of Alabama, Auburn University and the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH).
The team is growing, but it’s not just growing for growth’s sake. Outpost has focused on building a company that retains strong technical talent by offering competitive salaries, comprehensive benefits and opportunities to work on programs that matter.
That formula has allowed it to attract hires from national research institutions, including lead engineer Heath Baskin, a Tennessee native who once assumed he’d have to leave the South to do this kind of work.
Baskin’s journey reflects the broader appeal of Alabama’s growing innovation economy. He studied biomedical engineering at Mississippi State before earning his master’s at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). After graduating, he joined Dynetics (now Leidos) in Huntsville, where he contributed to engineering solutions for the International Space Station. Today, he leads design and testing on some of Outpost’s most advanced programs, translating early-stage concepts into operational capabilities.
“I used to think my pursuit of innovative engineering work would push me out of the South. But Alabama changed that. I’ve been able to grow my career here without giving up the life I wanted.” – Heath Baskin, lead engineer, Outpost Technologies
TAURUS is one of the most significant projects he has led at Outpost. The team’s decision to deliver working hardware instead of a conceptual model set them apart early. For Baskin, it confirmed that he could take on high-level engineering challenges without having to uproot his life to do so.
That balance — between meaningful work and a livable place — is a core part of what makes Outpost’s model work. Huntsville’s proximity to key government partners, its longstanding role in aerospace and defense and its growing talent base make it a natural hub for companies operating at this level. But it’s the culture Outpost has built internally that keeps people committed.
“We’re focused on making sure people don’t have to choose between staying in Alabama and doing impactful work. Outpost is a powerful example of what’s possible when we invest in early-stage innovation and the people behind it.” – Cynthia Crutchfield, CEO of Innovate Alabama
Baskin agrees. “I’ve found work here that is challenging and meaningful,” he said. “And I’ve been able to stay close to the people and places that matter to me. That’s not something I take for granted.”
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