Innovation Report 2018 by Innovate Mississippi

DRIVING MISSISSIPPI’S ECONOMY THROUGH TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

MISSISSIPPI WOMEN IN STEM

LIGHTING THE WAY Mississippi’s Light Festival isn’t just fun and games. See how one woman is using the event to shine a light on something much bigger.

In a field where America desperately needs talented individuals to create and fill jobs, these Mississippi women are stepping up in a big way.

DEVELOPING TOMORROW’S LEADERS TODAY

Learn how Mississippi innovators are majorly shifting the economic landscape.

A PUBLICATION OF INNOVATE MISSISSIPPI

THE MISSISSIPPI CODING ACADEMIES For those who don’t plan to attend college, this Code MS initiative could provide a viable alternative that is feeding the national job market. Could this be the beginning of the “Silicon South”?

Our tradition: Inspiration We work to be a different kind of company, built on a different model. From wireless, to fiber Internet, to technology solutions for business— Everything we’ve achieved over the past 30 years was possible for one simple reason: It’s all inspired by you.

C Spire. Customer inspired.

Where Public Meets Private

Coming Together for The Betterment of All

The Madison County Economic Development Authority is a public entity that offers a broad array of economic development, business development, and corporate site location assistance services to new and expanding businesses and industry. The Madison County Business League & Foundation is a private, stakeholder-based support organization that works with business owners and decision makers to discuss topics that affect economic development. Together, we continue to build upon the economic development infrastructure of Madison County. We recognize and salute the industry and businesses for the contribution they make towards our quality of life.

135 Mississippi Parkway, Canton, MS 39046 601.605.0368 | madisoncountyeda.com

135 Mississippi Parkway, Canton, MS 39046 601.832.5592 | madisoncountybusinessleague.com

MISSISSIPPI Better Together. At Bradley, we combine legal experience and knowledge with a sophisticated understanding of the industries that drive Mississippi. We use our talents, judgment, work ethic, and experience to develop practical, strategic solutions specifically tailored to our clients’ business operations. We go above and beyond expectations to help our clients meet their goals. Our attorneys leverage a broad range of perspectives to help achieve the results that we expect and our clients demand.

bradley.com BIRMINGHAM | CHARLOTTE | HOUSTON | HUNTSVILLE | JACKSON | MONTGOMERY | NASHVILLE | TAMPA | WASHINGTON, D.C. No representation is made that the quality of the legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers. ATTORNEY ADVERTISING. Contact: Margaret Oertling Cupples, Esq., 601.592.9914, mcupples@bradley.com, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP, 188 E. Capitol Street, Suite 400, Jackson, MS 39201. © 2018

the third publication of Innovate Mississippi’s Innovation Report. In these pages, you’ll get a glimpse of what’s going on in Mississippi’s budding, energetic entrepreneurial ecosystem. The Innovation Report’s purpose is to show off the past year in innovation within the state and brag about the hard, noble work being done to better it. It shows how much stronger we are when we partner together, when we break out of our individual silos and work across the state and in communities. That’s when the magic happens. Entrepreneurs come in every shape, size, ethnicity and background, but they all have ingenuity, grit and creativity in common. Hopefully, their stories will inspire you as much as they have inspired us. Of course, this year saw the opening of the Mississippi Coding Academies. A product of the Code Mississippi initiative, the academies boast two campuses—one in Jackson, the other in Columbus. They give recent high school graduates a full year of training to make them job-ready computer coders—at no cost to the student. Through the academies, we offer economic hope to the state’s residents and the opportunity to become a powerhouse in the tech industry that will gain recognition across the globe. We’re also extremely proud of the efforts to bring inclusion and diversity to the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Several initiatives around the state are working together to expose STEM career paths to young women in college all the way down to early grade levels. It’s been Innovate Mississippi’s pleasure to assist them on this important work. On behalf of Innovate Mississippi’s staff and Board of Directors, I hope this issue of the Innovation Report shows you the diversity and energy of Mississippi’s startups. I hope it moves you to become involved, whether as a mentor or a donor or as an entrepreneur yourself. I hope it gets you excited for the coming year of innovation and progress toward a better Mississippi.

Welcome

YOU’RE HOLDING

TONY JEFF PRESIDENT & CEO, INNOVATE MISSISSIPPI tjeff@innovate.ms

Contents Tony Jeff

PRESIDENT & CEO

Janet Parker

15 ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

Mabus Agency PUBLISHER

17 VSPORTO 18 CURTSY

121 NORTH STATE STREET

19 MEGAPATCH

THIRD FLOOR, SUITE 500 JACKSON, MS 39201 601 960 3610 INNOVATE.MS

ON THE COVER; STUDENTS AT THE MISSISSIPPI CODING ACADEMIES PHOTOGRAPHED BY BLAKE MCCOLLUM

20 WALMART OPEN CALL Two Mississippi startups, Tony’s Tamales and NoTime2Cook, received a green ticket and a golden opportunity at Walmart’s 4th Annual Open Call event.

CONNECT WITH US @InnovateMS

25 KOPIS MOBILE 26 ONLINE EXCHANGE

28 GLO DRINKS The story of Glo. Read how a simple undergraduate marketing assignment turned into a fullfledged business that’s taking the drink industry by storm.

30 CAMPUS KNOT

INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM

65 EVENTS

34 WOMEN IN STEM

66 STARTUP WEEKEND

In a field where America desperately needs talented individuals to create and fill jobs, these Mississippi women are stepping up in a big way.

Could you build a business in a weekend? Mississippi Startup Weekends throw entrepreneurs and professionals of all kinds together to do just that.

39 ENTREPRENEUR IN RESIDENCE

40 MS CODING ACADEMIES For those who don’t plan to attend college, this Code MS initiative could provide a viable alternative that is feeding the national job market. Could this be the beginning of the “Silicon South”?

46 HUB OF INNOVATION 51 INNOVATION PODCAST 52 MS LIGHT FESTIVAL 56 CLOSING THE DISTANCE 60 SEED FUND

72 NEW VENTURE CHALLENGE 74 CONFERENCE ON TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION

We are the special sauce—the juice, the noise, the jam. We are the comfortable silence, too. We are the flute solo in Toto’s “Africa.” We are exact change in the drive-thru. We are those rare months in the year where you get paid three times instead of just two. We are that Pinterest recipe for lemon butter curry that really does take only 30 minutes to cook. We’re your crazy uncle who swears he can hypnotize a chicken—because he can. We are the fist pump before the three-pointer swishes. Did we mention we do magazines? Because we do. We did this one. The one in your hands. Dig it?

71 South Green Street, Tupelo, Mississippi 38804 / 662 823 2100 / mabusagency.com

Development Authority

AT&T

Magnolia Business Alliance

Baker Donelson

Mahaffeysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Quality Printing

BKD

A Marketing Mind

Bradley

Maris West & Baker Advertising

Campus Knot

Matthew McLaughlin, PLLC

Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Matthews, Cutrer & Lindsay, P.A.

Century Club Charities Coalesce C Spire

The MaxBit Mississippi Development Authority Mississippi Economic Council

Entergy

Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce

Jan & Lawrence Farrington

Mississippi Polymer Institute

FNC, Inc.

Mississippi State University

Fuse.Cloud

mTrade, Inc.

Good Code & Design

Multicraft Ventures

Greater Jackson Arts Council

Oxford-Lafayette County Economic Development Foundation

Griffin Media Google for Entrepreneurs Gulf Coast Business Council Hayes Dent Hiatt Consulting Matthew Holleman HORNE LLP Howard Industries The Innovation Center Insight Park Jackson Marriott Jackson State University JFP Digital Services JM Hughes Group Jones Walker Kopis Mobile Law Office of David Pharr Littler Mabus Agency Madison County Business League & Foundation Madison County Economic

Sponsors

Advantage Business Systems

Pileum Port of Gulfport Reactive Surfaces Regions SchoolStatus Soul City Hospitality Spread Networks Sun & Co. Systems Information Technologies Team Jackson Think Webstore Triton Trustmark Bank UMMC Center for Telehealth The University of Mississippi The University of Southern Mississippi Business & Innovation Assistance Center The University of Southern Mississippi School of Business Venture Technologies Visit Jackson

Thanks to the support of our many partners, Innovate Mississippi is making a solid and meaningful impact on Mississippiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s workforce and economy. Want to join our mission and be a part of the innovation transformation? Contact JANET PARKER at JPARKER@INNOVATE.MS or 601.960.3611.

THE INNOVATE MISSISSIPPI IMPACT HOW INNOVATE MISSISSIPPI CREATES JOBS AND ECONOMIC IMPACT

1300

103

$991

TOTAL COMPANIES ACCELERATED

COMPANIES ACCELERATED IN 2017

STATE COST PER JOB

12.7:1

6,000

$173M

RETURN ON STATE DOLLARS

JOBS CREATED BY INNOVATE MISSISSIPPI COMPANIES

PRIVATE INVESTMENT RAISEDISSISSIPPI EVENTS

2017 FOCUSING ON EARLY-STAGE INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY BUSINESSES CONNECTING STARTUPS WITH INVESTORS FOCUSING ON INNOVATION DEVELOPMENT WITHIN INDUSTRY

DEVELOPING AND PARTNERING WITH MISSISSIPPI INVESTORS MEAN COMPANIES ARE MORE LIKELY TO PUT DOWN ROOTS AND STAY.

Pileum Clients...

Protected. Connected. Projected to Grow.

