The startup scene in United States

StartupBlink’s 2026 index lists Birmingham-Hoover, its publisher-defined comparison geography rather than a city-proper measure, at global rank 179. The profile assigns 42.3% of its listed startups to Software & Data. [1][2][3]

Innovation Depot describes its Birmingham incubator as originating in a public-private partnership in 1987; its renovated building opened to tenants in 2007. [4][5] UAB’s Harbert Institute lists AI Metrics, an AI-assisted radiology image-analysis platform, and Alveolus Bio, focused on biotherapeutic delivery for chronic lung disease, in its startup portfolio. [6][7]

Dated company histories document local startup activity: a 2016 Alabama Department of Commerce article identified Fleetio as a Birmingham startup, reported that it was based at Innovation Depot with 16 employees, and noted a $750,000 private-investor raise. [8][9][10] Fleetio launched in January 2012 and describes its product as fleet-operations management software. [11][12] In 2023, Bham Now reported that Fleetio began at Innovation Depot and expanded beyond the incubator in 2017; it reported approximately $144.7 million in funding, attributing that figure to the Birmingham Business Journal. [13][14] Target’s December 13, 2017 announcement said Shipt was founded in 2014 and located in Birmingham, and that Target had agreed to acquire it for $550 million in cash. [15][16]

UAB’s Harbert Institute describes the Blazer Bridge Fund, launched in spring 2023, as supporting commercialization development by UAB faculty and staff; it reported seven projects selected for its 2026 round and $1.2 million invested across 28 projects since the fund began. [17][18][19] Innovation Depot’s Voltage page marks applications closed and names spring 2027 as the next cohort. [20]