Alabama Launchpad competition seeds startups with funding (with video and gallery)
MadeInAlabama.com – May 14
Over the past seven years, the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama Foundation has awarded more than $1 million to entrepreneurs through Alabama Launchpad, a competition designed to help their promising ideas blossom into full-fledged companies. The competition brings together small teams from across the state to pitch early-stage startups to a panel of expert judges. The contest promotes and rewards high-growth, innovative startup companies by helping fledgling ventures in seed or early-growth state gain momentum…For the first time, Alabama Launchpad will stage two competitions this year and is currently accepting applications for the second round. Seven universities participate in funding the program: The University of Alabama, Auburn University, University of South Alabama, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Alabama State University, Alabama A&M University and the University of Alabama in Huntsville. The program also receives corporate funding.
County parties say state Democratic split won’t affect them
Anniston Star – May 13
Broke, and now divided. That’s the direction the once-powerful Alabama Democratic Party might be headed in, and political science experts say it may be as inevitable as it is unenviable…That the state party has no money isn’t a surprise to local leaders. Nor, apparently, is it much of a concern…History might be on the Democratic Party’s side, however, according to William Stewart, a political science professor emeritus at the University of Alabama. “You look 100 years ago when the Republican Party was a much smaller force, they had several factions as well,” Stewart said. “That’s what seems to happen when you have a very small group, there are different opinions on how to get back to the position of power they were once at.” Stewart said he doesn’t see this split being a major turn in the party so much as “another bump in the road,” but said changing opinion should be good for the party. “Joe Reed isn’t going to be around forever, none of us are,” Stewart said about the vice-chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party. “You look at what happened in Jefferson County in the last election, they were able to vote Democrat with more white progressive voters, and I could see that happening in the whole state.”
Around Town: 5/14
Tuscaloosa News – May 14
Tuesday … Strings in Schools concert: 7:30 p.m. in the Concert Hall at Moody Music Building on the University of Alabama campus. More than 200 students, representing every middle and high school in the Tuscaloosa city school system, will perform.