Since early 2002, PILEUM Corportation has been offering technology driven solutions to forward-thinking clients in Mississippi and the southeast. The PILEUM team is made up of leading-edge innovators who are committed to protecting, connecting and growing businesses just like yours. Experience the PILEUM difference. Technically speaking...it's amazing. IT Support Server/Desktop Virtualization Storage Area Networks IT Security and Forensics Networking Cloud Services Email Services

Law Enforcement BodyWorn Cameraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s IT Consulting Disaster Recovery Planning Data Center Design IT Expert for Trial Preparation IT Project Management In-Car Camera Cloud Based Solutions.

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Smart People. Smart Business. Smart Solutions.

ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT

Mississippi is brimming with entrepreneurs, developing the products and starting the businesses that will one day employ the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s residents and impact all our livesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; from streaming platforms for high school sports and road repair to a bright new way to enjoy any beverage.

NEED A SPEAKER?

HAVE A LEADER IN INNOVATION SPEAK AT YOUR NEXT EVENT

INNOVATE MISSISSIPPI’S Speakers Bureau offers a distinguished set of industry experts for meeting organizers looking to enhance their events. In addition to speaking, Innovate Mississippi staff members are available to serve as mentors, moderators, panelists and judges for events across the state.

The Innovate Mississippi staff is ready to deliver professional talks and presentations on topics ranging from entrepreneurial development and the latest tech trends to innovation-based economic development and simply sharing the very mission of Innovate Mississippi. Speakers Bureau members regularly travel the region to share their knowledge and passion in an effort to grow and sustain an ecosystem that fosters entrepreneurship, technology and innovation—from our schools and universities to various industries and community organizations.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP TECHNOLOGY TRENDS INNOVATION-LED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INNOVATION IN EXISTING COMPANIES DELIVERING DYNAMIC BUSINESS PITCHES AND MORE!

WWW.INNOVATE.MS

The world’s largest team-based sports radio network started with a Mississippi kid who just wanted to talk about the Buffalo Bills. Keith Jasper simultaneously fell in love with sports and technology and decided to create a webpage dedicated to all things Bills. He named it billzbeat.com, a name that he regrets, but it was that page that led to the creation of the most unique sports radio company in the world. Billzbeat.com later became billsreport.com and grew into a competitive sports news source with a full staff that eventually partnered with Yahoo. Jasper went on to work for Sirius XM for four years. There, he shared his vision for a company that compiled team- and interest-specific content into one online network —a dream he had since college. His coworkers affirmed this idea, so he went for it, leaving Sirius XM to pursue his dream. Sirius XM offered to partner with him a few months later, but Jasper turned down the offer to form VSporto. VSporto is a sports radio company dedicated to providing every major sports team with their own online radio network. It compiles and creates podcasts and online content for each team around the world into a personalized mobile app and webpage. “We do a lot of sports podcasts right now,” Jasper said. “We build out individual fan-base channels around interests they have or passions they have.” The company started in Madison. With the help of his friend and cofounder of VSporto, Kellen Farmer, they built out the Mississippi

ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT

VSPORTO IS CHANGING THE GAME

State-focused app, and when it launched on the Apple App Store, it ranked in the top 30 of the store’s sports apps. “We literally started in the dining room of that house [in Madison],” Jasper said. “We converted it into our formal headquarters. That’s where we launched.” That was just the beginning for the company, eventually adding schools and sports teams from across the nation and securing key investments from major industry players, including the founders of Bleacher Report. Of course, the company faced its challenges along the way, many of which are unique to building up a company in Mississippi. “Mississippi is a lot slower to adopt technology trends and things of that nature,” Jasper said. “It kind of made it more challenging for us, but it was ultimately a good thing because it made us stronger.” Innovate Mississippi worked to develop VSporto in its earliest stages by helping build a sustainable business model and introducing Jasper to investors. As the company looks to the future, it plans to incorporate video content as well as more player-specific content into its networks. It has already gotten a head start on this initiative with the introduction of its newest player podcast, which is hosted by Calais Campbell of the Jacksonville Jaguars. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT

vsporto.com

ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT

CURTSY HELPS STUDENTS SHARE THEIR CLOSET Dresses are expensive, and perhaps no group of people knows this reality more than students at universities across the nation. Between date parties, formals and swaps, new outfits are in high demand in college towns across America. Enter Curtsy, the innovative solution to this expensive problem developed by an ambitious group of students from the University of Mississippi. Since 2016, the app has allowed students across the nation to turn their closets into a rental shop, creating a marketplace within universities. With Curtsy, students always have access to a new outfit without having to pay the premium that would typically come with such a luxury. “It’s not often that an organization has 300 to 400 members who are together all the time and have events all at the same time (like Greek organizations),” said cofounder William Ault. “So, it’s a unique opportunity to be able to market to those organizations.” The app took off in Oxford, turning a casual idea into a viable career path. The app now serves about 50 schools across the nation and has seen exponential growth within its original southeastern markets. Curtsy utilizes the popular Campus Ambassador approach to aid growth. By recruiting students on campuses across the country to promote the app at their university, Curtsy has infiltrated campuses at an astounding rate. Some of these ambassadors went on to serve internships at Curtsy’s San Francisco headquarters. Curtsy’s spontaneous growth attracted attention from accelerators such as Y Combinator, considered the Harvard of accelerators within the technology industry. The company invested $120,000 in Curtsy on the condition that the founders move the company to the West Coast, a decision of which they felt like was a no-brainer. Over the course of three months, the accelerator worked with the Curtsy team to develop an investor pitch, eventually exposing the company to a large

sampling of potential investors at a “Demo Day” exposition. The move to San Francisco was a gamble for Curtsy, but it paid off. “Really, it’s where the ecosystem is,” Ault said of Silicon Valley. “The capital, the people and the tech are all here. So, it’s really hard to leave if you’re serious about building a tech company.” Managing growth has been an ongoing challenge for the company. While it is fully dedicated to improving the routine user experience and mechanics, it also recognizes the need to add features to maintain growth over time. Curtsy expects to welcome more full-time members to its seven-person team this spring as it introduces features such as badges and rankings for experienced users of the app. As a recipient of seed funding from Innovate Mississippi, Curtsy founders are proud of their Mississippi roots and attribute much of Curtsy’s success to the opportunity the funding allowed them in the early days of the company. “[The seed money] was tremendously helpful in the early stages [of Curtsy],” Ault said. “Just like any entrepreneur, we were taking a series of bets, many of which were contingent on being able to pay people and run marketing campaigns and invest in the business. Overall the money gave us access to people and resources we would not have had otherwise.” FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT

curtsyapp.com

ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT

MEGA PATCH The plight of the pothole leads Ridgeland resident to develop a better patch.

ach year, the United States spends around $500 million dollars on pothole problems, which cause an additional $2 billion in automobile damage. The economic plight of the pothole in this country has led Jack H. Wilson Sr., a Ridgeland resident with two decades of experience in infrastructure, to invent a better pothole patch. “Jackson is notorious for its potholes, but potholes are a worldwide dilemma. Anywhere there is an asphalt road, they have the same problems Jackson has, for the same reasons,” said Wilson, who is also the chairman and CEO of Polycon International, LLC, based in Jackson. “For 20 years, I’ve been wondering why you would patch a pothole with the same materials that failed in the first place. My patches are a solution.” The current methodology for patching a pothole is to pour more asphalt into the hole. Asphalt is an imperfect replacement of itself, Wilson found, as it still allows water to seep into the

hole and erode the patch from within. A standard patch only lasts a few months, and on average, a city spends $40 per pothole on maintenance. “My patch is a polymer powder, a resin that bonds to the asphalt, unlike pavement,” Wilson said. “With MegaPatch, no water gets into the pothole. Plus, mine lasts 10 years and only costs around $4 a year per pothole to maintain.” Wilson’s had a patent on MegaPatch for 20 years, since its original creation as a research and development project by Polycon. The initial formula performed exceptionally, with one caveat—it took over three hours to harden enough for traffic. In 2012, Wilson added a new chemical that cut the dry time down to 15 minutes. “But we had to prove it [that the drying time had been cut down]. That’s when the testing began, and it held up to every situation,” Wilson said. The patch was tested in the hot, desert climate of Baku, Azerbaijan, as well as the frigid winter weather

of Montreal, Canada. Of course, MegaPatch was tested in nearby Gluckstadt, on roads that flood every year. The MegaPatches lasted beyond five years of testing, and Wilson formed MegaTek, LLC, in 2017 to produce the polymer in a Gluckstadt, Mississippi, plant. “It answered every question, and because of the improvement, we got an extension on the patent,” Wilson said. “This isn’t just a Mississippi opportunity. It’s a worldwide opportunity.” MegaPatch placed second in Innovate Mississippi’s New Venture Challenge and is currently working with Innovate Mississippi on a plan for further growth. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT

megapatchllc.com

ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT

IN JUNE, WALMART WELCOMED MORE THAN 500 BUSINESSES TO ITS HEADQUARTERS IN BENTONVILLE, ARKANSAS, FOR ITS 4TH ANNUAL OPEN CALL EVENT.

he event took place over several days, in which small business owners took in seminars and speakers who gave advice on developing their businesses. Most importantly, participants pitched their product to Walmart buyers in an individual meeting. Buyers evaluate whether a product would be a good fit for Walmart. Walmart’s Open Call is an effort by the company to reestablish America’s manufacturing economy. Walmart is committed to purchasing an additional $250 billion in products made, sourced or grown in the U.S. by 2023. Of those represented, only 100 were offered contracts with Walmart, including two from Mississippi. 21

ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT

“Grocery stores have changed more than we have, and now they are a fit for our product.” Karen Kurr | OWNER & FOUNDER NO TIME 2 COOK

NO TIME 2 COOK KAREN KURR launched a prepackaged meal service back in 2005 from her home kitchen in Oxford. She specializes in Cajun and Southern dishes, sourcing high-quality ingredients from local farmers markets. Kurr prepares each meal from scratch. No Time 2 Cook became a hit, so much so that Kurr added a commercial kitchen to her home. Through Innovate Mississippi, Kurr met her marketing team, Mabus Agency, who helped her develop No Time 2 Cook’s website and spice up her products’ packaging. Kurr’s meals can be found in more than 200 Kroger stores and independent retailers, in addition to her own online store.

