Southeast Shoutouts | Meet the Drapers coming to Tuscaloosa
The Arkansas Research Alliance has been awarded a National Science Foundation grant for $8 million to launch a new statewide, cross-sector program called AR-NETWORK.
From Tuscaloosa, AL:
Tim Draper of Draper Associates and his daughter, Jesse Draper of Halogen Ventures, are planning an event called “Halogen Ventures + Meet the Drapers.” It is an Alabama-focused pitch competition scheduled for September 23-24.
As described on the Meet the Drapers website, there are four start-ups selected per city, and one of those will advance to the semifinals, where no more than four will be selected to compete for the grand prize of as much as a $1 million investment. The Tuscaloosa stop appears to be one of seven. The others are Columbus, OH; Chicago, IL; Detroit, MI; New York City; Pittsburgh, PA; and Washington, DC.
The show is open to all founders building start-ups across the state of Alabama. To apply, click here. The deadline for the Tuscaloosa stop is August 31.
From Raleigh, NC:
Looking for a clean bathroom for a child or other family member while traveling?
A Raleigh-based start-up named Squadies has you covered. It is the smarter potty-finder app for families on the go. No more meltdowns or sketchy stops. “Just relief, trust, and calm when your kid’s gotta go,” the website says.
GrepBeat has an article featuring Founder Ryan Brown and her soon-to-launch start-up here.
From Charlotte, NC:
Venture135 is back and is more exclusive than ever. This year’s conference is primarily invitation-only, with a very limited number of tickets open for purchase.
Scheduled for November 20 and 21 at the Foundation for the Carolinas at the Truist Center, the pitch competition will feature more than 60 fintech and insurtech start-ups, currently raising their Seed, Series A, or Series B round of funding. Founders from around the globe will present on stage with no fees to the Founder.
The event is only accepting a limited number of guests so that the best venture capitalists, angel investors, and corporate innovation teams will be in attendance.
From Little Rock, AR:
The Arkansas Research Alliance (ARA) has been awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant for $8 million to launch a new statewide, cross-sector program called AR-NETWORK. This program is designed to amplify Arkansas’ research capacity, accelerate commercialization, and expand STEM career pathways.
AR-NETWORK, officially known as the Arkansas Nexus for Excellence in Technology, Workforce, Outreach, and Research Knowledge, is being funded through a new initiative at NSF called E-CORE. ARA is the first organization in Arkansas to receive an award from the program. This grant award is significant to the Arkansas research community because of the new program’s structure. The $8 million funding will be distributed over a four-year period.
“Our overarching vision is to expand, connect, and make sustainable the state’s use inspired research ecosystem,” said Bryan J. Barnhouse, ARA President and CEO. “Driving economic growth, delivering societal impact, and developing our STEM workforce are the primary goals.”
AR-NETWORK is led by Principal Investigator Sarah Burnett Smith, who recently joined ARA as a Program Director. Smith will be supported by ARA team member Dr. Doug Hutchings and a team of co-principal investigators representing the project’s key partners: University of Arkansas, ACC Capital Foundation, Arkansas Tech University, and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
“With this E-CORE award, we can weave together Arkansas’s extraordinary research talent and industry know-how into one cohesive innovation engine,” said Smith. “The result will be new jobs, new companies, and new opportunities for Arkansans across the state.”
The award assembles a statewide network of partners from academic and non-profit sectors with strong expertise and a deep understanding of Arkansas’ economic and educational strengths and challenges. The project earned the full support of ARA’s Board of Trustees and established a new partnership with Arkansas State University’s Office of Behavioral Research & Evaluation. AR-NETWORK will comprise more than a dozen private-sector collaborators spanning advanced materials, ag-tech, logistics, and digital health.
From Bentonville, AR:
A new report released by the Walton Family Foundation (WFF) reveals continued momentum in entrepreneurship support across Northwest Arkansas, underscoring the region’s evolving role as a hub for business innovation.
The report, Entrepreneurial Climate in Northwest Arkansas: A Comparison Across Peer Regions, was conducted by Dr. Robert Fairlie, a leading economist from the University of California Los Angeles and developer of the Kauffman Foundation’s Indicators of Entrepreneurship. The study offers a comprehensive analysis of business ownership and startup vitality across comparable metropolitan regions.
Key findings include:
- Start-ups account for 37.2 percent of the region’s businesses, which is above both the national average (35.3 percent) and the Arkansas state average (31 percent).
- The region’s opportunity entrepreneurship rate—measured by the ratio of business ownership to unemployment—is on par with that of peer metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs).
- Business establishment growth is strong, particularly among young firms (under five years), with survival rates above national and state averages.
- Northwest Arkansas business ownership rates remain lower than national and aspirational averages, but are steadily increasing.
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