Innovate Alabama recognized thirteen West Alabama recipients of the Innovate Alabama Network grants in a ceremony at MMI on Thursday, October 30th.
Grantees from Selma, Uniontown, Thomasville, York, White Hall, Marion, and Tuscaloosa received funding through the third round of grants totaling $30 million.
After the ceremony, grantees were given a tour of the new Harris Technology Hub by members of Main Street Marion. The Hub itself was created with funds from Innovate Alabama Network.
The Innovate Alabama team will make five more stops to honor more of the 168 grantees in other regions of the state. Funds from these grants go toward assisting access to resources, talent development, and recreation.
Organizations receiving funds are nonprofits, municipalities, and universities.
Innovate Alabama was established in 2022 as a public-private partnership to focus on entrepreneurship, technology, and innovation to help innovators develop in Alabama.
Senator Bobby Singleton, who represents part of the Black Belt and is an Innovate Alabama board member, said he was thrilled to see winners from his region because “innovation can happen here in small rural communities.”
Marion Mayor Dexter Hinton said the grant gave momentum to improvements in downtown Marion, especially with the opening of the technology hub on Washington Street.
“We’ve got momentum going in Marion; you can feel it downtown with the new businesses opening and projects going,” he said. “It has brought vibrancy to the city. Marion is alive again.”
CHOICE CEO Emefa Butler utilized Innovate Alabama funding to bring a traveling Smithsonian exhibit to Uniontown on November 11 and for hot spots that provide WiFi for small businesses.
Innovate Alabama Founding CEO Cynthia Crutchfield said many projects completed with the funds, like the Harris Technology Hub in Marion, are examples that other communities can successfully replicate.
“The magic is happening when you execute those dollars and build that capability that others can follow,” said Crutchfield.
