A new initiative called Birmingham Bound is set to revamp and recruit companies of high-growth to produce a satellite office or second headquarters in the Magic City.
With the help of the initiative, entrepreneurs in the city can be assured that jobs are created, which will shift the economic scene for many years. One obstacle to job creation has been getting company executives to visit, which can be cured by Birmingham Bound.
Britney Summerville, who is leading the initiative and serves as director of community engagement at Shipt, has worked with influential executives from Alabama Power, Innovation Depot, TechBirmingham, the city of Birmingham, the Alabama Department of Commerce and others.
According to the Birmingham Business Journal, the idea was formulated after Chris Moody, who attended Auburn University and serves as a partner at the Foundry Group.
Moody walked away with an impressive influence of Birmingham and the affordable opportunities it offers to companies, according to Summerville.
After his time in Birmingham, Moody then traveled back to the city to visit with businesses like Highlands Bar and Grill, Ovenbird and Saw’s. He also met with some of Birmingham’s most eager entrepreneurs.
After Moody’s meetings, three companies reportedly agreed to make a presence in Birmingham. The first to open will be Pantheon, a San Francisco-based digital marketing platform.
Niall Hayes, chief operating officer of Pantheon, visited the city for the October Birmingham Bound and remarked it was a “fantastic experience” in his first visit to Alabama.
“Birmingham Bound was a fantastic experience, full of information about all things Alabama, the people, the landscape, the nearby universities, the local real estate market and the city government and incentives,” Hayes told the Birmingham Business Journal. “It was a great opportunity to mix with portfolio peers, see and hear how Birmingham can help solve mutual problems.”
The initiative will continue the search for more companies to visit by implementing connections with venture capital firms and other outlets.
Kyle Morris also contributes daily to Breitbart News. You can follow him on Twitter @RealKyleMorris.