In November, we were proud to gather some of Mississippi’s best and brightest at the 26th annual Accelerate Conference—powered by mTrade and produced by Innovate Mississippi in partnership with the Mississippi Small Business Development Center Network. Over the course of two dynamic days (Nov. 11–12), founders, investors, ecosystem partners, and…
When Julien Bourgeois was a teenager practicing basketball in his driveway, he knew he was putting up a ton of shots—but had no qualitative idea how many shots went in or how his form changed over time. As a high school student interested in computer programming, he decided to see…
When data engineer and entrepreneur Ricky Romanek began consulting for hospitals in 2022, he was shocked to find that many were still managing millions of dollars in insurance claims with little more than spreadsheets and sticky notes. That experience inspired him to launch ClaimTra, an automated claims analytics platform designed…
When longtime friends Alex Bucklew and John McAdory met for lunch in 2023, the conversation turned to a problem McAdory, a pharmacist, encountered daily—patients struggling to navigate the complex world of prescription drug discount cards. Dozens of cards exist, many promising savings, yet there was no easy way to know…
When Marine Corps veteran and software engineer Andrew Mocol first encountered blockchain technology more than a decade ago, it wasn't as a speculator—it was as a builder searching for better systems. Through years of hands-on development with early blockchain applications, he saw a clear divide: blockchain had the power to…
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…