Last June, Kurr got her shot at the big leagues when she presented No Time 2 Cook to Walmart at the retail giant’s 4th Annual Open Call event. “Anyone can apply for an invitation to an open call. You just have to fill out an application online, then you hear back a few weeks later,” Kurr said. “The open call event itself was a ton of fun. It’s very laid back.” On the second day of the event, Kurr pitched No Time 2 Cook to a Walmart buyer. The buyer’s questions mostly addressed whether No Time 2 Cook’s production could keep up with Walmart’s demand. “They were curious about how much we could produce. That was good for us

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT

NOTIME2COOK.COM

because we’d already decided we would need a co-packer,” Kurr said. “After you pitch, they give you this green card if they’re interested, and we got one.” No Time 2 Cook left the event with a deal for its multi-serve dishes to appear in 250 stores, but that amount has since increased. Walmart expressed interest in No Time 2 Cook’s singleserve dishes. By the end of summer, No Time 2 Cook will appear in a minimum of 400 stores. Kurr never thought No Time 2 Cook would be right for Walmart, because in her company’s early days, big grocery chains weren’t interested in specialty items. Over the years, customers became vocal about their desire for whole foods and their willingness to pay more for whole foods. “That caused Walmart and Publix and Kroger to up their game in the frozen food aisles,” Kurr said. “Grocery stores have changed more than we have, and now they are a fit for our product.” No Time 2 Cook’s home base in Oxford will ramp up production for independent grocers. Meanwhile, Kurr will employ an out-of-state co-packer to meet Walmart’s demands. Behind No Time 2 Cook’s Walmart launch, Kurr plans to introduce more products to Kroger, then expand into Publix and beyond. “The buyer at Walmart is talking about breaking into the West Coast market, but that will require some research and development from us to decide which recipes will work there,” Kurr said. “For now, we’re starting with Walmart stores in our Southern markets.”

TONY’S TAMALES REGINALD MOSELY has been wrapping tamales since he was 10 years old. His father, Tony Mosely, was born in Greenville, a town known for its tamales. When Tony found himself out of work in 1982, he decided to pursue the tamale business, right around the time Reginald was born. That year, Tony’s Tamales opened for business in a small restaurant in Jackson. “I’ve been smelling them and eating them all my life,” Reginald said. “I really started working when I was in high school, about age 13 or 14. When I graduated from Jackson State [University], I started full time. I started working the business, learning it. I started throwing a few ideas at them, and I took over the business about seven years ago.” In its first few years of business, Tony’s Tamales began selling tama-

les wholesale to several restaurants in the Jackson area without USDA approval. This came back to bite Tony’s Tamales in 2008, when the Hinds County Health Department forced them to stop the wholesale side of the business. “That cut us in half,” Reginald said. “I wanted to pursue the wholesale side of the business, so I got HACCP [Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points] certified through Mississippi State University.” Tony’s Tamales opened its wholesale factory in Bentonia in 2010. The factory was built to industry standard, which allowed Tony’s Tamales to sell its products across state lines. The company soon landed big clients like Sysco and US Foods. When Reginald heard about Walmart’s Open Call event, he knew it was a huge opportunity. He and his

team redesigned their products’ packaging and presented Tony’s Tamales to a Walmart buyer at the event. “They sit you down for about 30 minutes. They go over pricing, how much they can retail it for, how much they can buy it from you for,” Reginald said. “The only thing they asked us to change was some small wording on the packaging. That was it. We were amazed.” Reginald said Tony’s Tamales secured a contract with Walmart, but the specifics won’t be solidified until next year. By the third quarter of next year, he estimates Tony’s Tamales will be in place on Walmart’s shelves. “We’re still in the planning stage,” Reginald said. “The learning curve for me has been to stop looking at it as a mom-and-pop business and start looking at what needs to be done to get Tony’s Tamales on the same ground as bigger companies.” Tony’s Tamales retains its downhome feel with its physical restaurant location in Jackson, complete with a drive-thru window. Reginald’s sisterin-law still runs a food trailer selling Tony’s Tamales. It’s still a family business, only employing a dozen, including the staff at the Bentonia factory. His dad is proud. “He’s loving it now,” Reginald said with a laugh. “In the beginning, we bumped heads a few times, but now he trusts what I do. We’re really excited to be a part of the Walmart family. It’s kind of crazy to think about.” FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT

TONYSTAMALES.COM

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Integrating mobile phones into the equipment for military and police keep their equipment smarter at a lower price.

ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT

KOPIS MOBILE PUSHING FOR TECHNOLOGY IN CIVIL SERVICES is a Flowood-based company that works to enhance the communications capabilities of military and law enforcement by finding ways to integrate last-generation equipment with modern smartphone and tablet technology. Kopis Mobile started in 2012 while founders Henry Jones, Joe McDevitt, Josh Lunn, Andrew Putnam and Hugh Middleton were working for a defense contractor. They noticed a strange lack of smartphone tech in the contractor’s gear. The company opened for business in 2013. “A lot of military and law enforcement bodies spend a lot on equipment, but they don’t have the money for wholesale replacement. Younger people who come to these jobs expect modern technology,” Jones said. “Kopis takes old equipment and ties it in to modern devices.” Kopis Mobile’s products can be used in chemical and radiation detection, radio communication, cameras, lighting and more. The company is Jones’s fifth successful startup, so he knew the ropes in Kopis Mobile’s early stages and put together the company’s pitch book to present to investors. First, though, he touched base KOPIS MOBILE

with a few mentors at Innovate Mississippi who helped him fine-tune the concept into something that would be attractive to investors. “Innovate Mississippi’s Angel Investor Network was a big help,” Jones said. “It made the process much more efficient and allowed us to pitch to a lot of people at once. Even if you don’t get funding from an investor, they usually have questions for you that help refine your pitch and your business model.” Innovate Mississippi’s $100,000 investment through its Mississippi Seed Fund helped spur additional investment. As a result, Kopis Mobile was able to fully repay the seed fund. Jones credited his partners, especially mentors at the University of Southern Mississippi, for pushing Kopis Mobile forward. With their help, the company has seen steady, consistent growth. “We’re building a reputation as a company who listens, who works quickly and keeps things simple. We thought beforehand that those were things any company would do,” Jones said. “None of us like to see it, but the world is becoming a more dangerous place. We build tools that help those who protect us be more effective and be more protected themselves.” FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT

kopismobile.com

ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT

“It’s a place where you know you’re talking to someone who has a deep understanding of what you love.”

ONLINE EXCHANGE JUST A FEW YEARS AGO, STUART WHITAKER WAS SEARCHING FOR A VERY PARTICULAR KIND OF TENNIS RACKET. WHITAKER IS THE FOUNDER OF WHITGROUP, A SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT FIRM IN JACKSON, AND HE’S ALSO A HUNTER AND A GOLFER. HE CHECKED EBAY, CRAIGSLIST AND AMAZON FOR THE RACKET, BUT THE PROCESS OF SORTING THROUGH THOUSANDS OF ITEMS FELT DRAINING. HE DIDN’T FIND A RACKET, BUT HE DID FIND A SOLUTION.

Stuart Whitaker | FOUNDER OF WHITGROUP & ONLINE EXCHANGE

“What if you could shop at a marketplace solely dedicated to your passion?” Whitaker asked. Whitaker founded Online Exchange in 2015 with a total of three websites: hunting-exchange.com, golfing-exchange.com and tennis-exchange. com. On these sites, users can trade and sell gear, get product recommendations and talk to other sportsmen and sportswomen. “Our users clearly understand and can speak to, say, the kind of shaft on a golf club they have. If someone’s selling a [hunting] bow, they know the draw length, the last time the string was replaced,” Whitaker said. “It’s a place where you know you’re talking to someone who’s like you, who has a deep understanding of what you love.” Online Exchanges’ sales fee is 5 percent, about half the industry average. On top of that, Online Exchange uses PayPal’s extra verification feature to make consumer-to-consumer transactions even more secure. When a user obtains extra verification, PayPal insures the transaction. Whitaker contacted Innovate Mississippi in the fall of 2016 with the idea. Innovate Mississippi examined his market research and saw a good opportunity. “They’ve been really great working with me to create a pitch deck and a business plan to show potential investors,” Whitaker said. “Innovate Mississippi really believes in Mississippi ideas and Mississippi entrepreneurship.”

ORIGINS OF INNOVATION PODCAST Come with us behind the scenes of Mississippi's most innovative startups. Each episode will feature a different peek into the world of entrepreneurshipâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the highs and lows, from concept to execution.

ORIGINS OF INNOVATION 601.960.3610

or visit WWW.INNOVATE.MS/PODCAST

ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT

This Glo device contains a light that illuminates when dropped into liquid.

Glo Makes a Splash in the Drink Industry 28

ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT

TO DATE, THE COMPANY HAS SOLD MORE THAN 500,000 UNITS IN 34 COUNTRIES.

hat is now a major international company started with a simple assignment from a Mississippi State University professor to go out and find an item that fits in the palm of a hand and then design a way to draw attention to it. Kaylie Mitchell picked up a teacup from a local antique shop and designed a lighted drink infuser that illuminates whatever liquid it holds with a variety of colors. It was a simple idea, but the professor recognized the invention’s potential. That’s when they brought in electrical engineering student Hagan Walker to add a second function to the device— making it liquid activated. The small cubes boosted the presentation of just about any drink, and the liquid-activated feature has endless applications outside of beverages. Walker and Mitchell tested the viability of their ideas in the school’s Entrepreneurship Week competition, in which student startups competed for funding. After placing first overall, they knew they were onto something. “I knew the company was destined to go somewhere,” Walker said. “At this point, we couldn’t just run away with the money.”

