BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Sept. 1, 2026 — The Economic Development Partnership of Alabama (EDPA) today announced that PilotAL, one of EDPA’s tools for connecting growth-stage startups with established Alabama companies, is expanding through a partnership with Innovate Alabama. The funding, which runs through July 2027, will build on the momentum established in its first phase which launched last year.
PilotAL pairs vetted startups with established Alabama corporations to run milestone-based pilots, giving early-stage companies direct access to enterprise customers and giving corporate hosts a low-risk way to test emerging technology. For startups, it offers direct access to enterprise customers and a foothold in Alabama; for corporate partners, it provides a low-risk, funded way to test emerging technology against a defined operational challenge without committing to a full deployment.
“Founders don’t just need capital — they need a way in the door with the customers, partners and networks that let strong companies with proven products reach their next stage of growth,” said Jackson Pruett, EDPA’s director of technology company business attraction. “That’s the role EDPA plays: we’re a navigator and a connector, and PilotAL is one of the clearest examples of that in action.”
Phase 1 Results
Since launching in fall 2025 with initial funding of $500,000, PilotAL has built out a pipeline of corporate demand and startup supply. To date, the program has engaged seven Alabama corporate partners, each with a defined innovation challenge and a commitment to host a pilot; reached 30 startups through national sourcing and outreach; and stood up three sector advisory committees spanning mobility, forestry and metals to vet participating companies.
That pipeline has produced four pilots, to date. Two are underway: a smart-factory pilot between startup Maverick IQ and automotive supplier Project XYZ in Colbert County, and an energy-intelligence pilot with a metals manufacturer. Two more are in final negotiation — a predictive-maintenance pilot with a wood products manufacturer and an industrial analytics pilot with a second metals manufacturer. Most of the pilots are taking place in rural Alabama, allowing the program to serve as a recruitment tool for the state beyond its largest metro areas.
A Pilot in Practice: Maverick IQ and Project XYZ
PilotAL’s first pilot pairs Maverick IQ, a smart-factory and industrial analytics startup, with Project XYZ, an automotive supplier in Colbert County, in a six-month engagement. Before the pilot, Project XYZ’s equipment, facilities and inventory ran on disconnected systems, making it difficult to catch failing machinery or inventory issues before they caused unplanned downtime. Maverick IQ’s platform integrates sensors, data, maintenance, inventory and around-the-clock monitoring into a single system, giving the plant early warning of problems before they occur.
“Before Maverick IQ came into the picture, we were having a lot of problems with our machine uptime — infrastructure issues with our HVAC systems, our boilers and our chillers, understanding why they were going down and when they were going down,” said Larry Lewis, President of Project XYZ. “They presented themselves at a critical time that really needed some assistance, and their software has proved to be very capable in helping us solve some of those issues.”
“Their software is user friendly, easy to maintain, and real-time data makes our job a little bit easier — to understand right then and there what’s going on and be able to address those issues as they’re occurring,” added Kim Caudle Lewis, CEO of Project XYZ. Lewis said the partnership also positions Project XYZ, currently a tier-two supplier, to compete for tier-one business with major automotive OEMs. “This gives us the ability, I believe, to become tier one,” she said.
For Maverick IQ, the pilot has opened doors well beyond Alabama. “Through PilotAL, we’ve taken our platform from the level that we’ve had it to a level where we could scale up our customer base,” said Dalero Berkeley, CEO and Co-Founder of Maverick IQ. “Our customer base just increased exponentially. We’re in discussions with one of Alabama’s largest employers about their boilers and chillers, and we’re negotiating with a major engineering firm on power-plant performance work overseas — and we can point to tangible results from this pilot in those conversations.”
Berkeley said the program has been a deciding factor in Maverick IQ’s choice to grow its team and presence in Alabama rather than in Georgia, citing the state’s customer density and support in landing new business. “I wish I knew about the programs in Alabama— I never thought I’d be here, but I am, and I’m very happy that I’m here,” he said.
Phase 2: Scaling Up and Expanding into Defense
The continued partnership with Innovate Alabama will run from August 2026 through July 2027 and fund approximately six additional pilots across metals, mobility, forestry and defense. The funding will let PilotAL complete every commitment made to its seven Phase 1 corporate partners, bring on new corporate partners in metals, mobility and forestry, and expand into defense technology — a priority sector given Alabama’s defense infrastructure and manufacturing base.
“Phase 1 proved the demand and built the engine,” Pruett said. “Phase 2 converts that pipeline into completed pilots and adds a new sector.”
Phase 2 will also begin transitioning PilotAL toward a cost-sharing model with new corporate partners, increasing corporate commitment to each pilot and extending the program’s funding further as it scales.
Part of a Statewide, Founder-First Strategy
PilotAL is one piece of a comprehensive statewide strategy to recruit and support high-growth technology companies, developed by EDPA in coordination with the Alabama Department of Commerce and Innovate Alabama and announced in October 2025 under the banner “Alabama Puts Founders First.” That strategy pairs corporate pilots with accelerated company retention and data-driven tech business attraction to help startups succeed in Alabama rather than relocate elsewhere. PilotAL’s latest results support that vision: participating startups gain enterprise customers and validated technology, while corporate hosts gain a low-risk way to modernize their operations.
“I think PilotAL matters just from the fact that it actually supports Alabama corporations and also supports companies that are just getting started, pairing them together to make sure the two can find a cohesive working relationship that expands both companies and exposes them to industry throughout the whole country,” said Larry Lewis.
Berkeley described the experience in similar terms. “There’s a lot of positive energy here with regard to startups and giving people a chance,” he said. “The word I’d use to describe this partnership, and this ecosystem, and working together, is a perfect marriage.”
“Alabama’s economy grows stronger when entrepreneurs and established companies have more opportunities to work together,” said Cynthia Crutchfield, CEO of Innovate Alabama. “PilotAL creates those connections, helping promising startups gain access to customers, while giving Alabama companies a practical way to explore emerging technologies. We’re proud to partner with EDPA to support initiatives that strengthen our innovation ecosystem and help prepare Alabama for the economy of the future.”
About EDPA
The Economic Development Partnership of Alabama (EDPA) is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing economic growth in Alabama. With support from more than 60 corporate partners, EDPA focuses on economic development research, workforce development, talent retention, innovation and entrepreneurship. EDPA’s initiatives include Alabama Launchpad, Alabama Talent Solutions (ATS), FuelAL, Investor Connector and PilotAL.
About Innovate Alabama
Innovate Alabama is Alabama’s first statewide public-private partnership focused on small businesses, technology and innovation with a mission to help innovators grow roots here in Alabama. Innovate Alabama was established to implement the initiatives and recommendations set forth in the Alabama Innovation Commission’s report, including smart policy solutions that will create a more resilient and robust economy to remain competitive in a 21st-century world. With founding CEO Cynthia Crutchfield leading the charge, Innovate Alabama is also made up of a board of 11 innovation leaders appointed by Gov. Ivey, collaborating across sectors to advance industries, drive technology and facilitate an environment where innovation and small businesses thrive. Learn more about Innovate Alabama at www.innovatealabama.org.
Media Contact: Audrey Hodges | 812-760-1343 | ahodges@edpa.org
Recent Comments