If this week could be summed up, in terms of business:
Birmingham takes major steps toward furthering & recognizing innovation as well as the potential for long term growth.
Yesterday, at the Birmingham Venture Club, 10 teams/startup companies were unveiled as the Velocity Accelerator’s “Inaugural Class” – These startups will go through its extensive program and come out in 4 months with a greater edge than other startups.
Startups:
- GLOW – Founded by: Yazmin and Jim Cavale – “Service providers, called GLOW-Pros, benefit from the ability to schedule on their own, acquire new customers and communicate directly with clients.”
- Book-it Legal – Founded by: Jack West and Walker Beauchamp – Helps to connect law students to established firms so to help the students get real experience while still in school.
- Planet Fundraiser – Founded by: Kasey Birdsong and Drew Honeycutt – This app connects merchants and their favorite charities so to allow customers to give a portion of their receipt to the registered non-profit.
- Koyote – Founded by: Andrew Petrovics – An app. that allows businesses or customers to see real time population gatherings at specific locations.
- Delect – Founded by: Serge Amouzou and Jeremy Feldman – Started in Washington, D.C., and moving to Birmingham, this app allows customers to pay restaurant bills through their phones.
- Healthfundit – Founded by: Larry Lawal and Felix Kishinevsky – Based off the idea of crowdfunding, this medical research funding operation helps fund top NIH projects that did not receive government funding.
- Gender Reveal – Founded by: Matt Landers – The popularity of gender reveals has given way to the idea of making the information transition from the doctors office to the party a much smoother “transaction”.
- Quantalytix – Founded by: Chris Aliotta and William Bryant – To help solve an inefficiency within the banking industry, this software will assess and analyze possible risks.
- “Likely” – Founded by: Jozef Marko and Lukas Ruttkay – These two, from Slovakia and now living in Ukraine, were interns at Facebook and Google and now have developed an algorithm to help users determine what images would catch the most attention of a given audience.
- MetalView – Founded by: Andrew Wingard – A virtual marketplace to help buyers see how much of a certain item suppliers have on hand so to make it easier to assess and eventually trade.
Just like the Innovation Depot, the Velocity Accelerator takes in applications throughout a certain period of time, which they received 100 of this time. Through evaluating each applicant based off of certain requirements, they only take up to 10 at a time.
“We’re thrilled that we’ve got some international companies, we’ve got some companies coming from other cities in America – New York and Washington, D.C. – bringing them to Birmingham and showcasing what we have and the resources we have.”
– Devon Laney told Alabama NewsCenter
To say this showcases the Magic City as a major player in today’s technological market would be an understatement.
As I have mentioned before, the Magic City is on its way to becoming the Silicon Valley of the south; groups like Velocity and the Depot continue to make steps to promote this “long game” strategy.
The impact this program, among others started in the Depot, will greatly benefit Birmingham economically wise, community wise, and investment wise.
“We’ve got the organic growth already, now let’s put a process in place to help drive that.”
– Devon Laney
To learn more about the Velocity Accelerator…
Read Full Article from Alabama NewCenter Here