They named their product Glo. Both Walker and Mitchell spent the rest of their time as students developing the product and forming a company to back it. The team also participated in the Maroon X incubator to aid the company’s growth. All signs pointed to a positive future for the company. With one semester left in his schooling, Walker took an internship with electric automotive company Tesla in Northern California. Walker was still dedicated to running Glo while out of state, often printing 3D models of their evolving product and shipping them back to Mississippi for review. At the conclusion of his internship, Tesla offered Walker a job, but he turned it down. He returned to Starkville ready to go all-in on Glo. “I decided my first out-of-school job would be taking on the day-today responsibilities of the company,” Walker said. “So I started with Glo full time.” It was not long after this decision that the company had its first major breakthrough. The popular alcoholic beverage media company Tipsy Bartender featured Glo in a video that garnered 8.5 million views. From there, business really took off.

To date, the company has sold more than 500,000 units in 34 countries. The product is making its impact on the beverage industry across the world and being integrated into new products like Musee bath balms. The bath balms have a Glo cube planted in each unit that activates once the rest of the bath balm has dissolved. Through Musee’s retail presence, Glo is featured in an additional 2,500 stores nationwide. Glo and its parent company, Vibe, LLC, have worked with Innovate Mississippi on multiple occasions. As the 2016 winner of Innovate’s New Venture Challenge, and the newest recipient of the Mississippi Seed Fund, Glo’s partnership with Innovate has played a vital role in developing Glo into what it is today. In the next few years, Glo looks to grow its current beverage market while also expanding into new markets such as children’s toys. With its patented technology, the applications for Glo’s product are endless.

ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT

“It’s got a very nextgeneration feel to it, but the learning curve is zero. It’s so intuitive you don’t even need a tutorial to start using it.” Rahul Gopal

Campus Knot A PLATFORM MADE TO TAKE CLASSROOMS AROUND THE GLOBE

n 2012, aerospace engineering student Rahul Gopal never thought his idea for a classroom engagement platform would evolve into a fullfledged business. Campusknot boasts an office in India and a U.S. division based in Starkville that is primed for nationwide implementation. Campusknot allows faculty and students to collaborate during a live lesson or in a virtual classroom. Professors can utilize attendance, planners, group feeds, live polling and other features to engage the class in a way that mirrors certain aspects of social media. The Campusknot platform systematizes grading and eliminates email clutter far more efficiently than current industry programs like Canvas or Blackboard.

“It’s got a very next-generation feel to it,” Gopal said, “but the learning curve is zero. It’s so intuitive you don’t even need a tutorial to start using it.” Gopal and his partners, Perceus Mody and Hiten Patel, worked with Mississippi State University’s Entrepreneurship Center to develop the idea over a three-year period. They also began a relationship with Innovate Mississippi, who helped them gain exposure through Innovate Mississippi’s events. “Initially, we talked to Innovate Mississippi about their seed fund, but they told us the idea wasn’t quite mature yet,” Gopal said. “But they promoted us wherever possible and let us pitch at their conferences.”

In 2015, Campusknot received enough private investments to hire an in-house team of 14 employees. The founders, three of whom are Indian, never planned to expand into India, but when media networks picked up their story, they began receiving emails from the country clamoring for the program. “It’s funny—in India, universities are mainly using the platform for communication among the administration and less in the classroom,” Gopal said. “We started sales six months ago, and we’re in five universities in the Indian market. In the U.S., 16 campuses are ready to implement Campusknot in the spring semester.” Those American campuses are located in Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama, but by the end of 2017, Campusknot was set to launch nationwide. Not only that, the company is in talks with the Mississippi Development Authority and Innovate Mississippi to establish a presence in European, South American and Asian Pacific markets. Right now, it boasts 16,000 users across the globe. At the end of 2017, Campusknot was invited to apply for $100,000 from Innovate Mississippi’s seed fund. The future of Campusknot lies beyond higher education. According to Gopal, the platform can be tailored to corporate environments ranging from government to healthcare. “We’re dedicated to remaining a Mississippi company,” Gopal said. “It’s time for Mississippi to become the leader in the field of innovation. We want to put Mississippi on the globe, not just the map.”

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INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM

Innovate Mississippi is charged with creating an environment in which the next class of entrepreneurs and innovators can thrive. This is achieved through programs including the Mississippi Coding Academies and the Mentor Network or through public exhibitions like the Mississippi Light Festival.

INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM

Women in STEM heads the Mississippi State Alliance for Women in Computing, and she cofounded CodeMS, a multifaceted initiative aimed at cultivating a computing workforce and community within the state. This year, she landed an Inclusion across the Nation of Communities of Learners of Underrepresented Discoverers in Engineering and Science (INCLUDES) grant from the National Science Foundation to cultivate a network of computing opportunities for women and minorities across the state. The purpose of the grant is to enable those working to bring underrepresented populations into STEM fields. “It’s a three-phase program, and only 37 are awarded in the country,” she said. “We were really fortunate to get it.” The gender gap in the computing industry is no secret, and it’s widening. The National Center for Women and Information Technology reported that in 1985, 37 percent DR. SARAH LEE

DR. SARAH LEE USHERS IN A NEW GENERATION OF WOMEN INTO THE FIELDS OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATH (STEM).

of students receiving bachelor’s degrees in computer and information sciences were women, compared to only 18 percent in 2016. “It isn’t enough to simplyintroduce women to computing opportunities,” Lee said. “We have to create a pathway that supports them and leads to a career.” Other successful women in tech, like Lisa Kemp, Ph.D., chief science officer of Reactive Surfaces, and Tracci Schultz, vice president of FedEx Freight IT, agreed. Kemp and Schultz said their journey to career fulfillment wouldn’t have been possible without other women to show them the way. Lee has worked to provide tremendous mentorship and opportunities for female computing students at Mississippi State University, and with this grant, she hopes to extend that pathway to reach girls at an even younger age.

INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM

To complete the grant’s first phase, Lee will strive to connect the many successful but disparate initiatives taking place in small pockets around the state. For instance, Biloxi’s Pathways to Possibilities event exposes eighth graders to a variety of STEM fields. In Hattiesburg, the University of Southern Mississippi recently held a mother-daughter hack-a-thon. Mississippi State will also hold a hacka-thon for girls in the spring. In other words, find what’s working, and make it available to those who need it. “That’s our goal, to find entities to share ideas and resources with,” she said. “Lots of the things we’re doing could be repurposed for other groups, and it’s valuable for all students in the state because they are all underserved in some form or fashion.” For a state plagued by economic inopportunity, a computing culture could help put Mississippi on a positive trajectory.

THE PATHWAY Lee remembers getting her undergraduate degree at Mississippi University for Women in 1986. Initially a pre-veterinary major, she took a computing class and enjoyed it. She changed her major to computer information systems and received her master’s in computer science from MSU. She worked for FedEx in the information technology division for two decades before returning to MSU to teach in 2011.

1.1 36

million more computing-related jobs anticipated in the U.S. by 2024.

Computing majors were new back then, and according to Lee, they’re still not very old compared to, say, economics or English. Working with MSU’s Alliance for Women in Computing, she’s seen firsthand that women are still the minority in classrooms. “When they have trouble in a difficult class, they say, ‘Maybe I’m not in the right major,’” Lee said. “They don’t have the self-efficacy to see themselves in a computing role. Guys struggle with the material too, of course, but I don’t hear those words from guys.” The Mississippi State Alliance for Women in Computing held a camp this summer for incoming female computing majors where they got registered for class, acquainted themselves with campus and built camaraderie among each other. Some took classes and received professional development training. Lee has arranged a space for female computing majors to live together and has even recruited a mentor who meets with them regularly as a coach and tutor. These programs make a difference. Lee pointed to Mississippi State student Rian Walker, of Ocean Springs, Mississippi, who was profiled by Forbes magazine in October. Walker came to MSU from a tough background. She taught herself to code using MySpace, and in her senior year of high school, she won NCWIT’s award for Aspirations in Computing. It was the first year the award was opened to applicants from Mississippi. Since then, she’s launched Bulldog Bytes, a summer camp for children to learn computer science and cyber security.

45% of the computing jobs could be filled by students with a computing bachelor’s degree.

Set to graduate in the spring with a degree in software engineering, Walker has already accepted a full-time position as a technical analyst with Bank of America/Merrill Lynch. “I was very close to Rian through her studies at MSU,” Lee said. “There are more students like her out there, but I can’t help all of them the way I’ve helped her. If we come together collectively, we can do this for all women. We can give them a leg up, point them towards opportunities and help them see it through.”

MOVING FORWARD Lee was awarded the grant a year ago. She’s already in the process of writing the proposal for the next steps. If she’s awarded phase two of the grant, she’ll use it to add more partners and formalize the organization. She’ll also endeavor to strengthen the initiative’s web presence and further connect participants throughout the state. The third phase will strengthen the organization to continue beyond NSF funding. “For the next phase, we’ll put the structure in place for people to actually join the alliance, contribute and draw from programs in a box that members can use in their own area,” Lee said. “With this grant, we really have the potential to make a big contribution to our state.”

25%

of the computing workforce made up of women in 2016.

