The idea for Vertical Take-Off was born from a timely opportunity. While participating in a research-to-practice learning group, dyslexia therapist and nonprofit leader Leta Palmiter learned from Kelli Butler of the Barksdale Reading Institute about a U.S. Department of Education grant opportunity supporting the development of technology-driven reading tools. When…
Mississippi State University (MSU), in partnership with Innovate Mississippi, will launch a new SBIR/STTR Grant Assistance Program designed to help Mississippi-based STEM researchers and startups secure federal funding for innovation. The program will provide expert resources and support to strengthen Mississippi's innovation ecosystem and drive economic growth. This initiative, managed…
An Interview with Mary Wallace Hannon, Operations and Strategic Communications Manager for the Regions Foundation By Lindsey Benefield, Ecosystem Builder and SSBCI Fund Manager, Innovate Mississippi | Founder & CEO, CoBridge Ventures As the countdown begins for Innovate Mississippi's Accelerate 2025 Conference on November 11-12, Mary Wallace Hannon serves as…
When University of Southern Mississippi Professor Fan Zhang found herself fielding endless student emails for her 100-person online class, she wished for a better way. Working with her undergraduate research assistant Sugam Panthi, a computer science major, the two built an early chatbot prototype that could answer students' questions automatically. The idea proved…
Brandon Cooper, founder and CEO of Study Placer, conceived the idea for his company's signature product based on his own college experiences, turning his challenges with time management into a powerful solution for students. As part of the 2025 CoBuilders accelerator cohort, Cooper is working to bring his vision for…
Innovate Mississippi is proud to welcome Jewel Burks Solomon, managing partner at Collab Capital, as the keynote speaker for this year's Accelerate Conference. Solomon's path from tech founder to venture capital leader embodies determination and community-minded innovation. Her story is one of focus, purpose, and a commitment to creating opportunities…
by Victor Robinson Over the past few years at Innovate Mississippi, I’ve seen firsthand how early-stage investing drives our state’s entrepreneurial growth. Mississippi has the talent and ambition, but even the best ideas struggle without funding. Mississippi’s investment landscape includes individual angel investors, angel funds like the Mississippi Angel Fund, angel…
On Tuesday, August 12, you could feel the buzz of excitement in the 19th-floor Capitol Club overlooking downtown Jackson. Innovate Mississippi staff, statewide partners, and mentors gathered to welcome the new cohort of Mississippi's premier high-growth accelerator program. Innovate Mississippi welcomed seven of the state's most promising startups to the…
Innovate Mississippi is pleased to highlight recent coverage from Lynne Jeter at Magnolia Tribune of the CoBuilders 2025 Launch Day, held August 12 at The Capitol Club in downtown Jackson. Her article details the event, the companies selected, and the program's unique statewide approach, including a look at companies in…
CEO Tanner McCraney co-founded Rumie as a mobile app focused on helping college students buy, sell, and rent secondhand items on campus. Since its launch, the platform has attracted hundreds of thousands of student users across nearly every college and university in the country. But after a pivot to focus…