Hundreds gathered for Innovate Mississippi’s 23rd annual Accelerate conference on November 8-9, 2022, at the Westin Jackson in downtown Jackson, Mississippi. The 2022 conference, themed “CoBuilding Mississippi’s Future,” featured keynotes, panel discussions, and networking opportunities designed for entrepreneurs, investors, and other members of Mississippi’s startup ecosystem to spend time collaborating on Mississippi’s economic future.
The conference began on Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. with the Company and Investor Spotlight, a series of company pitches from the founders of Mississippi-based startups interested in awareness and funding for their ventures. Along with those company presentations, two sessions focused on money for startups—a presentation on the State Small Business Credit Initiative and a panel discussion among regional investors. Innovate Mississippi concluded with a private reception for speakers and sponsors of the event.
Day Two launched the Accelerate Conference, with the 2023 Legislative Update presented by Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann and a deep dive by Innovate Mississippi CEO Tony Jeff into CoBuilders, discussing the launch and first-year successes of the statewide accelerator program.
After a coffee break and networking in Innovation Alley, the conference split into two tracks. The Big Ideas track, featuring speakers from corporate and university partners in the state, focused on economic development and the future of innovation for Mississippi. The Block & Tackle track offered practical advice to help entrepreneurs navigate their startup businesses and make an impact on their business through social media marketing tactics.
Also offered during the morning sessions were the Mentor Lounge and VIP Investor Lounge—opportunities for entrepreneurs to visit one-on-one with investors or subject-area experts on an appointment-only basis.
At noon, it was time for the luncheon program. Mississippi cartoonist and commentator Marshall Ramsey hosted a discussion with Matt Adamczyk of Microsoft and Jon Atkinson of the Idea Village on their experience building and nurturing entrepreneurship communities in “non-tech” places like Green Bay, Wisconsin, and New Orleans, Louisiana. Attendees learned about the roles that events, corporate sponsors, local expertise, and a strong sense of place can have in improving outcomes for high-growth startups.
Next year’s Accelerate conference, once again powered by m-Trade, is already in the planning stages. Early details are available at accelerate.innovate.ms. If you’d like to sponsor or participate in 2023, contact Janet Parker (jparker@innovate.ms or 601-960-3611).