DATA COMPILED BY THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR WOMEN AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (NCWIT)

FIRST PHASE

LISA KEMP, PH.D. CHIEF SCIENCE OFFICER, REACTIVE SURFACES

REGINA REED

FRANCHISE OWNER, COMPUTER MEDIC

“When I was in high school in

realization that if I couldn’t find the type

“When I was in school, there was just

Picayune, Mississippi, my chemistry

of job I wanted in Mississippi, I could just

one computer, in a room by itself. We

teacher attended a summer program on

make it. So I launched my first startup,

couldn’t touch it. I was always inter-

polymers at the University of Southern

which failed. And that’s OK. One of the

ested in it. When I was a teenager, I got a

Mississippi. She brought the program

main reasons women don’t start busi-

Commodore 64. It had a cassette slot for

back to school, and I fell in love with poly-

nesses is because they’re afraid of failing,

the drive, if that tells you anything. I played

mers. I went to school for it at Southern

and we have to get over that. I launched a

on it for hours, and by the time I went

Miss, then found my first job just outside

second startup and merged with Reactive

to Mississippi State, I could do some

of Chicago.

Surfaces, which is where I am now. I’m

basic programming.

“I found I really had a passion for product development. I loved that I could see

working on ways to use polymers in the medical field, and I’m very happy.

“At MSU, I majored in industrial technologies and minored in computer science. I

a product out on the street that I had a

“But I never would have found my

took welding. I took forge and foundry.

part in, to see a Ford Mustang and know

passion if my chemistry teacher hadn’t

The vast majority of students in my classes

the paint on it was something I’d made.

told me it was a possibility.”

were men. I only remember two or three

“I came back to attend grad school at

other girls. But I didn’t really think about

Southern Miss, and I came out with the

it. I grew up on a farm. In college, I worked with my dad and uncle on a logging truck during the summer. There was no such thing as boys’ jobs and girls’ jobs. There was only what needed to be done. “I was working at MPI Carpet Cushion plant in Houston when a coworker mentioned he’d started taking computer repair courses, so I found some courses online and took them. I found myself spending way more time on computers than on my day job, so I quit in 2005. I found ComputerMedic and

TRACCI SCHULTZ

completed the training to open a franchise of my own in Mantee, Mississippi, where

VP, FEDEX FREIGHT IT

I grew up. “It’s a lot of fun. My husband drives me “FedEx hired me right out of high

with had a real ‘get right to it’ attitude

to jobs when he’s not working, and when

school. Everyone told me the best posi-

toward whatever task was at hand. But

we walk in, the customer will usually start

tion I’d get would be a secretary position,

the women were great at organizing and

talking to him. He’ll say, ‘Ask her, ‘cause

which I did.

orchestrating the greater vision, while

I don’t know.’ The look on their face is

also being able to do the work the men

so funny.

“Luckily, I worked for a man in upper management who pushed me toward

were doing.

“Thinking about it, I’m not sure why

growth and development, then later to

“The people I worked with pushed me

these fields are so lopsided toward men.

go back to school. FedEx gave me the

to go even higher. I worked for people

Maybe it starts young. Girls tend to think

flexibility to go to class in the morning or

who saw more in me than I saw in me,

they’re not good at math, or they don’t

at lunch. They accommodated me when

and I never would have come as far as I

want to stick out by being good at math.

I had my two kids.

have without someone pointing me the

They used to say, ‘Boys don’t make passes

way. It’s great to now do the same for

at girls who wear glasses.’ It wasn’t some-

other women.”

thing I really thought about. I always did

“When I did get an IT position, I saw the effect of women and men working together. Most of the men I worked

what I wanted to do, what I enjoyed.”

MISSISSIPPI INNOVATORS HALL OF FAME Thursday, September 13, 2018 | Country Club of Jackson | 6:00 PM Join us in honoring the next class of leaders who have been at the forefront of innovation in our state.

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INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM

“I provide a layer of insight through my own experiences as well as what I’ve seen in the ventures of others.” Rich Sun | ENTREPRENEUR IN RESIDENCE

ENTREPRENEUR IN RESIDENCE Innovate Mississippi’s entrepreneur in residence boasts a résumé that speaks for itself. Rich Sun has helped launch 30 startups in his career and has served every function imaginable along the way—as an investor, an advisor, an executive, a board member and more. As entrepreneur in residence, Sun mentors budding entrepreneurs to help them develop their product and business. He’ll help them sidestep pitfalls entrepreneurs often fall prey to, assess risks and develop the grit it takes to endure failure. “I provide a layer of insight through my own experiences as well as what I’ve seen in the ventures of others,” he said. “After all, you can only learn so much from your own experience.” Sun moved to Jackson in 2008 when his wife accepted a position with the Department of Veterans Affairs. He grew up in a military family, eventu-

ally earning his Bachelor of Arts from Princeton University and his Master of Business Administration from New York University. With 22 years of investment banking experience, he’s earned the esteemed designation as a Chartered Financial Analyst. Over the course of his career, Sun has arranged, advised on or made over $11 billion in private debt and equity investments. What Sun sees in Mississippi’s entrepreneurial landscape is a collision of ingenuity and creativity. Innovate provides an invaluable forum for entrepreneurs and developers to come together and collaborate. “Just putting people in the same room together is helpful,” Sun said. “Of course, entrepreneurs will receive conflicting advice at times, and in that way, we provide a space for them to learn to choose which advice to follow.” In any case, it takes an entrepreneur to mentor one, as they often find them-

selves at odds with big organizational structure. They’re a breed all their own. Their talents are somewhat ephemeral, specializing not in a specific industry but in the act of creating an industry. “An entrepreneur doesn’t exist well in a Dilbert-like environment. They don’t like working in a big organization, and big organization doesn’t like them either,” Rich said. “Big companies like steady, incremental, predictable growth. Entrepreneurs are after sudden spikes in growth—that’s what it takes to get a company off the ground.” Sun will also helm the Jackson campus of the Mississippi Coding Academies, his first intentionally nonprofit effort. “The skill set is similar,” he said. “Only this time, I’m not trying to maximize monetary profit, necessarily, but maximize profit to society.” As the entrepreneurial network grows stronger, Sun will help budding entrepreneurs navigate this network. With his guidance, entrepreneurs will find just the right mentors to flourish.

THIS FALL, TWO MISSISSIPPI CODING ACADEMIES— ONE IN THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE AND THE OTHER IN JACKSON—WELCOMED THEIR INAUGURAL CLASS OF FUTURE CODERS.

CODING ACADEMIES

An initiative of Innovate Mississippi and the Mississippi Development Authority, with support from the Mississippi Community College Board, Hinds Community College and East Mississippi Community College, the Mississippi Coding Acadamies seek to create a computing industry and infrastructure within the state to transform Mississippi into what many have called the “Silicon South.” The U.S. Department of Labor projects a need for 1.5 million computing jobs in the U.S. by the year 2020. About 1,200 of those unfilled positions are available in Mississippi. The untapped coding industry doesn’t require land. It can be done remotely, and many employers hiring in

the IT field aren’t stringent on an applicant holding a degree if the applicant possesses the required skills. “It’s a perfect fit,” said Mike Forster, chairman of Innovate Mississippi’s board of directors. “There is not a more important initiative for Innovate Mississippi.” The academies offer students an 11-month, tuition-free education in coding that will produce job-ready graduates. The Mississippi Coding Academies are backed by a strong private-sector partnership, including software companies around the state that have spent the past few years developing and vetting the academies’ curriculum. “Our target applicant is the postsecondary school student who, for what-

ever reason, has no intention of going to college,” Forster said. “Education takes place in a hands-on, collaborative work environment for 40 hours each week. There is no American history, no English composition—only intensive training in the skills needed to become a coder.” Herbert Brown serves as the classroom instructor at the Mississippi Coding Academy in Jackson. Brown co-teaches the academy’s 18 students, aged 18 to 23, alongside coding instructor Briar Bowser. The two are perfect opposites. Bowser was homeschooled, taught himself to code and was a paid professional coder by the age of 15. Brown, on the other hand, has no coding background, but he taught for four years at Lanier High School in Jackson.

“Education takes place in a hands-on, collaborative work environment for 40 hours each week. There is no American history, no English composition—only intensive training in the skills needed to become a coder.” Mike Forster | CHAIRMAN, INNOVATE MISSISSIPPI’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

At Lanier, he worked with the Algebra Project, a nonprofit seeking to integrate higher mathematics with technology and job readiness. “The Algebra Project shares a lot of similarities with the coding academy model,” Brown said. “Briar is an expert on the coding side of things, but I come in by transferring that information to the class.” The curriculum utilizes very little lecturing. Students complete projects on the web or from one of their three textbooks. They are allowed to talk and collaborate with each other. Little by little, the teachers increase the workload. One of their early projects was to build a Galaga-style video game, which they can post to their professional portfolios. Unlike a conventional classroom, instructors try to involve themselves as little as possible. “Our goal is to create employable coders who are ready for the workforce,” Brown said. “We expect from them what an employer would expect. We give them the materials they need, we give them an assignment, and they go do it.” Brown estimates that such rigor is what will make the academies worthwhile. According to Brown, even a college computer science education is heavy on theory and ideas but sparse on concrete skills like coding. Practically speaking, it’s expensive for a conventional institution to update its curriculum as quickly as the language of coding changes. The Mississippi Coding Academies’ narrower focus makes it agile in this regard. “If we can fill the 1,200 open coding positions in Mississippi, each paying $50,000 per year, imagine the economic development that would bring to the state,” Brown said. “I personally believe that Mississippi could be a leader in the tech world.” Mississippi Coding Academies were inspired by the Coding Academy in Water Valley. The nonprofit teaches coding to students just out of high school for 40 hours each week for an entire year at no cost to the student. Students graduate prepared to step directly into a computing position, already possessing the training that most employers spend six months developing in new hires. Numerous educational bodies across the state have collaborated to make the Mississippi Coding Academies a reality. The Mississippi Community College Board, Hinds Community College, East Mississippi Community Collegand the Mississippi Works initiative have all lent their support to the coding academies’ effort.

