Birmingham offers a range of programs for early-stage companies looking to grow. These programs support startups in fields from software and robotics to crowdfunding.

For example, the industry-agnostic Velocity Accelerator has backed nearly 20 startups. Other programs like DEFT focus on specific areas such as IoT and AI.

Below is our list of the best 5 accelerators and incubators in Birmingham.

Failory's Top 5 Picks

DEFT Logo

1. DEFT

DEFT operates as a startup studio that builds deep-tech companies from scratch with its in-house team of engineers and entrepreneurs. Focusing on IoT, AI, and robotics, they use a world-class prototyping lab to turn early concepts into venture-backable businesses.

Year Founded2016
FoundersAustin Gurley, Ross Wesson
Nº of Investments2
Nº of Exits1

Velocity Accelerator runs a 13-week, on-site program for early-stage startups across all industries. Its core mission is to guide founders in the critical stage of finding product-market fit, setting them up for future growth.

Year Founded2016
Founders—
Nº of Investments19
Nº of Exits—
Program TypeOn-Site
Duration (Weeks)13

Birmingham Enterprise Community cultivates a global network for emerging entrepreneurs and change-makers. Their programs offer training, education, and business development resources to help founders launch and grow their ventures.

Year Founded2019
FoundersDaniel Evans, Omran Al Habbal
Nº of Investments—
Nº of Exits—
Program TypeOn-Site
Duration (Weeks)26

As a venture studio, Harmony Venture Labs builds, acquires, and grows SaaS, e-commerce, and digital platforms. They provide deep operational partnership to founders, moving beyond traditional investment to help create and scale businesses from the ground up.

Year Founded—
FoundersShegun Otulana
Nº of Investments2
Nº of Exits—

Brandcrowder provides a specialized equity crowdfunding platform designed exclusively for the global franchising sector. They connect franchise businesses with investors, creating a dedicated funding channel and democratizing access to this unique asset class.

Year Founded2015
FoundersFrancois Nabwangu, John C. Draper
Nº of Investments—
Nº of Exits—