Meet the 9 startups competing for $75K + RSVP for the inaugural Alabama Founder Fest, Dec. 10

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Every year, innovative startups and up-and-coming entrepreneurs from across the state compete in Alabama Launchpad—a program hosted by the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama (EDPA). The nine participants will collaborate with other startups, learn from experienced entrepreneurs and compete for a combined $75K in funding. 

Read on to meet the exciting new cohort of startups making a splash in Alabama.

Plus, stay tuned for details about the inaugural Alabama Founder Fest, December 10-11 in Birmingham and how to RSVP.

Meet the Finalists:

Concept Stage

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

Nyad

Founded in 2024 by British entrepreneurs Virginia and Chris, Nyad tackles water pollution with an AI-driven solution. 

Nyad believes that by optimizing Alabama’s wastewater treatment processes, they can help protect and enhance Alabama’s valuable and vital waterways, preventing pollutants from entering our beautiful rivers and lakes.

How do they plan on achieving this? They’re developing a “lab in a box”—an automated system using digital microscopy to treat wastewater up to 150 times faster than traditional methods.

“We applied to the Alabama Launchpad program to gain access to valuable mentorship, funding opportunities and networking within Alabama. We are from the UK, and the Southern hospitality has really helped us hit the ground running.”

Virginia Szepietowski, Co-founder, Nyad

Cleo Education

When physician assistant student Piper Latham began her clinical year at UAB, she struggled to find opportunities to practice interpreting diagnostic tests— such as X-rays— outside of the clinical setting.

A returning Alabama Launchpad finalist, CLEO Education aims to address this gap in healthcare education by providing students the chance to practice x-ray interpretation in a low-stakes environment in order to hone their clinical skills, ultimately shaping them into more effective healthcare providers.

“We are thrilled to participate in Alabama Launchpad again. The invaluable mentorship from the Launch Advisors, combined with the comprehensive resources provided by the program, has allowed our company to accelerate our growth and achieve our next milestones.

We are excited to see the impact CLEO will have on healthcare education, helping to improve the diagnostic skills of healthcare students all across the country.”

Piper Latham, Founder, CLEO Education, LLC

Homepoint

Traditional real estate transactions are often bogged down by high commission fees and limited transparency, frustrating both buyers and sellers. Buyers face uncertainty, while sellers lose profits to hefty commissions.

Homepoint is a platform that streamlines the process and removes the need for excessive fees, while providing real estate agent support when needed.

Founded by seasoned real estate professionals Trey and Caroline McMeans, Homepoint’s goal is to make the buying and selling process as quick and cost-efficient as possible.

“We’re excited to connect with other innovators in the Alabama startup ecosystem and look forward to the invaluable feedback we’ll receive from the judges and mentors. Most importantly, we’re eager to learn how we can better serve the Alabama real estate market through this process.”

Trey McMeans, Co-founder, Homepoint

ConekPro

One day, over lunch, Patrick McKinney told his business partner Quentin Evans about an idea he had for a new app that could revolutionize small business operations.

Patrick believed it would be beneficial if entrepreneurs could not only track day-to-day business, but collaborate with other business owners through an in-app social platform.

The app, now dubbed ConekPro, assists businesses in time-consuming work like project management, scheduling and communication.

“Although we have experience in business and technology, this is very new territory for our group. The process of properly marketing, targeting and acquiring a user base is not only challenging, but foreign to us.

We believe Alabama Launchpad can give us much-needed guidance and insight on what we need to focus on to have success as we push to grow the idea we have started.”

Patrick McKinney, CEO, ConekPro

Forsee

(Forsee LLC)

Forsee’s mission is to innovate fire-resistant materials, increasing heat resistance in plastics and other materials that can slow down dangerous fires.

The revolutionary part? Forsee is a black-owned company that uses Afro hair cuttings to create these fire-retardant materials.

According to founder Chera Howard, her goal is to strategically create an infrastructure for selling and manufacturing Afro hair from barbershops with its patented innovation.

“Fires are a major threat not only to economic damages but also to residential areas and commercial establishments. Forsee’s product was developed to minimize these damages by limiting the spread of fire by incorporating heat-resistant additives, which would ultimately protect resources and cut expenses for repairs and rebuilding efforts.

With the funds we have the opportunity to win, we can expand our operations, enter new markets, and bring talented individuals onboard. I am most looking forward to the wealth of information and training that Alabama Lauchpad offers.”

Chera Howard, Founder, Forsee

Seed Stage

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

HUM Concierge

(HUM Concierge)

Ever felt like you have way too much to do and not enough time to do it?

