Emily Claypool

“At the end of the day, it’s about relationships, about doing it for the right reasons, and finding your community,” said Shegun Otulana, a startup founder and investor based in Birmingham, Alabama.

What’s next in AI? David Lamb interviewed Birmingham innovation leaders to learn more about their perspectives.

Within 5 years, after only having raised $250,000 from local angel investors and with no experience in the industry, a side project had become a thriving business doing north of $50M in ARR and was valued at hundreds of millions of dollars. He eventually sold the business to KKR in 2021 for $1.25B, making it the largest tech exit in Alabama.

Blazer App Accelerator participants completed the first part of HVL’s AppThink program.

“We need to get innovation in the water in Birmingham and change the ways we think about ideas: how to develop them, what to do with them, and how to execute on them. We do not have to stick to the established formula.”

The 2150 Center is partnering with Birmingham-based Harmony Venture Labs to offer entrepreneurs an enriched learning experience.