DOTHAN – With the turning of shovels, Alabama’s Wiregrass region is turning into an agriculture technology center.
The city of Dothan joined state officials and Huntsville’s HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology today in announcing a $30 million facility that will help revitalize the city’s downtown and be a center of ag tech innovation.
“The Wiregrass Innovation Center will be a destination for innovators, a place for experiential learning and the nerve center for economic development,” said Gov. Kay Ivey. “By working together, the state of Alabama, the city of Dothan, HudsonAlpha and leaders across the region have ensured innovation continues to sweep across all of Alabama.
“I am confident this facility will be known as one of the top AgTech Centers in the nation.”
The state of Alabama is providing $20 million and the Wiregrass Foundation is adding $10 million for the 45,000-square foot building, which will co-locate the nonprofit HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology presence in the Wiregrass with agriculture technology entrepreneurs and innovators in the Wiregrass area.
HudsonAlpha Wiregrass will be the anchor tenant and use the facility to provide hands-on training and practical learning in science, genomics, research, technology and innovation.
Located on the George Washington Carver Research Campus in downtown Dothan, the center will be the home to entrepreneurs, cutting-edge research, educational programming and innovative ideas. Building on Carver’s legacy of innovation, the Wiregrass now takes the next step to become one of the top ag tech centers in the nation.
“The Wiregrass Innovation Center will be a state-of-the-art facility where research, education, and entrepreneur job growth and acceleration will all work together toward building a stronger and better Wiregrass,” Mayor Mark Saliba said. “We’re building a home for visionaries who will shape the future of the Wiregrass and the world. This is an incredible opportunity for Dothan and the Wiregrass as a whole. I, along with the City Commissioners, am excited to be working with local, regional, and statewide leaders to expand the area’s potential to provide high-skilled, high-wage jobs, right here in Dothan.
“We are immensely grateful to Governor Ivey, the State of Alabama, and the Wiregrass Foundation for their support for this center.”
Among the ag tech startups planning to locate in the Wiregrass Innovation Center are:
- Veil Genomics is leveraging long-read DNA sequencing to develop better genetic testing for human health and disease, plant and animal breeding, and biodiversity
- SetaTech is a producer of natural biostimulant for sustainable agriculture and a graduate of the HudsonAlpha AgTech Accelerator with operations in Ozark
RDG Planning and Design and Fuqua and Partners are serving as the architects. A general contractor has not been selected. Construction is expected to be completed in late 2025.
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