A public-private partnership has launched Montgomery Techlab, a new startup accelerator program focused on mobile app development.

Montgomery city, Montgomery County, local economic development partners, IT companies and the Maxwell-Gunter community are partnering on the program, which is the next step in creating an innovation district that will advance the area’s defined technology culture and propel its tech and innovation entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Marcus Shaw

Montgomery Techlab is led by Marcus Shaw, executive director of Chattanooga-based The Company Lab and founding director of Montgomery Techlab.

“The greater Montgomery region has several incredible assets that can stimulate growth in the region through innovation,” Shaw said. “The Montgomery Techlab will help galvanize academic, military and other community resources to stimulate and support the success of innovators and entrepreneurs in the region.”

Montgomery Techlab will provide startups unique opportunities to work closely with industry leaders in digital services, to include mentoring, training, coaching, collaborative activities, budget building, trend analysis and testing.

“This initiative will further establish Montgomery as a city that cares about building a culture of innovation,” Montgomery Mayor Steven L. Reed said. “Through this public-private partnership we can promote the growth of local, small and minority-owned businesses in Montgomery. By encouraging collaboration, the Techlab will nurture startups, entrepreneurs and industries to work together to achieve the full potential of their ideas.”

Montgomery Techlab enhances the area’s thriving collection of innovation assets, including MGMWERX, MGMix and the U.S. Air Force’s Air University and BESPIN, which are successfully bridging public and private sectors to develop innovative solutions and drive entrepreneurship in the city.

“This resource will leverage the region’s assets to create opportunity for local tech businesses that have been developing in Montgomery for the last several years,” said Montgomery County Commission Chairman Elton Dean. “By utilizing our region’s existing infrastructure and physical and intellectual resources, we can create a long-term sustainable environment for tech companies in our area.”

The Montgomery Techlab will advance innovation in the mobile application development industry by connecting promising startups with leading organizations in the federal, state and local government and commercial sectors desiring to digitize their traditional service operations and engagement, Shaw said. Through an intensive 12-week program, companies will accelerate progress by building customer relationships, validating assumptions, pursuing strategic capital and expanding capacity.

“We are focused on growing the city’s economy by leveraging our local and regional industry to create a more innovative Montgomery,” said Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Chairman Arthur DuCote. “Through the existence of our unique infrastructure and resources, and the creation of the new Techlab, Montgomery will firmly position itself as a tech hub and incubator for tech startups.”