The Wiregrass Innovation Center, a collaborative effort by the City of Dothan, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, and the Wiregrass Foundation, was recently awarded $20 million by the state and $10 million by the Wiregrass Foundation, Dothan officials announced.

Mayor Mark Saliba said the funding will have a significant effect on Dothan and the entire Wiregrass region.

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“New enterprises, products, businesses, partnerships, innovations, and growth are right here at our doorstep,” he said. “I, along with the city commissioners, are committed to working with local, regional, and statewide leaders to expand this area’s potential to provide high skilled, high wage jobs, right here in the Wiregrass.

“This will benefit not only Dothan and the Wiregrass area, but the state of Alabama as well.”

Saliba also made sure to thank those who played a role in acquiring and providing the funding.

“I want to thank Governor Kay Ivey and State Finance Director Bill Poole for seeing our vision and helping us to make it a reality,” he said. “I would also like to thank our local legislative delegation including Senators Donnie Chesteen and Billy Beasley, and State Representatives Paul Lee, Steve Clouse, Jeff Sorrells, and Rick Rehm. I want to offer them our sincere gratitude for their hard work on this very important project.”

Troy Fountain, president of the Wiregrass Foundation, was excited for his organization to play a role in the funding

“The Wiregrass Foundation is honored to come alongside the state of Alabama and the City of Dothan to help build an innovation center in downtown Dothan that will serve our region well into the future,” said Fountain. “In addition, the opportunity to energize our local community, along with the City’s partnership with HudsonAlpha Wiregrass, is a generational chance to improve the health, education, and quality of life for citizens living right here in the Wiregrass.”

The new center will:

• Be a home for hands-on training, practical learning, and engagement in the world of science, genomics, research, entrepreneurship, and innovation.
• Create an ecosystem for entrepreneurs and innovators where they can start their businesses, launch their products into commercial markets, and provide job opportunities along with career options for local citizens.
• Provide a space for the HudsonAlpha Wiregrass partnership to conduct activity around its three specific area goals – research, education, and economic development.

“The City of Dothan’s work to build a Wiregrass Innovation Center is about growing the economy of the Wiregrass, adding the field of genomics to the agricultural heritage of the community, and providing educational opportunities for students and adults that connect to tomorrow’s careers,” said HudsonAlpha President Dr. Neil Lamb.

“We are thrilled to be a part of this center and look forward to partnerships and collaborations to enhance economic growth.”

Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News.