Stories of Technology, Innovation, & Entrepreneurship in the Southeast

From Birmingham, AL:

Sloss.Tech/Ideas is a pitch competition that provides a platform for early stage companies across the Southeast U.S. to showcase their groundbreaking innovations with real momentum.

Funded by a grant from the Regions Foundation, 16 promising start-ups in agtech and foodtech, healthtech and biotech, mobility and transportation technology, and emerging tech will take the stage to present solutions that are already making waves in their industries and compete for the $50,000 Grand Prize along with $25,000 in additional cash prizes. The opportunity connects visionary founders with funding, investors, industry experts, and venture capitalists to elevate these ideas to the next level.

“More than just a pitch competition—it’s where the South’s most innovative companies forge connections that transform tomorrow’s tech landscape,” the promotional materials say.

Eligibilty criteria include:

• The product or service must not have been commercially launched earlier than January 2020.
• Companies must not have raised more than $5 million from combined funding sources.
• Start-ups can only enter one product or service in the competition.
• Founders of the company applying must retain majority ownership (51% or more) of the company at the time of the competition.
• Start-ups must reside in the Southeast (defined here as Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee).
• Start-ups must be legally registered business entities and compliant with all relevant regulations and laws in at least one of the Southeast states.

The application deadline is April 25 at this link. The competition will occur June 25-27 at the Lyric Theatre in Birmingham.

From St. Petersburg, FL:

The 2025 edition of the poweredUP Tampa Bay Tech Fest is slated to run from 11 a.m. EDT to 6 p.m. on May 14 at the Duke Energy Center for the Arts – Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg.

Billed as ​supporting the continued growth of Tampa Bay’s tech ecosystem, poweredUP 2025 is set to be bigger and more exciting than ever, offering attendees unparalleled access to industry leaders, cutting-edge innovations, and meaningful networking opportunities.

Track highlights include:

1. ​The Future of Work: Robotics & Intelligent Process Automation;
2. ​Digital Governance: Managing Information Technology, Data & Compliance;
3. ​Healthcare Transformation: How Emerging Tech Is Reshaping Care Delivery;
4. ​From Concept to Coaster: The Tech Behind Universal’s Iconic Experiences;
5. ​Leading Locally: Spotlight on Tampa Bay’s Tech Trailblazers; and
6. ​Smarter Solutions: Rapid-Fire Use Cases from Companies Solving Big Problems with Tech.

Click here to learn more.

From the State of Florida:

An influential group of Florida business leaders, known as the Florida Council of 100, has sent a letter to the state’s Congressional delegation urging the members to advocate for the relocation of NASA Headquarters to the State of Florida.

The letter notes that “Florida is the operational heart of America’s space program. From Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral to the thriving commercial space industry that now powers the next era of exploration, this is where mission meets momentum. Our state leads the nation—and the world—in launch activity, talent development, and aerospace innovation. The Space Coast is not only home to NASA’s most critical assets but also serves as the launching point for the future of American space leadership.”

The Florida Council of 100—the first organization of its kind in the United States—was established in 1961 at the request of Governor Farris Bryant to provide advice on key policy issues from the business community’s perspective. Over the last six decades, the Council has offered insight and background on important policy matters to Florida’s elected leaders and government officials across the political and ideological spectrum.

From Kissimmee, FL:

Orlando Inno reports that Jay Galbraith has resigned as President of Bridg, the nonprofit high-tech manufacturer at NeoCity in Kissimmee, according to an April 9 social media post. He was named to the post a little more than a year ago on February 27, 2024.

Galbraith wrote that he informed the company’s board of his decision to step down “several weeks ago,” and he plans to “begin a new chapter of my professional journey, which includes formalizing my public affairs firm.”

Bridg, which stands for Bridging the Innovation Development Gap, is partly responsible for steering the NeoCity 500-acre, mixed-use business park since its inception in 2014. NeoCity is home to tech businesses that include semiconductor manufacturing and advanced packaging businesses.

In January 2024, a coalition led by Osceola County won a grant of up to $160 million from the U.S. National Science Foundation for development work to be done largely at NeoCity.

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