Prime Location for Distribution. Hamilton County sits just north of the I-10/I-75 east/west interchange. Connecting these two primary interstates offers easy access to ports, rail, and air—guaranteeing product can be delivered quickly and easily.
Speed to Market Assistance. In Hamilton County, you will be welcomed by business-friendly leadership where permitting can be completed in as little as 45 days. Notes Chadd Mathis, Economic Development Director, Hamilton County Development Authority, “We have sites that provide access to major transportation corridors ready to be developed.”
Sunshine & Low Taxes. Business dollars go further in Hamilton County given the state’s tax advantages, tax exemptions, no state personal income tax, and low cost of living.
Rich, Local Heritage. For fans of nature and history, Hamilton County’s rivers, crystal clear springs and numerous lakes are a magnificent source of recreational possibilities. Or explore the history and charm of the towns and discover why Hamilton County was named Florida’s first countywide Main Street Community.
Hamilton County Development Authority offers special, local incentives. Cash incentives are available to projects that locate with capital investment and job creation. Incentives can be used for property purchase, construction or renovation costs, infrastructure needs or other project costs. Incentives are granted on a case-by-case basis and decided locally by the HCDA Board. Property Tax Abatement is also offered on a case-by-case basis, granted by the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners.
Hamilton County is designated by the State of Florida as a (RAO) Rural Area of Opportunity and defined by the Department of Economic Opportunity’s (REDI) initiative in Tallahassee. The county is located a Hub Zone (Qualified Census Tract), Federal Opportunity Zone eligible, and New Market Tax Credit eligible depending on the area a business is locating.
HudsonAlpha Biotech Campus Grows with Greenhouse, AgTech Accelerator
Despite a global pandemic, the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology campus continues to expand. Founded in 2008, HudsonAlpha is a nonprofit biotechnology institute in Huntsville, Alabama, dedicated to developing and applying scientific advances to health, agriculture, education and commercialization.
The Institute—152 acres and home to almost 50 bioscience companies in a variety of sizes and stages—supports biotech and bioscience companies that range from diagnostics and medical devices to development platforms and agriculture. HudsonAlpha’s strategy of encouraging collaboration and fostering Institute-wide growth for these co-located companies sparks innovation and economic development, all while providing a home to companies looking to find somewhere to grow.
Recently, HudsonAlpha expanded the agriculture pillar of its economic development mission. July featured the ribbon-cutting for the first phase of a two-phase construction plan: the Kathy L. Chan Greenhouse, a state-of-the-art greenhouse and education facility. In mid-2023, the Institute will complete phase two of the expansion with a 90,000-square foot facility that will house the Global Headquarters of one of its co-located companies, Discovery Life Sciences.
In addition to the campus expansions, HudsonAlpha will soon kick off the first cohort in its new AgTech Accelerator. It will be operated in partnership with gener8tor, a nationally-ranked Wisconsin startup accelerator and venture fund, and support agtech-focused startups looking to bolster their business.
“The HudsonAlpha generator partnership has perhaps created the most fertile ground for the rapid growth of AgTech startups globally,” said Christopher Udall, the managing director of the accelerator. “I am thrilled to be a part of the founders’ journey in solving many of the most impactful challenges relating to world hunger, food scarcity, nutrition, crop yield, agrivoltaics, deep space exploration and so much more! I am excited to invest in AgTech innovations and serve the founders that will undoubtedly change the world. We are eager to provide the best resources to help our portfolio of companies truly rocket forward in this city, where the sky is no longer the limit.
HudsonAlpha’s Accelerator program is already planning to accommodate two more cohorts in the coming year with many plans to scale their reach and impact.
LiveXchange
Emerging Industries Panel:
Key Factors For Site Selection
LiveXchangeHudsonAlpha’s recent expansions are energizing for the nonprofit’s ability to continue fostering its mission. With support from the region and the state, the Institute has developed a burgeoning pocket of the biosciences industry in Alabama and continues to be an anchor in the field throughout the state and the southeast.
Following the opening of Discovery’s Global Headquarters, the Institute expects additional state-of-the-art lab and office space on its campus to become available for companies wishing to migrate into the ecosystem. Regardless of size and scope, HudsonAlpha leaders look to host evermore new and established bioscience ventures who wish to take advantage of the Institute’s infrastructure, network and environment. Those interested in becoming part of the ecosystem can reach out to HudsonAlpha’s economic development team.
