Birmingham's tech scene is growing in both size and notoriety.
That momentum, however, must be continued if Birmingham is to become a leading tech hub. The BBJ asked Birmingham tech leaders to weigh in on what will attract new companies to the city, retain and grow existing ones and retain and attract new talent.
"Birmingham's journey to becoming a leading tech hub hinges on fostering a culture marked by collaboration, transparency and vulnerability," said Amanda Williams, program manager of the Prosper HealthTech Accelerator, powered by gener8tor. "The organic growth of our tech sector can only gain momentum as we recognize the inherent value in asking questions and collectively nurturing expertise. Embracing these cultural shifts isn't just a strategic plan; it mirrors our city's highly relational nature."
This shift, she added, can be a fundamental driver for attracting new companies, fortifying existing ones and establishing an environment that naturally attracts and retains top-tier talent.
Patrick J. Murphy, Goodrich Chair and professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, said the keys are culture and community and it's a marathon, not a sprint.
"If we keep intentionally cultivating an ecosystem with an authentic entrepreneurial culture in Birmingham, then all the important pieces — such as talent retention, company relocations to Birmingham, local firm exits, new venture formation — will continue to fall into place for our community. Strong communities do not fail," he said. "Great entrepreneurial ecosystems have cultures that encourage 'pulling up from the top and pushing up from the bottom.'"
Murphy said the culture of unhealthy ecosystems do the opposite, which can frustrate the supply and demand dynamics of a healthy entrepreneurial ecosystem, leave people behind and destroy exciting opportunities.
"We're doing excellent work in this regard in Birmingham, but we need to keep at it," he said. "Everyone has a part to play. We are learning to celebrate the lessons of successes and failures — strong mentors and experienced advisors are vital in this regard. World-class universities teaching the rigorous discipline of an entrepreneurial mindset can and do have life-changing, indelible effects on curious entrepreneurial minds who go on to change the world. Public policies sensibly encouraging innovation can and do set free the natural entrepreneurial impulses of the brilliant people in our regional community."
The impact of such actions, Murphy added, is magnetic and creates a natural pool of talent that forms and joins new companies as well as attracting human and financial capital from other places.
"I probably receive at least five serious cold calls, emails or LinkedIn messages every month from investors and entrepreneurs in other cities who are interested in what's happening in Birmingham," Murphy said. "That doesn't happen in many cities. ... We're continuing to cultivate a world-class entrepreneurial ecosystem in Birmingham and in Alabama."
Josh Carpenter, Southern Research CEO, weighed in on what Birmingham needs from a biotech perspective, adding that a critical ingredient to the city's success is quality commercial wet lab and office space designated for early stage therapeutic and diagnostic companies.
"At Southern Research, we are excited to open the Station 41 incubator this January to make 16,000-square feet of wet lab space available with access to our state-of-the-art equipment and world class pre-clinical development experts," Carpenter said. "We will be charging far less than incubators in major biotech markets like the Bay Area and Boston, but our product will be comparable."
Brooke Gillis, CEO of Innovation Depot, said she believes in the need for a central location for ecosystem events and gatherings, and that Innovation Depot aims to continue serving that role.
"Our goal is to proactively identify and tackle the challenges our founders face. We believe that by fostering stronger individual connections, we can contribute to the overall growth and success of the local tech ecosystem," she said.
