By Alabama Newscenter Staff
Nationally ranked startup accelerator gener8tor announced today a partnership with Bronze Valley to fuel the growth of business startups emerging from Birmingham, the state of Alabama and throughout the Southeast.
Through this partnership, gener8tor will launch the Bronze Valley Accelerator program – a free version of gener8tor’s accelerator program that provides individualized mentorship and coaching for up to 15 startups each year.
The Bronze Valley Accelerator is a free accelerator for early-stage technology startups with local roots. The program provides participants with intensive and individualized coaching and access to gener8tor’s national network of mentors, potential customers, corporate partners and investors. The program is designed to help startups gain early customer traction on their product or idea and establish metrics that make them competitive applicants for full-time accelerators or seed investment.
The accelerator is supported by Alabama Power and the Alabama Department of Commerce, and thanks to this support will run up to three times per year, capped at five companies per cohort to ensure a high level of individualized attention.
Participants will be selected from the Southeast and the program will work with companies across all industries and business models. The program will be geared toward helping underrepresented founders – specifically, people of color and women – as well as students and affiliates of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) accelerate their businesses.
“This is part of Bronze Valley’s commitment to continually enhancing the ecosystem for business growth,” said Bronze Valley Chairman John O. Hudson III. “As we work to create and maintain an entrepreneurial environment that is more nurturing, more supportive and more inclusive, the Bronze Valley Accelerator will play a critical role in preparing early-stage ventures for long-term success.”
The program is a perfect fit for the Department of Commerce’s emphasis on innovation and emerging technology as an economic development focus area.
“The Department of Commerce is pleased to partner with the Bronze Valley Accelerator through the Growing Alabama Credit program,” Alabama Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield said. “Alabama’s economic development team has made fostering the growth of technology-focused jobs a priority. The accelerator will serve as a launching pad for promising tech startups in Birmingham and around the state.”
Alabama Power helped bring Bronze Valley to Birmingham more than two years ago.
“As a long-time supporter of Bronze Valley, Alabama Power is committed to promoting and supporting the growth of minority- and women-owned businesses in the technology and innovation sector,” said Alabama Power CEO Mark Crosswhite. “We know that a more inclusive Alabama economy is a more robust economy. The Bronze Valley Accelerator will be a key driver of technology entrepreneurship in our state.”
Through the Bronze Valley Accelerator, Bronze Valley and gener8tor hope to build on the momentum in the Birmingham and Alabama startup ecosystem by providing additional resources that will spark further entrepreneurship, drive local economic growth and spur innovation in various industries.
Applications are being accepted for the Bronze Valley Accelerator director role, and startups interested in participating in the program can learn more by visiting www.bronzevalleyaccelerator.com.
