Mississippi's Tech Startups Get a Boost

Mississippi is trying to grow its tech scene. Innovate Mississippi is helping with a 12-week program for startups. Seven companies are getting money and training. They will pitch to investors soon. Alex Bucklew and Johnathan McAdory started SimpleScript. It finds the best price for prescription drugs. They needed help to grow their business. Innovate Mississippi gave them advice and funding. Mississippi has few tech startups. Innovate Mississippi connects entrepreneurs with investors. Tony Jeff is the CEO. He says it's hard to find the right people and resources. Without help, founders might leave the state. CoBuilders is the accelerator program. It teaches startups how to pitch to investors. Each company gets $25, 000. They will pitch on Nov. 11. They hope to raise $100, 000 each. Startups need money to grow fast. They rely on investors. Angel investors give small amounts of money early on. Jeff says founders need to research competitors and get user feedback. Leta Palmiter started Vertical Take-Off Reading. It measures students' reading skills. She saw a need for this tool. She teamed up with Ben Stasa. They created software that records students reading. It helps teachers track progress. Mississippi's colleges support startups. They host pitch competitions and connect founders. Ricky Romanek started ClaimTra. It helps hospitals recover insurance claims. He says there are many resources for tech entrepreneurs. Jeff thinks tech jobs can keep young people in Mississippi. He says it's hard to find the right startups. There's more money than good ideas. Innovate helps nurture local companies. Romanek believes Mississippi has untapped startup potential.