Innovate Alabama

08/25/2026

📣 Request for Proposals: State of Innovation Day 2026

Innovate Alabama is seeking an experienced event production partner to support the production, logistics and ex*****on of State of Innovation Day 2026.

We’re looking for a highly organized, solutions-oriented team with experience bringing ambitious event concepts to life through exceptional production, vendor coordination, logistics and on-site ex*****on.

Interested firms are invited to review the full RFP and submit a proposal by Tuesday, September 1 at 5:00 P.M. CST.

📄 View the RFP and submission details: https://bit.ly/innovaterfp

08/24/2026

Board Spotlight: Rep. Anthony Daniels

Representative Anthony Daniels' strong background in education, public service and community advocacy has been invaluable to the Innovate Alabama board, helping advance innovation and opportunity across the state.

His leadership has catalyzed initiatives focused on workforce development, public education resourcing and building stronger pathways to success. He continues to champion efforts that support Alabama’s growth.

Thank you, Rep. Daniels, for your service and commitment to creating opportunities for all across Alabama. Please join us in thanking him for his leadership.

08/21/2026

At Innovate Alabama's recent August Board Meeting in Point Clear, board members gathered to discuss the people, places and partnerships helping drive innovation across our state.

As Alabama continues building a stronger innovation economy, these conversations remain critical to ensuring founders and growing companies have the resources, connections and opportunities they need to succeed.

Thank you to our board members for their continued engagement and commitment to this work.

Missed it? Catch up here:

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

08/20/2026

Congratulations to HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology and its partners on being selected for the National Science Foundation's Regional Innovation Engines program.

Their initiative, the NSF BRIDGES Engine in Alabama and Tennessee, has been awarded an initial $15 million through the National Science Foundation's Regional Innovation Engines program. The initiative aims to advance biobased innovation, create jobs, strengthen rural economies and open new opportunities for farmers and communities across Alabama and Tennessee.

We're excited to see the impact this investment will have, and applaud HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology and its partners for helping shape the future of biotechnology and economic growth in the Southeast.

Read more:

HudsonAlpha BRIDGES Engine Awarded $160 M NSF Grant to Transform Rural Economies in Alabama and Tennessee Driving biobased innovation and rural growth across Alabama and Tennessee July 14, 2026 (Huntsville, AL) The HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, alongside the University of Tennessee, Aubur...

08/18/2026

Innovate Alabama recently brought our "Connecting Alabama: Igniting Innovation" series to Mobile at Innovation Portal, recognizing 10 organizations, municipalities and institutions across Baldwin and Mobile counties that are strengthening entrepreneurship, technology and economic development in the region.

We’re proud to celebrate the people and partnerships helping grow Alabama’s innovation economy.

Read more and meet the honorees:

MOBILE — Innovate Alabama held a ceremony at Innovation Portal in Mobile on Wednesday, Aug. 5, recognizing 10 organizations, municipalities and institutions within the South Alabama region. …

08/12/2026

Innovation is happening in every corner of Alabama.

Rural communities are building new opportunities through innovation hubs that provide access to technology, training, mentorship and more.

Our latest blog highlights three rural innovation centers making an impact:
📍 Troy University IDEA Bank — Troy
📍 EARTH — Sylacauga
📍 Harris Technology Hub — Marion

Together, these hubs are helping rural Alabamians build new skills, launch businesses and prepare for the jobs of tomorrow, without having to leave their communities to find opportunity.

Read the full story:

Rural Alabama has always been defined by resilience and a deep sense of community. Today, those same qualities are fueling a new era of innovation. Across the state, rural incubators and technology hubs are emerging as powerful engines for workforce development, giving residents access to tools, tra...

08/10/2026

Board Spotlight: Secretary Greg Reed

As Vice Chair of the Innovate Alabama Board, Sec. Greg Reed has played a critical role in shaping Innovate Alabama from the start, bringing decades of leadership in public service.

From the Alabama Innovation Commission to today, he has helped align workforce, education and economic development strategies so Alabama is positioned to compete and grow.

His leadership continues to connect people to opportunity across communities statewide.

Thank you, Sec. Reed, for your continued service and commitment to Alabama’s future.

08/07/2026

Big things are happening in Alabama’s defense innovation space.

The Montgomery TechLab Defense Accelerator is underway, bringing together five emerging technology companies for an 11-week program focused on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, secure communications, robotics and defense systems.

Hosted at Troy University Montgomery, the accelerator is helping connect founders, students, faculty, industry and government to advance innovation in downtown Montgomery.

See the cohort in action at Demo Day on Aug. 25.

Learn more: https://montgomerytechlab.com/accelerate/

08/05/2026

Through our Supplemental Grant Program, Innovate Alabama is proud to support EARTH, the East Alabama Rural Innovation and Training Hub in Sylacauga.

As Alabama's only center that combines innovation, education, family support and workforce training under one roof, EARTH is helping remove barriers to employment by offering childcare and transportation support alongside training in high-demand industries.

By investing in innovative, community-driven solutions like EARTH, we're helping create a stronger workforce and a model that can inspire economic growth in rural communities across Alabama.

Read more about Innovate Alabama Board Member Secretary Greg Reed’s visit earlier this summer.

Workforce Secretary Greg Reed toured the EARTH hub in Sylacauga, Alabama's only center integrating workforce training and family support.

08/03/2026

Please join us Thurs., Aug. 6, at 1:30 p.m. for the next Innovate Alabama Board of Directors meeting. We will convene in Fairhope, at The Grand Hotel Point Clear, in the Azalea Room.

⏰: 1:30 p.m.

📍: 17855 Scenic Hwy 98, Fairhope, AL 36532

Can’t make it in person? Tune in virtually ⬇️.

Connect Finding Resources.Get Connected. When you put down roots in Alabama, you can tap an innovation ecosystem of people, companies and organizations all committed to helping you grow. Attend an upcoming Innovate Alabama Board of Directors meeting Join us for the next Innovate Alabama Board of Dir...