HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Today, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology launched a new startup business accelerator focused on advancements in the agriculture technology sector. The announcement was made during a roundtable of agricultural leaders as they sought new ways to meet the challenges of feeding and fueling Alabama, the nation, and the world.
The HudsonAlpha AgTech Accelerator will be operated in partnership with gener8tor, a nationally-ranked Wisconsin startup accelerator and venture fund. The accelerator will provide agriculture technology innovators with the coaching, capital and connections to take their ideas to new heights by investing in startups selected for the program through a fund managed by gener8tor.
“HudsonAlpha’s capabilities for improving human lives continue to grow,” said Carter Wells, vice president for economic development at HudsonAlpha. “The Institute is leading the way in the discovery of new tools for growing food and producing biofuels that will improve our world. This accelerator is a key part of a larger strategy to create new economies for growers by linking scientific research to commercial opportunity.”
Collaborative research at HudsonAlpha’s Center for Plant Science and Sustainable Agriculture has led to new understanding of plant and animal genomes, methods for crop improvement, trait identification and precision breeding. Already at the forefront of agriculture, the HudsonAlpha AgTech Accelerator will enhance the Institute’s commercialization pipeline for new ideas.
The HudsonAlpha AgTech Accelerator will be located at HudsonAlpha’s campus in Huntsville, Ala. but will recruit promising startups from around the country for a 12-week immersive program at the Institute. Selected participants will be a part of the HudsonAlpha ecosystem and have access to the state-of-the-art facilities across the 152-acre biotech campus. Companies will also have the opportunity to connect and collaborate with HudsonAlpha scientists.
“We are excited to partner with HudsonAlpha to promote the growth of agtech in the Huntsville community,” said Joe Kirgues, gener8tor Co-Founder. “The HudsonAlpha AgTech Accelerator will provide curated and innovative support for startups at the forefront of agriculture in Alabama.”
“We’re thrilled to welcome new agtech innovators to our community,” added Alex Cate, HudsonAlpha’s Director of Entrepreneurship Programs. “HudsonAlpha has a well established ecosystem for supporting the specific needs of bioscience and agtech startups. We look forward to collaborating with and supporting startups who share our mission for improving the human condition around the globe.”
Recruitment of the first cohort will begin in Summer 2022 and will commence in Fall 2022. Startups interested in applying or wanting to meet with the HudsonAlpha AgTech Accelerator team can visit: www.gener8tor.com/accelerator/
gener8tor and HudsonAlpha will also recruit a Managing Director to lead the program’s operations and investment strategy. Interested candidates can apply at https://www.gener8tor.com/
The HudsonAlpha AgTech Accelerator is made possible through partnership with the Alabama Department of Commerce and is sponsored by Patti and Louis Breland, Chris Brunhoeber, Fuqua & Partners Architects, Lynn Hudson, Keel Point, Sophie and Mark Mantooth, Helen MicMillian, Pearce Construction Company, Regions Bank, Synovus Financial Corporation and Danny Windham.
About gener8tor
gener8tor’s turnkey platform for the creative economy connects startup founders, investors, corporations, universities, job seekers, musicians and artists. The gener8tor platform includes accelerators, upskilling, corporate programming, and conferences with content on community growth, impact investing, diversity, equity and inclusion, and innovation across education, agriculture, insurance, healthcare, and more. Recently, gener8tor was named one of Fast Company’s Best Workplaces for Innovators. For more information, visit gener8tor.com.
About HudsonAlpha
HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology is a nonprofit institute dedicated to developing and applying scientific advances to health, agriculture, learning and commercialization. The HudsonAlpha biotechnology campus consists of 152 acres nestled within Cummings Research Park, the nation’s second largest research park. The state-of-the-art facilities co-locate nonprofit scientific researchers with entrepreneurs and educators. HudsonAlpha is a national and international leader in genetics and genomics research and biotech education and fosters more than 45 diverse biotech companies on campus. To learn more about HudsonAlpha, visit hudsonalpha.org.
MEDIA CONTACT
Adam Kelley, APR, 256-508-7199
akelley@hudsonalpha.org
