At the Alabama Entrepreneurship Institute (AEI), education and ecosystem engagement go hand-in-hand. The Spring 2026 semester proved to be a milestone period for the Capstone, bringing together students, faculty, alumni, statewide volunteers, and The University of Alabama various departments working together to accelerate Alabama’s startup pipeline.
It is the incredible level of collaboration and teamwork across the University of Alabama campus and our regional partners that spurs our growth in programming every year. Spring is truly our ‘big’ competition season, and the energy this year was unmatched.
A Season of High-Stakes Pitching and Innovation
The semester kicked off in January at The EDGE, Tuscaloosa’s 26,000-square-foot incubator and accelerator, with a fast-paced Startup Weekend in partnership with Techstars. This momentum carried into February’s second annual Growth and Innovation Leaders’ Summit, which drew more than 100 in-person and livestream attendees.
Regional community impact took center stage as well, highlighted by the Tuscaloosa Community Business Plan Competition and the second annual Selma River Pitch event, giving local grassroots innovators a platform to secure vital early-stage feedback and funding.
Culverhouse College of Business Dean Kay Palan presents Will Brooke with the Patron Award at the Inaugural AEI Alumni of the Year ceremony.
The competitive season culminated in April with the flagship Edward K. Aldag, Jr. Student Business Plan Competition. Beginning with a massive pool of 96 student applications from across campus, the field was narrowed down to 27 final winners taking home a share of over $100,000 in prize money.
Winning the coveted $50,000 grand prize was Boost, an innovative startup co-founded by Maxwell McNally and Anthony Sherman. Other notable Grand Prize Room winners scaling their ventures include MoCura, Coops Maintenance, and Crank Social.
Honoring Alabama’s Business Pioneers
April also marked the debut of the Inaugural Alumni Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, celebrating UA graduates who have made profound impacts on the business landscape:
- The Founder Award: Edward K. Aldag, Jr., Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Medical Properties Trust
- The Patron Award: Will Brooke, Retired Co-Founder, EVP and Managing Partner of Harbert Management Corporation
- Young Alumni of the Year: Gavin-Baum Blake, CEO and Co-Founder, City Detect
- Distinguished Entrepreneur of the Year: Nathan Cox, Founder and Chairman of 68Ventures
The celebrations wrapped up on April 25 with the first-ever AEI Certificate program in entrepreneurship, growth, and innovation, pairing 10 expert business coaches with local competitors from the Tuscaloosa and Selma pitch events.
Committee members Wendy Boyd and Mark Smith award Nathan Cox, Founder and Chairman, 68 Ventures, and alumni of the Culverhouse College of Business with the 2026 Distinguished Entrepreneur of the Year award.
Looking Ahead: Summer Accelerators and a New Angel Network
AEI is not slowing down for the summer. The institute is launching its Summer Pre-Accelerator on June 9, running through July 29 at The EDGE, alongside the highly selective 2026 Crimson Accelerator cohort. AEI is currently actively seeking regional business leaders, mentors, and speakers to coach these rapidly scaling startups.
Most notably, AEI is launching the third pillar of its founder offerings: the Crimson Angel Network. This newly formed angel network is strategically designed to support UA entrepreneurs—including students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends of UA who are seeking smaller, critical seed-stage funding amounts that are typically harder to secure in traditional venture networks. The network’s dedicated platform is slated to host its first company seeking funding within the month.
To learn more about coaching opportunities or to get involved with the Crimson Angel Network, contact Dr. Theresa M. Welbourne at [email protected] or visit the Alabama Entrepreneurship Institute.