The academies were founded on the belief that extending the roots of a coding curriculum into the primary and secondary levels of Mississippi’s education system is the next phase in bringing the state up to speed. Innovate Mississippi CEO Tony Jeff said understanding the language of computers is vital to thriving in a digital ecosystem, no matter what career path a child eventually chooses. The education gap that plagues urban areas is paralleled in rural parts of the country, meaning it affects women, minorities, and the urban and rural poor, who all suffer for lack of viable industry. A coding education infrastructure will eventually feed itself by creating teachers that will understand coding, as well as by drawing the millennial workforce into the state. Jeff said we must produce more students who understand the core language of technology if we want to be globally competitifve. An investment on the front end sets Mississippi up for success, and prevents the state from having to pay for it down the road. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT

mscoding.org

The Mississippi Coding Academies are up and running with campuses in the Golden Triangle and Jackson. The Golden Triangle’s class is pictured above, and Jackson’s class is pictured below.

INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM

THE HUB

A NEW SPACE FOR INNOVATION

INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM

Innovate Mississippi is working to cultivate its presence online and in the physical city of Jackson. With its new Innovation Hub headquarters and the soon-to-be revamped codems.net website, Innovate Mississippi has its eye on bringing real change to the state. Formerly headquartered in an office space in Ridgeland, Innovate Mississippi’s new headquarters sits right on North State Street, across from the Old Capitol Museum. In Ridgeland, the office was practically invisible to traffic driving by, and it was isolated from all the activity going on in the rest of the city. “We felt out of sight and out of touch being so removed from the city,” said Janet Parker, Innovate Mississippi’s business development director. “The Innovation Hub is right in the middle of everything, in the Old Tucker Printing House building.” The Old Tucker Printing House is part of the Spengler’s Corner Historic District, a group of 19th- and early 20th-century commercial buildings with architectural and historical importance, including the first Mississippi State House. The district has served as a center of civic, entertainment and mercantile activity in the city of Jackson since 1840. Innovate Mississippi’s ambition is to continue that legacy of progress. “It’s a true entrepreneurial workspace,” said Tony Jeff, Innovate Mississippi’s CEO and president. “It feels like an innovative workspace that’s alive with activity.” The Innovation Hub still retains features of its past life, from exposed brick to an out-ofuse elevator shaft. According to Parker, it’s got a hip, industrial feel and plenty of space for Innovate Mississippi’s staff. More importantly, it gives Innovate Mississippi all the visibility it could ask for in the buzz of the capital city. Downtown Jackson is where decisions are made that affect the whole state. Coalesce, a cooperative workspace, is a short walk away, and the

“We felt out of sight and out of touch being so removed from the city. The Innovation Hub is right in the middle of everything, in the Old Tucker Printing House building.” Janet Parker

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR | INNOVATE MS

Jackson campus of the Mississippi Coding Academies holds classes next door to the Innovation Hub. “The whole area is popping with innovation,” Parker said. “It’s sort of a front-row seat to what’s going on in Jackson, and the space speaks to what we do way better than our old office.” In 2018, Innovate Mississippi will work to cultivate codems.net, the digital component of CodeMS, a broader effort to foster a computing community in Mississippi. The website is intended to serve as a digital hub for tech-related activities and opportunities across the state. “There are a lot of meet-up groups and hacka-thons and events for people who code, but nobody is connecting with each other,” Parker said. “Codems.net is just a digital meeting space to bring the coding community together.” Codems.net will largely grow and evolve according to the needs of its visitors. It will not only serve as a calendar for coding events but, eventually, as a job bank for coders seeking work and employers seeking coders. The Mississippi Coding Academies, with campuses in the Golden Triangle and Jackson, are products of the CodeMS initiative. Dr. Sarah Lee, who works with Mississippi’s Alliance for Women in Computing plans to utilize the site in her campaign to encourage underrepresented populations exploring careers in computing. According to Tony Jeff, these populations do exist, but they aren’t connected to each other. “The ones who are already coding in Mississippi feel more isolated than they should. CodeMS’s mission is to connect them and create that coding ecosystem,” Jeff said. “The Mississippi Coding Academy model is built around taking advantage of the students we have here in the state, and we’re always looking to expand that idea.”

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INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM

ORIGINS OF INNOVATION PODCAST

The Origins of Innovation podcast is a production of Innovate Mississippi that aims to tell the stories of great innovators and entrepreneurs across the state. The first season is currently available on all major podcast platforms. “The entrepreneurs we work with are doing incredible things, and we want to make sure their stories are not only being told, but they are being heard,” said Janet Parker, Innovate’s director of business development. “We are trying to incorporate the multiple platforms available to ensure as many people as possible have the opportunity to hear the success stories and be inspired by them.” Innovate Mississippi places an emphasis on outlining the process that each entrepreneur went through rather than on the final product. The organization intends to tell stories of how hard work eventually led to success in the Magnolia State and how the path to that success is never a straight line. The podcast is produced in partnership with Podastery, a podcasting production company based out of Jackson that offers its services to third parties. Podastery is also a client of Innovate Mississippi. Beau York, Podastery’s executive producer, hosts the first season of Origins of Innovation and shares the unique vision Innovate has for the podcast. “It’s raw and honest conversations with the creators that are making it happen,” York said. “You will hear stories of success but also stories of hiccups along the way.”

Just as any good narrative entails, the podcast tells the story of each entrepreneur’s wins and major setbacks, emphasizing the importance of getting back on your feet after being knocked down. “The refreshing piece within the podcast series is that people not only talk about their successes but also the setbacks and what they did to overcome them,” Parker said. “The setbacks can certainly get you down, but they are simply a part of your path to success.” In addition to informing listeners of Mississippi’s strong entrepreneurial spirit, the podcast serves as a means of inspiration to encourage people to take chances and to always bet on themselves. As more examples of entrepreneurism in the state flood in, production for a second season of Origins of Innovation is well under way and is expected to be available in the near future. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT

innovate.ms/podcast

INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM

Mississippiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Light Festival turns innovative collaboration into public spectacle. 52

INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM

Lighting the Way A

nik Kurkjian, founder and CEO of the Mississippi Light Collaborative, and her team of more than 273 volunteers expected about 1,000 attendees at Mississippi’s first-ever light festival, but after it was all said and done, more than 5,000 people from Jackson and the surrounding areas gathered to see the various light installations at the event. “We were overwhelmed!” Kurkjian said, “We ran out of booze. We ran out of food. The STEAM lab ran out of supplies. It was honestly chaos. But good chaos.” This madness was not expected or planned, but the excitement over innovation in Mississippi the festival represented was welcomed with open arms.

INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM

“We were overwhelmed! We ran out of booze. We ran out of food. The STEAM lab ran out of supplies. It was honestly chaos. But good chaos.” Anik Kurkjian | MS LIGHT COLLABORATIVE FOUNDER & CEO

This festival was born out of frustration. When Kurkjian moved from England to Mississippi two years ago, she discovered a common refrain that perplexed her. “As an outsider, I became frustrated with the negative dialogue I heard surrounding the state of Mississippi,” Kurkjian said. “I rarely heard the positive being celebrated other than food and football.” So, instead of waiting for Mississippians to see the positives on their own, she decided to bring it to them through her collaboration with the Mississippi Museum of Art with her project “Mapping a Modern Mississippi.” It was her first project as a Mississippi resident and was designed to create a conversation around modern art. After receiving hundreds of nominations, Kurkjian produced nearly 90 short films profiling some of the great minds and innovators setting up shop within the state. Subjects ranged from CEOs to bakers, each highlighting excellent work being done in Mississippi. Upon release of the films, she quickly saw a groundswell of interest in what the state had to offer, as well as a multitude of messages looking for networking opportunities. Kurkjian knew she was on to something. It was time to showcase exactly what she had discovered through her work. This eventually led to the formation of the Mississippi Light Collaborative. With the goal of engaging young minds by exposing them to the possibility of a career in the science, technology, engineering, arts and math sectors (STEM and STEAM), the collaborative was established to offer educational programs and opportunities that “shine a light” on subjects many find intimidating. “Part of me wanted to showcase [what Mississippi has to offer],” Kurkjian said. “I consider myself a Mississippian now, so it’s about, in part, community pride and showcasing the innovative creativity throughout our

INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM

STEAM world and putting it on an accessible, relevant, engaging and sexy global platform.” Her vehicle for accomplishing this goal was less than traditional. She organized the first ever Mississippi Light Festival as a launchpad for the collaborative to showcase exactly what can be accomplished through science and technology. The festival was held in February of last year and featured 40 light pieces as well as 13 STEAM stations. The festival included two out-of-state collaborations and two additional international collaborations. In the United States, light festivals are not nearly as common as they are in England, but Kurkjian recognized the event as the perfect way to display just what Mississippians are capable of in the technology and science sectors. “If somebody hasn’t been exposed to the worlds of STEM and STEAM, one

can find the idea of looking at these careers intimidating,” Kurkjian said. “People don’t necessarily follow those work paths because they feel like they are not clever enough. If you are not exposed to it, you are likely to shy away from it. However, when people realize how much they are already involved in it and how accessible it is to them, they light up.” The collaborative’s Light Education Program pursues this goal. The Light Education was first introduced at the festival. Over 3,000 students signed up for the program, but funding only allowed for 300 to join. The program exposes them to career paths in the STEM and STEAM sectors through summer camps, teacher support programs, guest speakers and much more. The program also looks forward to the possibility of collaborations with technology giants such as Rasp-

berry Pi and a continued partnership with Kids Code Mississippi. Kurkjian feels input from these organizations offers an unparalleled opportunity for students to witness the fun and creativity that can come with a career in STEM and STEAM. The light festival will continue to serve as an annual showcase for the work being done within the state, with a special emphasis on engaging students and communities to craft installations through the application of STEM and STEAM skill sets. It may seem like just a pretty festival for photos and fun, but if Kurkjian’s vision becomes a reality, it could just be the catalyst that keeps Mississippi relevant. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT

mslightcollaborative.com

INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM

CLOSING THE DISTANCE Mentor Network Puts Entrepreneurs in Reach of the Support They Need

t’s a long-held piece of wisdom that it’s not what you know, it’s who you know that will determine your success. To be a successful entrepreneur, you need both. Innovate Mississippi is doing its part to nourish Mississippi’s startups with all the support they need. Innovate Mississippi’s Mentor Network consists of 40 individuals who are either entrepreneurs themselves, investors or folks who have been connected to startups in other ways. Each one possesses his or her own set of unique skills and experiences. “We have a mentor for almost every need,” said Tasha Bibb, Innovate Mississippi’s entrepreneurial development director. “They are especially beneficial when an entrepreneur needs specialized help, whether it’s help within a particular industry or business area. According to Bibb, every entrepreneur’s experience is so different that a one-size-fits-all approach to developing their business isn’t sufficient. Some entrepreneurs come to Innovate with the raw seed of an idea, while others arrive with a tangible product and a business model, and all they need is funding. Some have started numerous companies already, while others are just beginning to think of themselves as entrepreneurs. In any case, Innovate’s primary focus is getting that product or business to market. “We meet with them to assess where they are and develop a plan to get them from where they are to the market.

INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM

We find where the gaps and unknowns are in that plan and bring them resources and tools to help figure out those unknowns,” Bibb said. “That can mean getting them in contact with a patent attorney or setting them up with a contract manufacturer, any range of things.” Even after a business enters the market, Innovate and the Mentor Network assists with exposure and growth. Mentors in the network are committed to strengthening Mississippi’s startup ecosystem. Innovate Mississippi developed the mentor network by enlisting people who were already interested in assisting startups. As Innovate held its events, business leaders in attendance have asked how they can be useful to Innovate’s cause. “Rich Sun is now our entrepreneur in residence, which means he’s heavily involved and available to meet with startups that enlist in our process,” Bibb said. “Several others, like Anne Turner, Matthew McLaughlin, Jim Lowery and more have been an asset to us as well.” Capital is important to entrepreneurial ventures. Innovate Mississippi’s

Angel Investor Network puts this capital within reach of entrepreneurs, and it puts investors in touch with lucrative opportunities. The Angel Investor Network consists of about 60 potential investors all over the state who are accredited investors by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s definition. In the past, Innovate has accompanied entrepreneurs around the state as they make their pitch to groups of 10 to 20 potential investors in the Angel Network. “At the very least, it gets them exposure,” Bibb said. “Investors give feedback on areas the entrepreneurs need to tweak or even flat out tell entrepreneurs what they would need to do for the investor to put money toward their idea.” According to Bibb, the pitch routine is moving toward a fund model, where groups of investors put money into a fund. This way, the money is already gathered when an opportunity comes along. In these cases, entrepreneurs pitch their idea to a fund manager, who represents the group. “Mentors have been there and done that,” Bibb said. “They know where

the challenges and the bottlenecks are going to be for a new company down the road. They can say, ‘Hey, this route is twice as long and twice as expensive. I know because I made that mistake myself once.’ And if they don’t know, they may have contacts who do have experience in that area of expertise.” Adding a single person to the process brings in a whole new address book of contacts. This is how the network grows and strengthens itself, according to Bibb. In many ways, the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Mississippi is a startup, and we are developing solutions to fit the needs of entrepreneurs. “Entrepreneurs’ biggest needs are mentorship, networking opportunities and access to capital,” Bibb said. “That’s what Mississippi needs to fertilize its startups. That’s what we’re working on at Innovate Mississippi, and we’re excited to have so many mentors and partners who support us and are all working toward the same goal. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT

innovate.ms/mentors

DISCOVERY LUNCHEONS SHOWCASING MISSISSIPPI’S RICH ENTREPRENEURIAL ACTIVITY INNOVATION-BASED economic development is where it’s at. And Innovate Mississippi is bringing communities together through Discovery Luncheons to learn about, celebrate and support their local startup cultures.

Discovery Luncheons are formatted for networking and hearing directly from communities’ businesses–both established and new–on how they got started, their experiences and lessons learned along the way, and even advice for anyone thinking of launching their own venture. Innovate Mississippi takes Discovery Luncheons across the state, from around the Jackson Metro area to Gulfport, Hattiesburg, Laurel, Oxford and Starkville.

For more information contact:

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INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM

Growing Innovation THE MISSISSIPPI SEED FUND HAS PROVIDED VITAL FUNDING TO MISSISSIPPI STARTUPS SINCE 2008. IN 2017 ALONE, IT AWARDED MORE THAN $230,000 TO FIVE COMPANIES.

This raises the number of investments made since the seed fund’s inception to 34 spread out across 28 of Mississippi’s technology-based companies, making a grand total $2.3 million invested. The money is authorized by the Mississippi State Legislature and managed by Innovate Mississippi to encourage a more modern and vibrant Mississippi. The Mississippi Seed Fund is intended for those in the process of commercializing advanced technology. Applicants must be classified as a small business with the U.S. Small Business Administration—employing no more than 500 workers—to be eligible for the funds. Lastly, their product must have potential for explosive growth. There are three levels of funding, each of which are based on the applicant’s needs. “Based on a company’s status, prospects and needs, staff determines whether an investment from one of the seed fund programs will fit the company’s needs and will also meet the requirements of the seed fund as set out by the legislature,” said Clay Lewis, Mississippi Seed Fund’s Investment Manager. “If these hurdles are met, a company is invited to apply. After due diligence, and for the larger

investments, a third-party evaluation, Innovate staff take promising applicants to the seven-member Seed Fund Investment Board for final approval.” PROOF OF CONCEPT:

Very early stage, usually for pre-revenue applicants looking to validate a product for the market. Maximum one-time award of $10,000.

Read about the five companies

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT:

Still in the early stages of development, these companies usually need university-related research to reach a point of marketability. Maximum award of $100,000 in any one year with a $200,000 aggregate limit. NEW TECHNOLOGY BUSINESS:

Any development stage prior to full production—from product and market validation to business plan implementation and early market sales. Maximum award of $100,00 in any one year with a $200,000 aggregate limit. Recipients must eventually pay back their award. The guidelines for doing so vary for each category of funding. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT

innovate.ms/mississippi-seed-fund

INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM

VSPORTO

CATTLOG, LLC

FINAIUS, LLC

world’s largest online sports radio network company. With a vision of providing every major sports team with their own online network of content, the company has made a national impact, attracting attention from key players, such as the founders of Bleacher Report. A recipient of seed funding from Innovate Mississippi, VSporto can trace its roots back to the dining room of a house in Madison, Mississippi. Founder and CEO Keith Jasper said both the Mississippi Seed Fund and Innovate’s partnership played a vital role in the early stages of the company. “The people at Innovate have been great advisors throughout the lifespan of our company,” Jasper said. “[The seed funding] helped us really grow revenue. We built out a larger ad team, and that caused our revenue to continue to grow. I believe right now we are on track for a tenfold increase in revenue.” VSPORTO IS THE

CATTLOG IS BEST described

as eBay for cattle. It’s the solution for a problem many cattle raisers may not even realize they have. By eliminating the overhead that auctioneers and stockyards produce, owners are able to maximize profit and minimize hassle. Although Cattlog founder David Clark initially started as a company focusing on cattle records, the founders’ work with Innovate helped them realize the true gap in that market and rework Cattlog into what it is today. “I’ve worked on a couple other startups, and when I came out here, I was looking for a point of gravity, so to speak. Innovate just kind of acted as that,” Clark said. “It was more of a fundamental conversation between us and them. Innovate helped us enhance our story, get better at our narrative. I think some of the discussions we had in the early stages kind of pushed us onto a better path.”

FINAIUS IS A STOCK market research

platform that analyzes the economic impact of geopolitical, economic and corporate events. Using complex algorithms and artificial intelligence, the tool measures the effects of various events on the market far more quickly and efficiently than any human could. Elegant solutions to complex problems are generated instantly. The company used its seed funding to plan some much-needed development of the product. It allowed the company to grow at a fraction of the cost other methods could have provided. “We used the funding to execute our beta testing,” said Finaius founder Veer Singh. “We are thankful because it allowed us to host our website on the Amazon Cloud. We would not have been able to execute the tests we ran otherwise. Computational costs would have been through the roof.”

VIBE, LLC

GWE, INC

INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM

As of December

VIBE IS THE PARENT company of Glo,

the first liquid-activated, lighted drink infuser. What started as a simple project for a design class at Mississippi State University became a viable company after two students learned to hone the potential of their patented technology. As the newest recipient of seed funding from Innovate Mississippi, Vibe intends to expand its business like never before as it continues to experience widespread international growth. “We were looking for funding to take Glo to the next level,” said Vibe cofounder Hagan Walker. “The seed funding is really helping us grow Glo exponentially.”

company with a nonprofit’s heart, GWE’s Maxbit garden tool has transformed the way thousands of gardeners are planting this season. Designed as an attachment for a power drill, the unique, spinning tip creates a uniform hole for plants of all sizes. The company focuses on using profits for ministry, missions and education across the nation and abroad. The Maxbit is the first official product being manufactured by GWE, and the company attributes much of its success to Innovate’s mentorship. As a recipient of the Mississippi Seed Fund, GWE’s founder and CEO Michele M. Morton testifies that much of the company’s growth came as a result of this added financial support. “We had gone as far as we could go. We were bootstrapped. I had spread myself as thin as I could go, but we needed something more,” Morton said. “We were performing well at the local and semi-regional level, but I wanted to go national. Innovate helped me get there.” AS A FOR-PROFIT

2017, Vizaura, MetaGames and Campusknot are the budding companies working on applications for seed funding.

