Watch 10 local startups compete for $75K on August 15

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This summer, some of the brightest minds in Alabama are competing for a cash prize that could jumpstart their business.

The Economic Development Partnership of Alabama (EDPA) is hosting Alabama Launchpad—a startup bootcamp where participants, learn from experienced entrepreneurs and compete for a combined $75K in funding.

The competition will conclude with a pitch finale in Huntsville on August 15. Reserve tickets to the Cycle 2 Finale now.

Early Seed Stage Finalists

Finalists in the early seed stage are competing for $50,000 to accelerate the growth of their existing business. 

SplitEV

One of the big reasons stopping people from switching to an electric vehicle (EV) is the lack of public charging areas.

While the presence of EV chargers has grown in concentrated urban areas, SplitEV wants to make them accessible and reliable to areas across Alabama.

By creating a network of private EV chargers, SplitEV enables property owners to monetize their chargers and provide drivers with a larger charging network.

“We are particularly looking forward to engaging with the Alabama community, fostering innovation and driving the adoption of electric vehicles and charging infrastructure within the state.

This program will help us connect with industry experts, potential investors and other innovative startups, providing valuable insights and support to scale our operations, enhance our technology, and expand our market presence.”

Abi Odugbesan, Founder & CEO of SplitEV

Zone Protects

When founder Brian Baer had a vision about children all over the world suffering from mosquito-transmitted diseases as well as problems domestically, he set out to create a solution. Brian developed an effective insect repellent that stops mosquitoes and ticks using Picaridin.

Since then, Brian’s Zone Protects products have expanded into an entire line of Picaridin based insect repellents, permethrin insecticides, pet protection & training, animal repellents, hunting scent control and deer attractants and car detailing chemicals.

“We competed in the Launchpad in 2019 and came in second. Today, with MUCH more experience and wisdom, we are still fighting to become a national brand and the Launchpad could certainly help us ‘launch’ that rocket!”

Brian Baer, Founder & CEO, Zone Protects

Yard Robotics

Don’t you wish there was a robot to do chores like yard work for you? Well, now there is!

Yard Robotics provides lawn care services for suburban homes using a custom-built, modular robotic platform. Based in Huntsville, they’re currently the highest-rated lawn care service in the area in terms of customer service and reliability.

Their team includes:

• Divya Thakur, former Director of Product Engineering at Cruise
• Nathaniel Chong, who previously managed a fleet of 400 robots for military testing at Marathon Targets
• Jim Schmidt, former maintenance manager at the prestigious Breakers golf course in Palm Beach, Florida

“At Yard Robotics, we transform your lawn into a neighborhood showpiece by completely taking over lawn maintenance. Our robot mows faster than a human being, with greater precision and safety.

We monitor performance in real time, dealing with any obstacles or issues remotely. We focus on reliability: delivering on schedule, every time, without fail.”

Divya Thakur, Co-founder, Yard Robotics

RAGASEDU

On average, only about 60% of college students graduate in four years. To address this issue, RAGASEDU created a dashboard called Integrate. 

It consolidates data from multiple sources so administrators, advisors and student-success personnel can identify struggling students and help them before they fail.

“We had an excellent experience with Launchpad in the early stages of our company development, when we received incredibly invaluable feedback and advice.

We look forward to the insightful, honest, and committed mentoring we will receive during the Launchpad process.”

Chakri Deverapalli, Founder & CEO, RAGASEDU

Naughty But Nice Kettle Corn Co.

In 2014, Naughty But Nice began its journey by selling delicious sweet and salty kettle corn blends at local farmers markets like Pepper Place.

The team includes Tanesha Sims-Summers and her husband Clem, who handle everything from production to sales and more. Through its Poppin’ With A Purpose initiative, Naughty But Nice connects with local businesses and nonprofits to give back to the Birmingham community.

Concept Stage Finalists

Finalists in the concept stage are usually pre-revenue and compete for $25,000.

Yosubi

Gabe Marrero spent much of his life working in construction in Puerto Rico. Since immigrating to Birmingham, he has noticed many inefficiencies between labor supply and demand in the construction industry.

Construction companies face a huge demand for workers. Meanwhile, Latin American subcontractors have a limited network, lack technical literacy and face language barriers. To solve this disconnect, Yosubi uses AI and WhatsApp to connect construction companies with subcontractors easily.

“Alabama Launchpad has a great history of helping to not just launch, but skyrocket Alabama-based startups.

We know that this journey can’t be done alone. We’re honored to get to work with some of the most knowledgeable and talented mentors who have forged this path before and can help us get to where we are going.”

Gabe Marrero, Founder & CEO, Yosubi

NephSol

Founded in 2020 by Sydney Ringold and Olivia Bruno as part of an MBA project at the University of Alabama, NephSol aims to revolutionize dialysis care.

With the creation of their innovative headset, the technology can continuously monitor blood flow during treatment—reducing the risk of severe side effects like strokes.

“We believe Alabama Launchpad will provide invaluable connections within the biotech industry in addition to experience and invaluable mentorship. With this, we hope to promote our growth and reach our next milestones.

We are so excited to receive hands-on instruction and develop relationships within the Alabama entrepreneurship ecosystem!”

Sydney Ringold, Co-founder, NephSol

Etch

Before starting medical school, Etch co-founder Sean Haskell had to get creative to perform well on high-stakes exams like the MCAT.

During the pandemic, it became clear that a lack of learning retention infrastructure was affecting more than just medical students and that poor learning tools were weighing down many students.

Using AI and data analytics, Etch is a study tool that empowers learners, starting with AP high school and pre-med students, to easily retain knowledge as they learn it.

“The Etch team has had the opportunity to interact with the incredible Launchpad mentors previously.

We’re looking forward to taking advantage of the wisdom that the mentors have to share as recent pivots have presented new and exciting challenges.”

Sean Haskell, Co-founder, Etch

Skopt Optics

Founded in 2018 by a team of avid hunters and tech enthusiasts, Skopt Optics aims to enhance the hunting experience by integrating advanced technology with traditional practices, making it safer and more efficient for hunters of all levels.

By combining their experience in optics and software development, Skopt has created innovative hunting eyewear that can detect and track blood trails. With the accompanying app, hunters can locate wounded animals quickly, which is essential for ethical hunting.

“We applied to the Alabama Launchpad program because we believe it offers a unique opportunity to accelerate our growth and bring our innovative product to a broader market. The program’s resources, mentorship, and network are invaluable to a startup like ours.

We are excited about the potential to make a significant impact in the hunting industry and believe that the Alabama Launchpad program will help us achieve our goals.”

Mark Hose, Founder, Skopt

CLEO Education

When physician assistant Piper Latham began her clinical year at UAB, she was unsatisfied at the lack of resources for interpreting x-rays—one of the most necessary and important skills for students in her field.

CLEO Education aims to address the issue by providing students the chance to practice x-ray interpretation outside of the clinical setting with a user-friendly app.

“I heard about Alabama Launchpad from a friend that had great experiences working with the program. I decided to apply because I knew that as a young entrepreneur, I would have the opportunity to learn and gain valuable business skills from the wisdom of all the Launch Advisors.

The process has been rigorous but fun so far and I am very excited to continue connecting with new people and to share my passion for helping healthcare students.”

Piper Latham, Founder, CLEO Education, LLC

See the Alabama Launchpad Finale, August 15

With 10 Alabama startups and $75,000 up for grabs—you can see it all at the second Alabama Launchpad competition of 2024. 

Ready to see who wins? Get tickets for the Cycle 2 Finale and visit the Alabama Launchpad website to learn more.

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