The Oxford-Lafayette County Economic Development Foundation in partnership with the University of Mississippi and the Mississippi Small Business Development Center Network, announced the return of Innovate Mississippi’s CoBuilders Program to Oxford in Summer 2025. CoBuilders, a Partnership-Driven Accelerator, first launched by Innovate Mississippi in 2022, is a 12-week intensive and…
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…
For Tyler Anthony and Thomas White, the journey to launching their first product, Switch 1.0, started long before their company, Duet Technology (or DueTT), was even an idea. The two met at the "Summer Bridge" engineering camp before their freshman year at Mississippi State University and quickly became friends. While Anthony was ping…
CANTON, MS – Innovative manufacturing minds took center stage on Friday, March 7, at the SmartTech MS Advanced Manufacturing Prize Competition, where groundbreaking solutions designed to revolutionize the industry were honored. The competition awarded $35,000 in prizes to cutting-edge technologies that enhance efficiency, optimize processes, and redefine the future of…
Earlier this year, we challenged Mississippi's most innovative minds to push the boundaries of advanced manufacturing—and they delivered. Entrepreneurs from across the state submitted groundbreaking technologies designed to optimize processes, enhance efficiency, and redefine the future of manufacturing. The judging is complete, and the SmartTech MS Advanced Manufacturing Prize Competition has reached…
Mississippi-based entrepreneur Rahul Gopal, the visionary behind CampusKnot, has been selected as one of just eight companies to join The Idea Village’s prestigious 2025 VILLAGEx accelerator! This highly competitive program brings together a diverse group of high-growth startups, each driven by bold ideas, strong teams, and a commitment to making a lasting…
Innovate Mississippi was thrilled to sponsor and support Techstars Startup Weekend DeepTech Mississippi in Vicksburg at MCITy this January. The event, organized by Mississippi State University and powered by Techstars, provided an excellent opportunity to bring together bright minds from across the state to collaborate, innovate, and build new ventures. This approach…
Magnolia Tribune has published a fantastic story about Nate Venarske and his startup, Automatic Mosquito Ovitrap, a participant in Innovate Mississippi's CoBuilders accelerator program. Huge thanks to writer Lynne Jeter for covering Nate's journey! While studying biosystems engineering at Mississippi State University, Nate developed the Automatic Mosquito Ovitrap, designed to combat pesticide-resistant mosquitoes.…
Innovate Mississippi was thrilled to participate in the first ConnectMS (ConnectMS.org) convening at Community Bank headquarters in Flowood, where representatives from the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA), the Mississippi Small Business Development Center Network (SBDC) and Innovate Mississippi launched their ambitious collaborative program. Through the ConnectMS.org website, startups and small businesses…
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…