The Huntsville-based HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology has launched a new startup business accelerator focused on advancements in the agriculture technology sector.
The new accelerator will be operated in partnership with gener8tor, a Wisconsin-based startup accelerator and venture fund that has already partnered with a number of organizations in Birmingham and the state. The accelerator will provide agriculture technology innovators with the coaching, capital and connections to take their ideas to greater 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.”
Previous collaborative research at HudsonAlpha’s Center for Plant Science and Sustainable Agriculture has led to a new understanding of plant and animal genomes, methods for crop improvement, trait identification and precision breeding the accelerator, dubbed 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 but will recruit promising startups from around the country for a 12-week program at the institute. Selected participants will be a part of the HudsonAlpha ecosystem and have access to 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."
Recruitment of the first cohort will begin in summer 2022 and will commence in fall 2022.