HUM Concierge, founded by Sarah Robinson and based in Birmingham, is offering lifestyle management and personal assistant services for both busy professionals and families.

From grocery shopping and errand running to event planning and airport pick-up, HUM is like having a trusted, highly skilled friend who can take over managing your to-do list. 

“My startup is growing quickly and I know that having access to the knowledge and expertise that Alabama Launchpad offers will help me scale successfully and sustainably whether I win or not. 

I’m most looking forward to all of the learning that is ahead of me over the next couple of months. It’s like getting a mini-MBA that’s made just for startups like mine!”

Sarah Robinson, Founder, HUM Concierge

Huntsville Magazine

Founded by North Alabama native Takara Swoopes and her husband, CJ Byrd, Huntsville Magazine published its first print issue in the summer of 2022.

In just two years, it has become an award-winning, elegant, quarterly print and digital publication that highlights the vibrant culture of Alabama’s fastest-growing city.

“Alabama Launchpad is an incredible program. It brings so many people and businesses together. Considering the resources and time invested into each participant, it was a no-brainer to apply.

I feel so blessed to have been chosen as a finalist. I applied to challenge myself and to prioritize growth in my business.”

Takara Swoopes, Founder, Huntsville Magazine

Student Seats

Across the country, college students are exchanging their student section sports tickets through unregulated marketplaces and social media platforms, creating opportunities for scammers to exploit them with minimal consequences.

Student Seats, an app created by University of Alabama alumni Jared Waller and John Ritondo, aims to regulate the ticket reselling market and protect users by only allowing access to students with verified university addresses.

“We saw an opportunity to connect with business experts in the Birmingham area. The years of business expertise that the advisors bring are invaluable to us, and their leadership will go a long way in helping develop our business.”

Jared Waller, Co-founder, Student Seats

Ethar

Based in Huntsville and founded by NASA-legacy engineers, Ethar is a software platform that makes it easy for digital creatives to create engaging location-based augmented reality (AR) experiences with no technical expertise required.

So, what does that mean exactly? Essentially, users can easily compose 3D experiences using text, images, audio, video and special effects, then anchor that content to real people, places and things in the real world.

This kind of rendering software could revolutionize several industries, such as architecture, design, education and tourism.

“As a former director of one of the nation’s largest tech accelerators, I’ve found that the Alabama Launchpad program is truly top-tier.

The coaches have been generous with their time and guidance. This has been a game-changer for Ethar, providing the strategic insights and actionable tips we needed to accelerate growth and confidently navigate the challenges ahead.

The Alabama startup ecosystem is a powerhouse of combined resources. We want to succeed through Alabama Launchpad’s support, build many new tech jobs and help the state thrive. Our Ethar team knows we are tapping into an enormous unfolding market opportunity, and we want to see our success become Alabama’s success.”

Tony Hodgson, CEO, Ethar

Winners announced at inaugural Alabama Founder Fest

Can’t wait to see who wins? This year, Alabama Launchpad is doing things a little differently.

In an exciting new twist, the EDPA will host the first Alabama Founder Fest , alongside Techstars and gener8tor, on December 10-11 at Innovation Depot and Regions Field.

Highlighting Alabama’s dynamic entrepreneurial landscape, Alabama Founder Fest will feature startups from leading accelerators, including Techstars, gener8tor and Alabama Launchpad, offering participants the chance to interact with groundbreaking innovation spanning industries.

“Founder Fest is a culmination of a year of hard work—recruiting founders, developing founders and their startups, and finally, positioning those companies for the best chances of success in this state and beyond.

We can’t wait to introduce the Alabama ecosystem to some of these impressive companies, but we’re just as thrilled to open our doors to investors from outside the state. Alabama’s startups can compete on a national level, and Founder Fest is another opportunity for them to excel.”

Miller Girvin, COO, Economic Development Partnership of Alabama

Attendees are invited to participate as crowd judges, casting votes for their favorite startups in various categories.

The first day will feature pitches from a diverse group of startups, opportunities to network with ecosystem partners and investors, direct interactions with startup founders, and the grand prize—a combined total of $75,000 awarded to the winners of Alabama Launchpad. Plus, it will also coincide with Innovate Alabama’s invitation-only State of Innovation Day at Regions Field.

Don’t miss the first-ever Alabama Founder Fest

• When: December 10-11
• Where: Innovation Depot, 1500 1st Ave N, Birmingham, AL 35203
• Register | Info

Ready to watch these exciting movers + shakers of Alabama compete for up to $75K? Don’t miss the first Alabama Founder Fest, December 10.

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