Birmingham, AL (November 3, 2025) —
Alabama Founder Fest is set to take place Dec. 8 and 9, 2025, at Innovation Depot, in partnership with Innovate Alabama and Alabama Power Company. Created to amplify Alabama’s business, technology and entrepreneurial strengths,
Alabama Founder Fest offers startups a valuable platform to showcase their innovations to potential investors and customers while encouraging networking and community-building opportunities for the broader tech ecosystem. The second annual gathering will also coincide with Innovate Alabama’s State of Innovation Day, on Tuesday, Dec. 9, at Regions Field.
Highlighting Alabama’s dynamic entrepreneurial landscape, Alabama Founder Fest will feature startups from the state’s accelerators, such as
Techstars,
gener8tor,
Alabama Launchpad and many others, offering participants the chance to interact with groundbreaking innovation spanning industries like climate technology, clean energy, healthcare, agricultural technology, water technology and more. Attendees will hear pitches from a range of startups competing for $15,000 in Pitch Blitz prize money, network with ecosystem partners and investors, engage with founders, and meet the companies that won $450,000 in statewide competitions this year!
“Founder Fest is about more than celebration — it’s about connection,” said Estes Hughes, EDPA’s Vice President of Innovation and Talent. “We’re intentionally bringing together founders, investors, and partners to accelerate access to capital and opportunity across Alabama. When startups have access to those who can close funding rounds, sign contracts, and shape policy, this ecosystem grows – and that’s what we want to see.”
“Traditionally, our programs have culminated in a Demo Day, where we invite investors, companies, organizations, families, and the broader community to celebrate months of hard work,” said Matthew Jaeh, Managing Director, Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator. “The challenge, however, is that many programs host their Demo Days around the same time—alongside the busy holiday season filled with events, parties, and family commitments. My solution was to bring all of our programs together for one incredible event that highlights and celebrates them collectively.”
On Day One [Monday, December 8], select startup founders and investors will collide at an exclusive “Deal Flow Day,” a day dedicated to strategic meetings, culminating in a celebratory after-party. This invite-only experience is designed to foster connections between investors and startups primed for growth and investment, strengthening Alabama’s reputation as a thriving hub for innovation.
At Day Two [Tuesday, December 9], the community is invited to Innovation Depot for a full morning of pitches where the audience will help shape the outcome. Attendees will be encouraged to participate as crowd judges, casting votes for their favorite startups across multiple categories. Attendees will also have the opportunity to connect with standout companies who are launching their ideas in Alabama, at the second Founder Fest Startup Expo.
Later that afternoon, invited founders, investors and ecosystem partners will gather at Regions Field for Innovate Alabama’s annual marquee event, the 2025 State of Innovation Day. This event celebrates the evolution of innovation in Alabama by uniting visionaries, corporate partners, ecosystem builders and investors from inside and outside of the state to spotlight Alabama’s commitment to and progress in becoming a hub for technology and innovation. The evening will culminate with Founder Fest’s presentation and awards, and will conclude with a networking social.
“Innovation does not happen in silos,” said Cynthia Crutchfield, CEO, Innovate Alabama. “It happens when public, private and academic partners come together with a shared goal: to grow Alabama’s economy and create opportunities for businesses to thrive in every corner of the state. State of Innovation Day reminds us that when we work together, there is no limit to what Alabama can achieve.”
To RSVP for the Pitch Blitz event, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 10 a.m. – 12p.m., please visit the Alabama Founder Fest registration page
here.
To view the full Founder Fest schedule, please visit the Alabama Founder Fest website
here.
About Founder Fest:
Founder Fest was created to showcase Alabama’s incredible wealth of business, technology, and entrepreneurial innovation. This two-day event brings together the region’s top companies, investors, and community supporters across diverse industries like climate tech, clean energy, healthcare, sustainability, and water technologies. Attendees will enjoy an expo, company pitches, a vibrant community celebration, and purposeful networking opportunities. For startups, it’s a platform to gain exposure and funding. Investors can discover breakthrough innovations, and the tech community can forge powerful connections. For more information or to register, please visit
alabamafounderfest.com.
