MOBILE, Ala. — The Innovation Portal, downtown Mobile’s nonprofit business incubator, has a new staff member to keep its growing lineup of startup programs on track. The organization announced that Keira Lynch has been hired as its new programs coordinator.
In her new role, Lynch “will keep our programs organized and running smoothly—coordinating schedules, logistics, applications and the day-to-day details that make our programming shine for founders and mentors,” the Innovation Portal said in announcing the hire.
A University of South Alabama graduate with economic development experience
Lynch holds a Bachelor of Science in international business from the University of South Alabama. Before joining the Innovation Portal, she completed internships at Spire and at the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance.
Both organizations are well known on the Gulf Coast. Spire is the natural gas utility company whose operations include Spire Gulf, which serves customers in the Mobile area, and Spire Alabama. The Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance is the lead economic development organization for Baldwin County, working to recruit new employers, help existing businesses expand and support entrepreneurship in one of Alabama’s fastest-growing counties.
That mix of corporate and economic development experience gives Lynch a view of the region’s business community from two different angles, which is useful in a job that involves working with both first-time founders and the established professionals who mentor them.
What a programs coordinator does
At an incubator like the Innovation Portal, programs are the heart of the operation. The organization’s work goes far beyond renting office space, centering instead on structured coaching that helps entrepreneurs test whether their ideas can become viable companies.
Keeping those programs running involves a long list of behind-the-scenes tasks. Based on the Innovation Portal’s description of the position, Lynch will be responsible for:
- Schedules: Coordinating program calendars, sessions and events.
- Logistics: Handling the practical details that make sessions and events come together.
- Applications: Managing the intake of founders applying to programs and competitions.
- Day-to-day details: Supporting both the founders who participate and the mentors who volunteer their expertise.
About the Innovation Portal
The Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce founded the Innovation Portal in 2016 to help local entrepreneurs turn ideas into businesses. The incubator first operated inside a downtown coworking space before opening its own renovated building at 358 St. Louis St. in early 2020. That expansion was supported by a $4.8 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration.
In 2023, the Innovation Portal became an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit. It continues to partner with the Mobile Chamber, the City of Mobile, Mobile County and private foundations and sponsors, and it is a member of the Innovate Alabama Network, a statewide public-private effort focused on innovation and entrepreneurship. Executive Director Todd Greer has led the organization since 2022.
The organization says it has served more than 400 companies since its founding. Its St. Louis Street building offers private offices, coworking memberships and meeting space, and dozens of companies work from the facility at various stages of growth.
The Innovation Portal’s approach begins with a free intake mentoring session and moves founders through a discovery process focused on basic questions: who the customer is, what problem the business solves and whether customers will pay for the solution. Along the way, staff and mentors connect entrepreneurs with legal and financial guidance and help them prepare to present to investors and partners.
Innovation Portal at a glance
- Founded: 2016, by the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce.
- Status: Independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit since 2023.
- Location: 358 St. Louis St., downtown Mobile, in a building opened in early 2020.
- Leadership: Executive Director Todd Greer, since 2022.
- Reach: More than 400 companies served, by the organization’s count.
- Newest hire: Programs coordinator Keira Lynch.
A milestone year
Lynch joins the organization during its 10th anniversary year. This fall, the Innovation Portal added a $20,000 pitch competition to its Fall Programs Showcase, set for Nov. 19 in Mobile. With support from the Women’s Foundation of Alabama, the top finisher is slated to receive a $10,000 grand prize, with another $10,000 divided among the second- and third-place finishers and a People’s Choice Award winner. The prize money is nondilutive, meaning winners do not give up ownership in their companies.
The building also hosts community events. A free estate planning seminar had been scheduled there for Oct. 15, part of the steady stream of workshops and gatherings that pass through the downtown facility.
Keeping local talent local
Lynch’s hire also reflects a goal shared by many Gulf Coast organizations: keeping graduates of local universities working in the region. The University of South Alabama, based in west Mobile, is the area’s largest university, and economic development leaders in both Mobile and Baldwin counties have long stressed the importance of creating opportunities for graduates to build careers close to home.
Mobile County has drawn attention in recent years for its level of entrepreneurial activity. The Innovation Portal has pointed to data showing the county ranked among the top counties in the nation for new business formations from 2020 to 2022, a surge that followed the pandemic and a nationwide rise in new business applications.
With Hurricane Isaias making landfall on the Gulf Coast on Oct. 9, anyone planning to attend an upcoming event at the Innovation Portal should confirm the schedule with the organization before heading downtown.
How to connect with the Innovation Portal
Entrepreneurs interested in the Innovation Portal’s programs can start with an intake session through the organization’s office at 358 St. Louis St. in downtown Mobile. Program schedules, applications and event information are posted on the organization’s website and social media channels.