Resources
Alabama startup resources we actually recommend
Founders ask us where to start all the time, so we wrote it down. These are the programs our Birmingham venture studio works alongside and points founders to. Last reviewed August 2026.
Statewide programs
Innovate Alabama
The state's public-private partnership for entrepreneurship, technology and innovation. It runs programs and initiatives that support Alabama founders directly. Start Up Partners is a grant recipient of the Innovate Alabama Talent Pilot Program.
Alabama SBDC Network
The Small Business Development Center network offers no-cost business advising across the state, hosted at Alabama universities. A good first stop for planning, licensing and small business questions.
Alabama Launchpad
A long-running startup competition that has helped early Alabama companies win funding and attention. If you are pre-seed and can tell your story well, it belongs on your calendar.
University programs
Auburn New Venture Accelerator
Auburn's accelerator resources for new ventures, one of the university programs we work alongside across the state.
UA EDGE Institute
The University of Alabama's entrepreneurship hub in Tuscaloosa, supporting student and community founders.
Kennemer Center
An entrepreneurship center we work alongside as founders move from idea to company.
UAH Apex Accelerator
Helps Alabama businesses navigate government contracting and procurement. If selling to the government is part of your plan, start here.
Birmingham
Innovation Depot
Birmingham's downtown startup hub: workspace, community and programming for early tech companies.
Start Up Partners
That is us. A venture studio where about ten C-suite operators build the company with you, from validation and formation through first revenue. Different from an accelerator: no cohort, no demo day clock, just the work.
Run a program we should list?
If you run an Alabama accelerator, grant program or founder community and think it belongs here, email terry.chapman@sup.ventures and tell us about it. And if you are a founder trying to pick between all of these, that is literally the conversation Terry has over coffee. Start with the FAQ or say hi.