This document summarizes a collaborative partnership among several organizations in the Shoals region of Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee to build a digital technology cluster called Shoals Shift. It received $997,150 in funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission's POWER Initiative. The project aims to create an innovation pipeline through various programs, cultivate entrepreneurship and collaboration, and strengthen existing businesses through broadband initiatives and consulting. It is expected to create or retain 110 jobs and start 20 new businesses by leveraging $10 million in private investment over three interconnected strategies. Major partners include the University of North Alabama and Shoals Chamber of Commerce. The UNA Shoals Shift project was selected as a winner for Innovation and Talent by the University

1. A Collaborative Partnership
Among:
Shoals Entrepreneurial Center
University of North Alabama
Shoals Chamber of Commerce
And
Mane Capital Fund
Funding Provided through the
Appalachian Regional
Commission’s
Partnerships and Workforce and
Economic Revitalization (POWER)
Initiative

2. Shoals Shift: Building a Digital Technology
Cluster in the Shoals
UNA College of Business 2

3. Strategic Doing is an agile strategy discipline for designing and guiding collaborative
networks, moving them toward measurable outcomes, and making adjustments along
the way Purdue Center for RegionalDevelopment
Brainpower &
21st Century Skills
Innovation &
Entrepreneurship
Quality,
Connected Places
New Narratives
A Vibrant Region Needs a Portfolio of Strategies

4. Establishing a core team to
guide the transformation
UNA College of Business 4
UNA introduced the
Strategic Doing™
process to convene
and inspire
community partners
to be part of
transforming the way
the region views
economic
development

5. Shoals Shift
• A collaborative project to impact the future of the
Shoals by building a digital technology hub – a
“Tech Town”
• Using Strategic Doing Process, a new way to
think, behave, and do using flexible agile
methods
• Launched Jan 2014 with core team who meets
every 4-6 weeks to guide the network
• Over 25 initiatives completed, many repeating
regularly

6. Brainpower
• Black Rocket Coding Camp
• Strategic Doing Training
• Pathways to Innovation Team
• MBA Innovative Economic Development
• Hour of Code
• HCI/UX
• Innovation Engineering
• UNA Student Consulting
Innovation
•Shoals Alabama Launchpad
•Strategic Networks Group
•Co.Starters
•Innovation Fellows
•3 Day Startup
•Mane Capital Fund
•Growth Wheel
•Shoals Idea Audition
Quality Connected Place
• The Generator
• FLPL Collaboratory
• Shoals Big Idea
• Institute for Innovation and Economic
Development
• UX Accelerator Lab
New Narratives
•Tech Meetup
•NW AL Software Developers Meetup
•Biz Buzz Meetup
• Propel
•Shoals Shift website
•Innovation Speaker Series
•LeoCon E-Games
Shoals Shift
Collaborations

7. August 24, 2016
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
Administration Announced New Economic and Workforce
Development
Resources for Coal Communities through POWER Initiative
Shoals Entrepreneurial Center
Receives $997,150 POWER Grant for
Shoals Shift Initiative
• Shoals Shift project funds
• Wide range of entrepreneurial
programming
• Improved access to capital
and credit
• Introduce strategies to SME’s
to increase their efficient use
of broadband technology
• Project Area: A nine-county region
covering parts of northwest
Alabama, northeast Mississippi,
and south central Tennessee.
• The project is expected to help
create or retain 110 jobs, start 20
new businesses, and leverage
$10 million in private investment.
• Major partners include University of
North Alabama and Shoals
Chamber of Commerce.

8. Accelerating the growth of a Digital Economy with the ARC
POWER grant implementing 3 interconnected strategies using
4 NEW and 8 existing initiatives
POWER Funds are designated for each of the following initiatives:
Building an Innovation
Discovery Pipeline
• Shoals Idea Audition
• CoStarters
• Launchpad Proof-of-
Concept
Competition
• 3 Day Startup
• Shoals Big Idea
Contest
• UNA Generator and
SEC Incubator
• Mane Capital Fund
Cultivating a Culture
of Collaboration and
Entrepreneurship
• Strategic Doing
• Shoals Shift Digital
Communication
Platform
Strengthening Existing
Businesses
• Strategic Networks
Group Broadband
Initiative
• GrowthWheel Visual
Toolbox
• Student Consulting
Teams

9. Shoals Idea
Audition
-------------
Shoals Big Idea
Co.Starters
Shoals Alabama
Launchpad
Alabama
Launchpad
Mane Angel
Capital Fund

10. UNA Student Innovation Initiatives

11. UNA Student Innovation Initiatives

12. UNA College of Business 12

14. 2 area Meetups for
like minded IT experts

15. First Regional Alabama Launchpad Competition

16. 7 Entrepreneurs graduated from the first class!
Next session starts January 2017

17. UNA Shoals Shift project
selected as winner for
Innovation and Talent
category, Represents
Leading Economic
Development Initiatives
Across North America
Shoals Shift project receives National Award
from University Economic Development Association

18. Shoals Shift: Building a Digital Technology
Cluster in the Shoals
UNA College of Business 18