SSR - February 27, 2026

As Mardi Gras parades light up New Orleans and much of the Gulf South this week, the city’s innovation and startup community is also making news across the Southeast, from funding rounds to accelerator programs. Be sure to check out the events calendar for upcoming deadlines and opportunities to connect with these growing companies.

Louisiana

New Orleans Entrepreneur Week (NOEW) 2026 has announced its full programming lineup, featuring Mayor Helena Moreno and Tim Miller of The Bulwark Podcast. During NOEW, the Tulane Business Model Competition will showcase its newly announced semi-finalists, with top teams competing March 9–10 for a share of $125,000 in cash prizes, including a $75,000 grand prize. Register here. In Lafayette, Innovate South 2026 has unveiled its speaker lineup for April 22–24, bringing leading voices in innovation to Acadiana, with early bird registration open through March 15. On the venture side, Tahda Baby was named a Top 10 Finalist in Tulane’s $50,000 Demo Day Pitch Competition, advancing its culturally responsive maternal health platform designed to improve pregnancy education, provider access, and maternal outcomes for health plans, employers, and communities.

Alabama

Birmingham-based Fleetio announced an expansion of its fleet management platform through a recent strategic acquisition that strengthens its position in the B2B mobility software market. And, Auburn University researchers have launched a new agtech startup leveraging AI-powered crop monitoring and precision agriculture tools, reinforcing Alabama’s growing footprint in ag innovation and applied artificial intelligence.

Arkansas

Startup Junkie Foundation opened applications for its Fuel Accelerator, a mentor-driven program supporting early-stage companies across the region. At the statewide level, Heartland Forward released new research highlighting Arkansas’ expanding venture-backed startup activity and remote tech workforce growth, underscoring the state’s increasing relevance in the broader Heartland innovation economy.

Florida

Florida posted several notable venture rounds, led by Miami-based FirmPilot securing $22 million to scale its legal tech platform while remaining independent in an increasingly active M&A environment. Neural Earth raised $9 million to turn climate risk into real-time decision intelligence for enterprises navigating environmental exposure, while Ubicquia closed a $106 million raise to accelerate deployment of smart infrastructure technology across connected lighting, grid modernization, and public safety systems. 

  Georgia

Atlanta-based defense tech startup Flock Safety announced continued expansion following recent funding momentum, scaling its AI-powered public safety technology platform nationally. Meanwhile, the Georgia Department of Economic Development reported record-breaking job creation tied to technology and advanced manufacturing projects announced in early 2026, reinforcing the state’s position as a Southeastern hub for tech-enabled growth. At the university level, Georgia Tech researchers launched a new AI commercialization initiative aimed at accelerating lab-to-market startups, further strengthening the state’s early-stage pipeline and research-to-venture conversion. 

Mississippi

Applications are now open for FoundersPlus, a five-week entrepreneurial development program designed to help Mississippi business owners explore MVP development and scalable growth strategies, with the cohort beginning March 11 and applications closing March 6. Founders can also apply for Startup Summit 2026 at Mississippi State University’s Center for Entrepreneurship & Outreach in Starkville, part of Mississippi’s statewide pitch network offering over $200,000 in total prize funding across eight regional events and potential entry into the CoBuilders Accelerator.

North Carolina

Wilmington fintech Synply is scaling following a new seed round and strategic acquisition, signaling continued fintech momentum outside the traditional Triangle hub. A newly released State of Tech report ranks North Carolina among the top 15 U.S. states for tech ecosystem performance in 2026, citing strength in migration, foreign direct investment, new business formation, and university technology transfer. In early-stage capital news, NC IDEA and Triangle Tweener Fund announced a strategic investor relationship and rebrand as “NC Tweener Fund, Powered by NC IDEA,” expanding coordinated access to seed and growth capital statewide.

South Carolina

South Carolina declared March 30–April 2 as “AI Week” through House Resolution No. 5085, recognizing Horry-Georgetown Technical College’s leadership in artificial intelligence innovation and workforce development. In capital news, SC Launch announced a $400,000 investment in Columbia-based QWERKY AI, which is building enterprise-grade AI systems designed to be faster and more affordable than traditional large language models. Meanwhile, accelerator models are evolving statewide, with digital-first platforms like 1Mby1M gaining traction to support scaling AI, SaaS, and creative tech startups, and the upcoming SC Competes 2026 Spring Summit set to convene founders, investors, and policymakers to strengthen collaboration across the state.

Tennessee

Registration is now open for the finale of the What’s the Big Idea Competition on March 22, where founders will compete for a $10,000 prize while showcasing a diverse slate of innovation across the state. Finalists include PrepSolo, a modular accessible kitchen system for wheelchair users and aging adults; VeriQual, a transparent income-qualification platform for self-employed borrowers; VACScore℠, an AI-powered hospital procurement decision platform; WearReady Tech, biometric-enabled athletic apparel; Aquafer Technologies, a PFAS water filtration breakthrough; SUBI LLC, creator of a human-powered hydrofoil Surfbike; and ZestyCoach, an adaptive AI wellness coaching system.