BLOX, Bessemer
BLOX was founded in 2009. It is a novel offshoot of Birmingham architecture studio, Giattina Aycock. It manufactures prefabricated health care facilities using its Design Manufacture Construct building delivery system.
BLOX is aiming to reinvent how health care buildings are designed, manufactured and constructed. It helps major health care providers scale by constructing facilities that range from patient bathrooms to free-standing ERs. The facilities are shipped across the U.S. from Richmond to Reno and Miami to Maine.
A previous Alabama Launchpad winner, BLOX raised $40 million in a Series B round in 2021.
BioGradMatch, Tuscaloosa
Stillman College, Admit Academy and Cynthia Warrick, the first female president of Stillman College who has since retired, partnered to pilot the program, which has been supported by grants, including an Innovate Alabama grant.
Participants receive education, resources and a GradCoach to facilitate the application and graduate school exploration process. The end goal is for students to apply and be admitted into the graduate program that fits their research interests. Undergrads share their goals, the program matches and provides resources, and it also shares access to a toolkit of resources, including exam prep, financial support and pathway guidance. Undergraduates then connect with graduate students, GradCoaches who share information about their grad school experiences, serving as examples and support systems as students navigate the application process.
Clarity Health LLC, Mobile
Clarity Health LLC is a medical group practice located in Mobile that specializes in psychology. It is measuring the effectiveness of a compliance-based software program to lessen the risks associated with prescribing controlled substances in pain management settings.
It was a recipient of the Innovate Alabama Supplemental Grant Program. The recipients are intended to use the funds to support and grow their businesses within the state, benefiting local business owners who are commercializing modern technology as well as the state’s regional and national economic footprint.
Copysmith, Birmingham
Birmingham-based Copysmith is a provider of artificial intelligence-powered marketing content and copywriting software.
It acquired two companies in October, Boston-based Frase and Delaware-based Rytr, launching Copyrytr, a collective of AI-powered content and SEO marketing solutions.
"The world of AI content creation is going through exciting times," said Shegun Otulana, CEO of Copysmith at the time of the acquisition. "Over the last 24 months, millions of people have adopted our products and millions more across the entire space actively use various AI solutions to generate content. I believe it's only just the beginning. That is why we have created Copyrytr. Our three brands allow us to have full coverage of all customer needs."
Copysmith is an AI copywriting platform for large marketing teams. It features integrations with Zapier, Google Docs and offers an API and bulk content generation.
Ed Farm, statewide
Ed Farm is a Birmingham-based nonprofit that equips educators with tools and strategies to increase opportunities for students.
The nonprofit is now working in four states: Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Waymond Jackson, CEO of Ed Farm, said he is looking to expand across the Southeast, to Mississippi and other states. Ed Farm is attempting to create change in three ways, including increasing educational equity, improving learning outcomes through technology and preparing the future workforce.
Ed Farm is gaining traction as Jackson works to execute that vision, reflected by the growth of its network of educators from two dozen in 2020 to 500, spanning at least 145 partner schools. The nonprofit is working to consistently bring in new cohorts of teacher fellows to increase that number and create alumni.
ibml, Irondale
Imaging Business Machines LLC, founded in the 1990s, is a privately held information capture company headquartered in Irondale. It combines hardware and software products and services to provide end-to-end scanning and document capture.
It recently made a big move by acquiring a smart scanning business from Irving, Texas.
The deal for Exela Technologies included the Intelliscan — previously known as Banctec — product portfolio and IP, manufacturing, customer agreements, service and sales capabilities and the people associated with the business. Financial details were not disclosed. Intelliscan was a competitor of ibml with both occupying a tight niche in the document scanning market. More than 100 Exela employees transferred to ibml, increasing the team to more than 360 employees.
Martin Birch, CEO of ibml, said at the time the acquisition will also lead to further investment in Birmingham campus.
