The board of directors of Innovation Depot has hired Brooke Gillis as the organization’s new CEO. An experienced leader in the Birmingham tech and startup community, Gillis officially assumes the role at the Southeast’s largest startup incubator on Monday, Dec. 12.

“We are very excited to welcome Brooke to the role of CEO at Innovation Depot,” said Bebe Goodrich, board chairperson and interim CEO. “As a seasoned leader in Birmingham’s startup ecosystem, the board is confident she will continue to make a positive impact. Brooke brings the right skill set to the table to propel the Depot into a new era of growth and success.”

The selection of Gillis caps an extensive search process facilitated by Apt, a local, woman-owned staffing firm that specializes in IT and IT-adjacent talent.

Brooke Gillis, program manager for TechStars Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator, speaks on the Alabama Collective’s “Accelerating Alabama” panel in October. (Meg McKinney / Alabama NewsCenter)

This year marked the 15th anniversary of Innovation Depot’s presence at 1500 First Ave. N. Since it opened in 2007, the Depot has become the physical anchor of the Switch District, as well as the primary convening place for the local tech and startup ecosystem.

“Innovation Depot has been the foundation of entrepreneurship in our region for many years,” said Gillis. “I am thrilled for the opportunity to help enhance Birmingham’s future while working with such passionate entrepreneurs. I want to thank the Depot’s board for trusting me to continue building on the success of our great startup ecosystem.”

Gillis holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Alabama and comes to Innovation Depot by way of the Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator, where she was program manager. She joined Techstars in January 2020 to facilitate the creation and execution of the company’s first Alabama accelerator program in partnership with Alabama Power.

Gillis arrives with strong Depot ties. She was director of sales and event planning at Virginia College/Culinard Cafe, one of the Depot’s earliest member companies. From there, Gillis launched her startup career as the director of sales and marketing at Instagift. While at Instagift, she and founder Nate Schmidt oversaw the creation and launch of Innovation Depot’s Velocity Accelerator program, the first in Alabama. Gillis designed and coordinated creation of the multiuse Velocity Accelerator space inside the Depot.

She lives in Homewood with her husband and their two sons.