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  5. Melton Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation Awarded $225,000 to Scale ‘Launch USA’ Program

Melton Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation Awarded $225,000 to Scale ‘Launch USA’ Program

Posted on March 17, 2026 by Amanda Akey
Amanda Akey

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The Melton Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of South Alabama has secured a $225,000 grant from Innovate Alabama to expand an entrepreneurial mentoring program and competition. Originally designed to encourage members of the University community to foster innovative ideas through business development, mentorship and seed funding, Launch USA is now poised to expand across the Gulf Coast region.

Through this funding, the Melton Center at the Mitchell College of Business will formalize a collaborative entrepreneurial competition network called Launch Lower Alabama, with three institutional partners: Spring Hill College, Bishop State Community College and Coastal Alabama Community College. Each partner institution will receive a portion of the grant funds to establish and host their own program. This approach will help foster entrepreneurship education, provide professional mentorship and give access to financial resources to a diverse pool of innovators across Alabama’s Gulf Coast.

Launch Lower Alabama will be further bolstered by community partnerships with The Hatch Fairhope and Innovation Portal, which will provide mentorship and business development support. This integration ensures emerging entrepreneurs have a direct connection to the regional support structures that foster local innovation.

The initiative will culminate in Fall 2026 with the inaugural Launch Lower Alabama Pitch Competition. This event will bring together the top participants from all four participating colleges to compete for a total of $50,000 in seed capital. By bridging these institutions, the Melton Center and Innovate Alabama are creating a sustainable pipeline for skilled talent, providing the necessary resources to transform innovative concepts into viable, impactful businesses for the Gulf Coast community and the state of Alabama.

“The Melton Center is deeply grateful to Innovate Alabama for this investment,” said Dr. Don Mosley, Executive Director of the Melton Center. “This expansion embodies the Melton Center’s core mission of stimulating a culture of innovation, and we are honored to partner with Innovate Alabama in nurturing the next generation of leaders and driving economic development for the state.”

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