Innovate Mississippi is pleased to highlight recent coverage from Lynne Jeter at Magnolia Tribune of the CoBuilders 2025 Launch Day, held August 12 at The Capitol Club in downtown Jackson. Her article details the event, the companies selected, and the program's unique statewide approach, including a look at companies in…
Innovate Mississippi is thrilled to share that Corridor Ventures, a New Orleans-based venture capital fund, is expanding into Mississippi with help from the InvestMS program. Co-founder and managing partner Kwamena "Kwam" Aidoo is leading the effort to bring more early-stage capital to promising Mississippi startups. The new partnership is part of the…
Innovate Mississippi was proud to partner with Higher Purpose Hub for an unforgettable pitch competition in the heart of the Mississippi Delta. Held at the Club Ebony in Indianola, the event was a fun mash-up of entrepreneurship, innovation—and Mississippi cookin'! With blues music on the speakers and a spread of…
Innovate Mississippi was delighted to partner again with the Oxford‑Lafayette County Economic Development Foundation, the University of Mississippi, and the Mississippi Small Business Development Center Network for the fifth annual Oxford Pitch Competition, held Thursday, June 12, at the Oxford Conference Center. And we thank the Oxford Eagle for once again…
Maranda Joiner wears many hats—entrepreneur, speaker, author, and now lead facilitator for the Founders Plus program at Innovate Mississippi. A native of Jackson and co-founder of Succeed and Elevate, a non-profit dedicated to helping entrepreneurs, Maranda brings her professional expertise and personal commitment to helping women and minority entrepreneurs thrive in the startup…
Twenty-three Mississippi entrepreneurs reached a significant milestone in May, graduating from the inaugural Mississippi cohort of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses (10KSB) program. Held at the Old Capitol Museum, the ceremony celebrated small businesses' growing energy and impact statewide. We're especially proud to celebrate two Innovate Mississippi alums who…
Big thanks to Roslyn Anderson and the WLBT team for shining a spotlight on Mississippi’s rising entrepreneurs at The Bean Path's recent pitch competition. The competition offered two tracks "Innovation and Technology" and "Small and Diverse Business." The Tech & Innovation track focused on businesses that could be high-growth companies…
Innovate Mississippi is proud to partner with the Mississippi Small Business Development Center Network (MSBDCN) and regional partners across Mississippi to present a new season of Statewide Pitch Events. These Pitch Events spotlight innovative startups and small businesses from every corner of the Magnolia State, giving founders a chance to…
Innovate Mississippi's investment director, Lindsey Benefield has written a piece for #WEBuildInSE, an online collaborative guide showcasing entrepreneurship in the Southeastern United States. In her article, Lindsey promotes Oxford, Miss., known for its charming town square and literary history—and now for making waves as a center of gravity for startups. The University…
The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced this week it has selected the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA), in conjunction with the Mississippi Small Business Development Center Network (MSBDCN) and Innovate Mississippi (Innovate MS), to help small Mississippi businesses prepare for growth funding through the ConnectMS Program. The federal government selected…