Saturday, June 19, 2021

Building startups' momentum

The Starkville, Miss.-based Rocketing Systems, an e-commerce software-as-a-service startup founded by recent Mississippi State University grads, has raised $685,000 in its three years by fathering components from Mississippi’s startup ecosystem. Organizations like the Mississippi State University Entrepreneurship Center, Innovate Mississippi, and others are providing the positive investment of mentorship, opportunities, and resources for state startups, according to Calvin Waddy, CEO of Rocketing Systems. While impressive, Rocketing System isn’t unique. A recent compilation of investments showed 43 Mississippi startups have raised $17.7M over the last three years, thanks to an energized entrepreneurial ecosystem across the state. Innovate Mississippi CEO Tony Jeff was excited that the Mississippi Development Authority asked IM to compile information on these startups to learn how efforts to improve the state’s high-tech entrepreneurial ecosystem have affected real companies. MDA’s goal is to build and nurture business/innovation ecosystems focusing on emerging technologies and attracting startups from outside the state. Mississippi’s Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) and the state’s five research-intensive campuses have been major players. (Source: Innovate Mississippi 06/17/21) Building Momentum: Mississippi Startups Raise over $17 Million in 3 Years (innovate.ms)

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