SSR - February 13, 2026

Louisiana

Startup Prize is launching Startup Prize: Energy, expanding its long-standing support of early-stage founders beyond health to include emerging energy innovators, with registration now open nationwide under one unified brand. In New Orleans, The Idea Village announced its 2026 VILLAGEx cohort, welcoming a new class of high-growth, innovation-driven companies spanning industries from tech-enabled services to consumer products and enterprise solutions as they scale in the region. Applications for two Louisiana programs are now open - The Camelback Ventures Fellowship, with a March 2 deadline and the IDEAinstitute, with a March 25 deadline. And in Lafayette, innovation leaders gathered for the Q1 Company Meetup, where Noble Plastics CEO Missy Rogers shared candid lessons from evaluating acquisition, private equity, and bank partnership options during the company’s recent $8.5M expansion.

Alabama

Sloss Tech in Birmingham has just announced a $100K grand prize pitch competition for early-stage startups across the Southeast as part of its Sloss Tech conference (June 24–26, 2026), offering founders a major opportunity to showcase, connect, and compete for funding. In statewide ecosystem news, Montgomery TechLab launched the second cohort of its MTL Defense Accelerator to support five innovative startups focused on dual-use technologies like AI, cybersecurity, and energy infrastructure, highlighting Alabama’s growing role in tech and defense innovation.

Arkansas

Registration is open for the ESO Summit, a statewide gathering equipping ecosystem builders with tools and strategies to support entrepreneurs across Arkansas — with breakout sessions focused on rural entrepreneurship, strategic planning, effective storytelling, and grant funding. Meanwhile, more than 30 venture capital firms are set to converge in Northwest Arkansas at Onward FX on April 20–21, offering founders one-on-one investor access and connection opportunities, and applications to participate close February 23. 

Florida

SynthBee raised $80M to scale its collaborative intelligence platform, Dono secured $6.5M to tackle inefficiencies in the housing market, TAIV raised $13M to grow its AI-powered in-venue ad network, and Maestro AI picked up $1.2M to automate the mortgage industry—highlighting diverse innovation across the state. In the broader ecosystem, $2B+ in venture capital flowed into Miami-area startups in 2025, reaffirming South Florida’s role as a rising hub for tech and deep tech growth. Florida founders also have new opportunities on the calendar: the University of Florida’s Innovation Fund is awarding early-stage commercialization grants (deadline Feb. 13), Tampa Bay’s CyberTech|X Accelerator selected 15 cybersecurity startups for its 2026 cohort, and FloridaCommerce and SelectFlorida hosted a Florida-Israel Pitch Day to bring global tech founders before state leaders and investors, underscoring continued efforts to connect founders with capital and strategic support.

  Georgia

Invest Atlanta approved $400,000 in Tax Allocation District funding to support small businesses through its Small Business Improvement Grant program, enabling eligible local businesses to upgrade storefronts, enhance façades, and make capital improvements to fuel growth ahead of global events like the FIFA World Cup 2026. At Georgia Tech, researchers are commercializing new imaging and AI‑powered environmental monitoring technology through the startup Skopii, bringing cutting‑edge research closer to market, and the Georgia Tech College of Computing recently hosted a venture capital summit connecting the VC community with student and faculty founders to strengthen early‑stage funding pathways. Meanwhile, Georgia Tech was ranked among the top 20 universities worldwide for U.S. utility patents, highlighting the state’s strength in innovation output and entrepreneurial potential

Mississippi

Mississippi State University’s Startup Summit on April 10 will offer founders a chance to pitch business ideas for a share of up to $100,000 in cash prizes (apply by March 9). The Gulf Blue Navigator Program’s Cohort 4 accelerator is underway along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, helping post‑pilot blue‑tech startups scale with access to testing infrastructure, mentorship, and industry partnerships that leverage the region’s unique coastal assets. Additionally, global tech momentum hit the state with Elon Musk’s xAI committing over $20 billion to build a major AI data center in Southaven, a record corporate investment expected to begin operations in February 2026 and bring new high‑tech economic opportunity to Mississippi.

North Carolina

North Carolina’s innovation ecosystem is attracting new capital, with Cofounders Capital Fund IV closing at a $150M+ final close to continue investing in early‑stage tech companies nationally while maintaining ties to the Triangle’s startup community. The state is also expanding partnerships to strengthen tech commercialization: NC IDEA and the Wireless Research Center launched a joint venture to advance entrepreneur support and tech transfer initiatives following a February 3 community event. For a visual look at innovation happening beyond the Triangle, check out this video highlighting the Wilmington ecosystem.

South Carolina

The South Carolina Department of Commerce announced more than $750,000 in Relentless Challenge and StimulateSC grants to 13 projects statewide, funding initiatives that strengthen entrepreneurship and access to capital. The South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA) welcomed new member companies, including Sentec, CAMA Security, Creek Tides Energy, and Tada AI, while awarding $50,000 grants to early-stage startups like Haruki Health and LouLou AI, providing coaching, resources, and access to potential investment. The CLIMB Fund also announced it has deployed $1.38 million in small business loans during FY 2025, continuing its support for entrepreneurship across the state. 

Tennessee

Tennessee’s startup and innovation ecosystem continues to make waves: fusion energy startup Type One Energy raised $87 million in new funding ahead of a planned larger Series B, bringing its total venture backing to more than $160 million as it advances stellarator technology aimed at scalable fusion power. Building on that momentum, state regulators, Type One Energy, and the Tennessee Valley Authority submitted the initial licensing application for Tennessee’s first commercial fusion project at the former Bull Run site, positioning the state as a leader in next‑generation clean energy innovation.