Mississippi’s startup ecosystem is growing in part because of the synergy and connections within the ecosystem—and Mississippi State University’s presence at MCity in Vicksburg is a good example of how that works. The space brings together university programs, federal research partners, and local organizations, creating a place where ideas can…
When Chelsea Rogers sat down with her husband to map out their monthly budget, she didn’t expect to find the spark for a FinTech startup. But as she manually listed credit card balances, due dates, APRs, and payment strategies—spreadsheet open, mental math in overdrive—she had a simple but powerful question: Why isn’t there…
At Innovate Mississippi, we’re continuing to strengthen our leadership team to support Mississippi’s growing innovation economy and expand access to capital for high-growth startups across the state. We’re excited to announce the promotion of Victor Robinson to Investment Director and the appointment of Lindsey White Benefield as Fund Manager for InvestMS,…
Starkville, Mississippi [Nov 5th, 2025] - Campusknot Inc., an AI-powered teaching assistant platform for higher education, announced today that it has raised $1.1 million to expand its footprint across the United States and accelerate adoption of its technology among universities. The investment comes from Tulane Ventures, Boot 64 Ventures, Invest…
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…