Innovate Mississippi's investment director, Lindsey Benefield has written a piece for #WEBuildInSE, an online collaborative guide showcasing entrepreneurship in the Southeastern United States. In her article, Lindsey promotes Oxford, Miss., known for its charming town square and literary history—and now for making waves as a center of gravity for startups. The University…
Once again, the Accelerate 2024 conference highlighted the power of innovation, entrepreneurship, and collaboration in Mississippi. It was a vibrant gathering of industry leaders, ambitious startups, savvy investors, and dedicated stakeholders from all corners of our beautiful state, showcasing Mississippi's entrepreneurial spirit. For a quarter of a century, Innovate Mississippi…
Innovate Mississippi celebrates three years of partnership with Microsoft in supporting CoBuilders, a statewide startup accelerator that has become a launching pad for innovative Mississippi companies. This milestone reflects not only Microsoft's commitment as a sponsor but also the enduring impact of the CoBuilders program on Mississippi's economy. CoBuilders, managed by…
[Jackson, Miss.] Innovate Mississippi is pleased to announce the Accelerate 2024 Conference, celebrating 25 years of dedicated service to building a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem in Mississippi. The Accelerate conference takes place November 19-20, 2024, bringing together startup founders, investors, and business leaders from across the state to explore innovative solutions and…
John Fair's professional journey began in high school when he worked summers at his father's gasoline and propane business in Louisville, Miss., as a "grease monkey," earning $20 a week. Initially employed at a lumber company, his father started a small distributorship called The Fair Oil Company near the mill in 1934,…
The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced this week it has selected the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA), in conjunction with the Mississippi Small Business Development Center Network (MSBDCN) and Innovate Mississippi (Innovate MS), to help small Mississippi businesses prepare for growth funding through the ConnectMS Program. The federal government selected…
We are thrilled to announce the newest addition to our statewide network of partners for CoBuilders, the Community Development Foundation (CDF) in Tupelo, Mississippi. As the epicenter of business activity in Northeast Mississippi, Tupelo holds a pivotal role, and together with our seven other regional partners, they will help foster and expand the…
We're excited to share another recent article from the Mississippi Business Journal, highlighting incredible strides in artificial intelligence (AI) in Mississippi. The story showcases the work of the Mississippi AI Collaborative and its AI Agency, which uses AI and cloud technologies to boost innovation in local businesses and education. David…
This past month, Jeremy Pittari in the Magnolia Tribune highlighted a long-time Mississippi innovator, Lobaki, and their intriguing new partnership with Mississippi charter schools. Pitttari details how Lobaki is helping bring students immersive virtual reality (VR) experiences thanks to a $510,000 federal grant. We’ve had the privilege of working with Lobaki for…
CoBuilders, now in its third year of working with partners around the state to accelerate startup businesses in Mississippi, launched its 2024 accelerator with an eight-company cohort this August. Each founding team participates in our 12-week development process, working with mentors on their product, business plan, and deck, preparing to…