Birmingham, AL (December 11, 2024) — The
inaugural Alabama Founder Fest wrapped up with the announcement of the winners from Alabama Launchpad’s Cycle 3 competition during Innovate Alabama’s State of Innovation Day. Nyad and Huntsville Magazine took top honors, earning a combined $75,000 in non-dilutive funding.
Held at Innovation Depot and Regions Field, Alabama Founder Fest showcased nearly 50 startups from leading accelerators, including Techstars, gener8tor, and Alabama Launchpad. The event brought together entrepreneurs, investors, and ecosystem leaders to celebrate Alabama’s thriving entrepreneurial landscape.
Nyad, a startup focused on tackling water pollution with AI-driven wastewater treatment solutions, claimed the
$25,000 concept stage prize. Founded in Birmingham in 2024 by British entrepreneurs Virginia Szepietowski and Chris Braithwaite, Nyad is developing a “co-pilot” – an automated system that uses digital microscopy to treat wastewater up to 150 times faster than traditional methods.
“We’ve said it over and over, but the mentors in this program are so experienced and valuable— it’s worth getting into the program for that alone,” said Szepietowski. “The structure, having five mentors who got to know us really well and built trust and rapport, created a safe space where they could genuinely coach us. They became almost like extensions of our team. We could call them up anytime, and they’d always pick up the phone, review something, or go above and beyond to help us. It’s been an amazing experience.”
Huntsville Magazine secured the
$50,000 early seed stage prize. Founded by North Alabama natives Takara Swoopes and her husband, CJ Byrd, Huntsville Magazine is an award-winning quarterly publication that highlights the culture of Alabama’s fastest-growing city. Since its first print issue in 2022, the magazine has become a leading voice in celebrating Huntsville’s vibrant community. Its novel approach to digital and print media creates immediate value to advertisers and subscribers alike.
“This funding is going to be rocket fuel for sales,” said Swoopes. “I’ve proven that I have a beautiful product that people want in Huntsville, but I need to ramp up sales, and this will allow me to do it. It will also help me build out our internship program. I love connecting with local college students and giving them opportunities in media, both print and digital, and now I’ll be able to expand our team of interns beyond just two.”
Each finalist company received two months of intensive mentorship, through both one-on-one and group session training with startup founders and business experts, to prepare for the finale judging panels.
The early-seed stage companies were evaluated by three judges: Paul Jordan, Consulting Operating Partner at Ageria Group; Elizabeth Stewart, Partner at Featheringill Capital; and Drayton Cosby, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cosby Development and Service Advisors and Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Foundation for Intelligent Media and Design.
“There’s a lot of incredible innovation happening all around the corners of our communities that we sometimes don’t know about,” said Cosby. “What I love about Alabama Launchpad is that it helps bring those ideas to light and gives entrepreneurs the resources to succeed—but it’s competitive. They really have to work for it. The founders we saw have already worked so hard to get here, and it’s clear they’ll put these funds to good use—hiring people, improving their businesses, and making their communities better. It’s such a necessary program for Alabama.”
The concept stage competition included a panel of three judges: Ron Perkins, Vice President of 3Ci and Vice President and Owner of LogBook; Waymond Jackson, President of Ed Farm; and Austin Senseman, Founder of Big Open Ocean and Co-Founder of Birmingham AI.
The Alabama Launchpad competition is a key feature of the state’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, providing startups with intensive mentorship, strategic networking, and non-dilutive funding. Finalists received weeks of expert guidance in areas such as sales, marketing, and product development, preparing them for the high-stakes Pitch Blitz competition that drew hundreds of attendees to Founder Fest.
“This inaugural Founder Fest was a true celebration of Alabama’s entrepreneurial spirit and a testament to the state’s growing innovation ecosystem,” said Miller Girvin, Chief Operating Officer of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama (EDPA). “By combining forces with leading accelerators like Techstars and gener8tor, and hosting this event alongside Innovate Alabama’s State of Innovation Day, we’ve created a powerful platform to showcase scalable companies driving Alabama’s economy forward. Nyad and Huntsville Magazine embody the creativity, determination, and potential that make our state’s entrepreneurial landscape so dynamic.”
Founder Fest also featured a Startup Showcase Expo at Innovate Alabama’s
2024 State of Innovation Day, bringing together ecosystem leaders to spotlight Alabama’s progress as a hub for technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
For more information about Alabama Launchpad and Alabama Founder Fest, visit
alabamalaunchpad.com and
alabamafounderfest.com.
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