On Dec. 8, the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama and the Alabama Power Foundation will host the finale for the latest Alabama Launchpad competition for startup companies. This round of the Launchpad is focused on companies intent on making a positive impact in the community. Ten finalists are competing for a combined $75,000 in funding.

Today’s article highlights two of the Alabama-based finalists: Pearl’s Cafe and Generational Systems.

Pearl’s Café

Asked about the social impact of Pearl’s Café, owner Wendy Lawless stops to reflect on the decade she spent in the food service industry as a young person, followed by 15 years as an employment specialist and job coach for people with disabilities. She sees her restaurant’s mission — training and hiring people who are developmentally disabled — as the culmination of those experiences.

I’ve been dreaming about this for 20 years,” Lawless said. “There are such great community benefits in giving people opportunities to reach their full potential.”

Wendy Lawless and Cathy Pearl Wiley (Mark Kelly / Alabama NewsCenter)

Lawless speaks from personal knowledge. Her Birmingham café is named for her aunt, Cathy Pearl Wiley. Kept out of the workforce for decades by a developmental disability, Wiley got her first job, at a local Jack’s hamburger franchise, at the age of 58. The positive impacts of the job on her aunt’s life impressed and inspired Lawless.

“She loved it,” Lawless recalled. “I saw how it affected her. There’s so much value in that.”

Open since Oct. 15, Pearl’s is a food-and-beverage anchor for the Woodlawn Marketplace retail incubator in the city’s historic Woodlawn neighborhood. The café serves breakfast and lunch from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.

Located at 5530 First Ave. S. in Woodlawn’s business district, the marketplace features 11 businesses. Like Pearl’s, the other enterprises sharing the brick-and-mortar facility started as street vendors, many at the popular Woodlawn Street Market.

Lawless credits the nonprofit community development organization REV Birmingham with involving her and other business owners in discussions that resulted in the opening of Woodlawn Marketplace. Ultimately, her vision for Pearl’s includes multiple locations where a majority of staff members have some form of disability. She also hopes to partner with Birmingham City Schools to train special education students in food service. Looking at the future, Lawless sees opportunities for making sustainable impacts.

“I hope we can be a model for other companies,” Lawless said. “We need to value people with disabilities. They are loyal, they take pride in their work, enjoy interacting with customers, have lower turnover. In today’s job market, those qualities should be very attractive to employers.”

Learn more on Instagram @pearlscafewoodlawn.

Generational Systems

Disrupting the 3D printing industry is the goal of Auburn-based Generational Systems. That means expanding access to the benefits of 3D metal printing technology by decreasing costs while also achieving faster build times, safer operating conditions and greater ease of use.

“This is democratizing manufacturing,” said Michael Knotts, founder and chief operating officer of Generational Systems. “3D printing can change lives, whether you’re talking about manufacturing custom prosthetics or starting a small business by taking a product from idea to fabrication.”

The Generational Systems team: CEO Jerry Knotts, Founder/Chief Operating Officer Michael Knotts, Chief Technology Officer Travis Thompson and Vice President of Business Development Jack Hudon. (contributed)

Generational Systems didn’t start as a business idea. It started in 2018 as research for Knotts’s master’s degree thesis at Auburn University. Exploring options for reducing 3D metal printing costs, Knotts realized his findings could translate from the academic setting into an entrepreneurial venture. After delays due mostly to the COVID-19 pandemic, the company launched in 2021.

Despite the many benefits that have come through 3D printing, issues arising from the cost, speed, and health and safety risks associated with accessibility and production have limited its accessibility. By addressing those issues, Generational Systems is setting the stage for a substantial social impact, said Knotts.

“We’re trying to increase access to creative tools. That opens doors for innovation.”

Generational Systems also recognizes the potential impacts of 3D printing in education and skills training. The company wants to help ensure that economic circumstances won’t limit access, by “reaching as many schools at all levels as possible,” Knotts said.

He noted that Alabama’s growing network of startup and early-stage ventures demonstrates the state’s positive climate for innovation. The Alabama Launchpad social impact competition is another indicator of how Alabama is setting the stage for a brighter future.

“Generational Systems is excited and grateful to be a part of Alabama Launchpad,” Knotts said. “There is such a strong community here, with a level of mentoring that is just fantastic. We’re thrilled to be involved in this program.”

Learn more at generationalsystems.tech.

The finale for the Alabama Launchpad Social Impact Competition takes place at 5 p.m. Dec. 8 in the Pearl River Room at Regions Field, 1401 First Ave. S. in downtown Birmingham. The event is open to the public but attendance is limited. To secure a seat, please register here.

To learn more about Alabama Launchpad, click here. To learn more about the Alabama Power Foundation, visit powerofgood.com.