EVENTS

Innovate Mississippi hosts a number of events to inspire and facilitate the innovation in Mississippiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s entrepreneurs and general population alikeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;from Startup Weekends and business pitch competitions to conferences and luncheons.

EVENTS

Startup Entrepreneurs Participate in Innovate Mississippiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 15th Mississippi Startup Weekend ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

EVENTS

or thousands of autistic children across the world, going to the dentist is a scary task. In fact, dental care is one of the greatest unmet needs faced by people with special needs. After Innovate Mississippi’s latest Startup Weekend event, this worry could soon be a thing of the past. Australian Accents, a company based on the Gulf Coast, came to the most recent Startup Weekend in Longbeach to develop a program to make the dentist’s office a more comfortable and inviting place for autistic children.

Australian Accents was one of six businesses to pitch their ideas at Innovate Mississippi’s 15th Mississippi Startup Weekend. The participants selected Australian Accents and two other proposals to be developed throughout the event, and those whose ideas weren’t chosen were sorted into teams behind the three chosen pitches. Over the weekend, the teams built a company from the ground up. The other two companies represented were Digipark, an easy, mobile solution to find parking

in big cities, and Resume Replay, a multimedia resume service.

EVENTS

“The fact that you have a time crunch really keeps you focused.”

P articipants first ventured into the surrounding area to conduct customer surveys regarding their business ideas. Teams used the public feedback to detect potential issues in their ideas and to kick-start the public phases of development. The teams then met with mentors who helped them adapt a business model for their companies. They addressed how to develop the companies during their startup phases and how to sustain growth over time. “[He] really made me think,” Sheryl Egan Olaivar, CEO and founder of Australian Accents, said of her mentor, Joseph Graben. “The fact that you have a time crunch really keeps you focused.” The event staff and administration also 68

EVENTS

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aided the teams with a series of videos and tools that help them set up the framework of a viable company. The three teams then delivered their finalized presentations in a second pitch to a panel of judges, who awarded Australian Accents with the prize package for the competition. The prize package included legal services, social media planning sessions and other professional consulting resources intended to help Olaivar grow the company. “It’s exciting. I’ve been working on this [Australian Accents] for three years. Our mentor really steered us in the right direction,” Olaivar said. Innovate Mississippi continues to encourage and grow these events as a method of developing entrepreneurship within the state. The next Mississippi Startup Weekend will be held this spring in Jackson.

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Martin McCurtis has been working on the Momentum Dryer, an innovative new hair dryer, for over a decade. The Momentum Dryer mirrors the natural process of evaporation and cuts drying time in half.

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MISSISSIPPI NEW VENTURE CHALLENGE

Student Competition WINNER ONE Collegiate Tutoring WINNER TWO Auto-is WINNER THREE Black Creek Innovations

Pre-Revenue 1 IN OCTOBER,

Innovate Mississippi held its annual Mississippi New Venture Challenge Pitch Competition in Jackson as part of its 18th annual Conference on Technology and Innovation. Teams of entrepreneurs pitched their ideas and business plans to three separate panels of judges. Products ranged from vending machines that serve customized smoothies, to virtual reality implementations for mobile devices, to a new tool for do-it-yourself drywall repair. Leading up to the event, the members of each team worked with a mentor to refine their pitch. In each division, first place received $3,000, second place received $2,000 and third place received $1,000 to put toward their businesses.

WINNER ONE Momentum Dryer WINNER TWO MegaPatch WINNER THREE JUVA

Pre-Revenue 2 WINNER ONE Flowerstothegrave.com WINNER TWO Lynkid WINNER THREE Smartzweb

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CALLING ALL ANGELS

Connecting Investors to Mississippi’s High-Growth Startups

MISSISSIPPI’S HIGH-GROWTH startups seek investment

through Innovate Mississippi and the Mississippi Angel Investor Network. Whether an investor wants to see a pitch and make their own decisions or participate in local or regional investment funds that will manage the deal closing, investors across Mississippi have the opportunity to get in on the ground floor with the state’s fastest-growing companies. There are also many opportunities to invest alongside investors with a wide range of industry and investor experiences. Pitch meetings occur across Mississippi—including Jackson, Oxford, Tupelo and the Gulf Coast. Investors who are unable to do all this leg work can still reap the benefit of the Angel Network by investing in Innovate Mississippi’s Angel Fund. The fund fuels Mississippi’s latest crop of entrepreneurs and provides investors with vetted, reliable opportunities. If you are an accredited investor, we invite you to join the Mississippi Angel Investor Network to interact with investors, gain access to quality deals and grow Mississippi’s innovation economy.

For more information, contact: TONY JEFF 601-960-3610 TJEFF@INNOVATE.MS

WWW.INNOVATE.MS

EVENTS

Conference on

TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION OCTOBER 17-18, 2017 JACKSON MARRIOTT

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nnovate Mississippi’s Conference on Technology Innovation (COTI) is an annual opportunity for the business community, entrepreneurs and innovators to come together and be inspired by Mississippi’s burgeoning startup ecosystem. COTI hosted dozens of startup companies as they pitched their products and business models to panels of veteran entrepreneurs. The Mississippi New Venture Challenge Pitch Competition awarded thousands of dollars in prize money to its winners to help get their business off the ground. Innovate Mississippi also celebrated the opening of its two Mississippi Coding Academies campuses—one in Columbus and one nestled in the heart of downtown Jackson. Finally, successful women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields spoke about the work going on in Mississippi to expose more girls to STEM fields.

EVENTS

01. Tracci Shultz 02. Jordan Hariel, Lauren Blacksher, Matthew Blacksher, Noah Gregory, Maisyn Barragan, Lilli Stewart 03. Crystal Kehtel, Janet Parker 04. Anne Turner, Lee Ingram 05. Austin Ratliffe, Joey Cuty, Conor Ferguson, Kristen Allen, MArquass Coleman, Martin McCurtis 06. Justin Mitchener

conference

07. Joel Yelverton, Ashby Foote, Suzie Foote 08. Wendy Mullins, Kristen Allen 09. Bobby Rayburn, Joey Odom, Bret Estes, Sam DeFeo, Doug Odom, Jan Farrington, Lawerence Farrington, Bill Rayburn, Jim Lowery 10. Kristen Allen 11. Marlena Fisher, Theresa Kennedy, Marquass Coleman, Shameka Reed 12. Anastasia Golius, Lisa Vaughn 13. Jim Lowery, Wendy Mullins, Richard Sun, Mike Forster

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We don’t just practice in this community WE’RE CONNECTED TO IT The Intellectual Property Practice group at Jones Walker LLP comprises one of the most complete and diverse intellectual property teams in the region. Eleven of our attorneys are registered to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Our clients include U.S. and overseas companies of every size, from start-ups to the Fortune 500; entrepreneurs; leading academic and research institutions; and individual inventors. We help our clients with a myriad of intellectual property issues, from establishing and protecting their brands to all phases of cutting-edge and established technology representation. Perhaps that’s why The BTI Consulting Group, which conducts hundreds of in-house counsel interviews to identify top client service firms in the nation, named Jones Walker to its 2016 Client Services A-Team. W. Whitaker Rayner 190 E Capitol St | Suite 800 601.949.4724 Jackson, MS 39201 wrayner@joneswalker.com www.joneswalker.com

BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIRMAN

VICE CHAIRMAN

MICHAEL H. FORSTER

DEBORAH BAILEY

R. MAYO FLYNT III

Former CEO Commercequest, Inc. Louisville, MS

President Salon Group, Inc. Grenada, MS

President AT&T Mississippi Jackson, MS

JAN FARRINGTON

ASHBY FOOTE

WILLIAM BYRAM II, PH.D.

Ridgeland, MS

President Vector Money Management Jackson, MS

President Jackson State University Jackson, MS

MATTHEW L. HOLLEMAN III

WILLIAM M. MOUNGER II

WILLIAM RAYBURN, PH.D.

R. BARRY CANNADA

President & CEO Galaxie Corporation Jackson, MS

Flowood, MS

Chairman & CEO mTrade Oxford, MS

Chairman Butler Snowâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Business Dept. Ridgeland, MS

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

PUBLIC SECTOR

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

RICHARD A. SUN, CFA

GREG CRONIN

DAVE DENNIS

TONY JEFF

Founder & Owner Sun & Co. Jackson, MS

President & CEO Charter Bank Biloxi, MS

President Specialty Contractors & Assoc. Gulfport, MS

President & CEO Innovate Mississippi Jackson, MS

MARK HENDERSON

BRAD MCMULLAN

RODNEY BENNETT, ED.D.

GLENN BOYCE, PH.D.

Cofounder Lazy Magnolia Loglinear Group, LLC Waveland, MS

President BFAC.com Ridgeland, MS

President University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg, MS

Commissioner of Higher Education Mississippi IHL Jackson, MS

MARK KEENUM, PH.D.

ANDREA SCOTT MAYFIELD, PH.D.

JEFFREY S. VITTER, PH.D.

President Mississippi State University Starkville, MS

Executive Director Mississippi Community College Board Jackson, MS

Chancellor University of Mississippi Oxford, MS

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

PRIVATE SECTOR

PUBLIC SECTOR

PRIVATE SECTOR

PUBLIC SECTOR

PRIVATE SECTOR

PUBLIC SECTOR

PRIVATE SECTOR

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