Bryson Hannah celebrates his first-place finish in the 2026 HBCU Business Pitch Competition in Birmingham, earning $5,000 for Internably LLC, his networking platform connecting college interns across the country. (Alabama A&M) ” data-large-file=”https://www.birminghamtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/pitchbryson1edit-1024×685.jpg” />

Special to the Times

The Alabama Collective and co-host Digitalundivided awarded $20,000 in cash prizes to HBCU student and alumni founders at the 2026 HBCU Business Pitch Competition, held Thursday, October 29, at Topgolf Birmingham as part of Magic City Classic week.

Fifty-one founders representing 10 Alabama institutions competed in a booth-style format, delivering three-minute pitches with no slides or audiovisual aids, followed by three minutes of questions from a panel of industry judges. Top scorers at each booth earned $1,000 and advanced to a live Pitch Finale.

Internably, LLC, founded by Bryson Hannah of Alabama A&M University, took first place and $4,000. Internably is a networking platform that connects college students, interns, and early career professionals by company, school, city, and career interests.

“I was blown away by these innovative business ideas and the go-to-market strategies,” says Modupe Rouse, Digitalundivided Chair and Pitch Finale Judge. “These student founders took the START program skills and leveled up. I cannot wait for the economic impact of their businesses in Alabama,” added Rouse.

“What we witnessed at this year’s competition was a powerful reminder of the incredible talent, creativity, and entrepreneurial potential emerging from Alabama’s HBCUs,” said Charisse Stokes, Executive Director of The Alabama Collective. “These 51 founders didn’t just show up with ideas — they showed up with vision, determination, and the confidence to turn those ideas into businesses. We’re especially proud that this year’s partnership with Digitalundivided allowed us to expand beyond the competition itself, equipping entrepreneurs with business skills to launch their businesses, coaching, and connections that will serve them long after the prizes are awarded. Our goal is not simply to celebrate great pitches, but to help build the next generation of successful entrepreneurs and business owners across Alabama.”

“Digitalundivided is delighted to partner with TAC in its work with Alabama HBCUs and in supporting the innovation and talent of students here,” says Leah D. Williams, CEO of Digitalundivided. “These student founders are the business leaders of tomorrow. We are excited to add the Digitalundivided network lifting them up as they climb towards their future achievements.”

2026 Pitch Finale Winners

First Place, $4,000: Internably, LLC — Alabama A&M University
Second Place, $3,000: FuelTrip — Alabama A&M University
Third Place, $2,000: NexU — Alabama A&M University

Top-Scoring Booth Winners, $1,000 each

• VARA — Talladega College
• Yardly — Alabama State University
• AccessBelt — Alabama State University
• Nightshift — Talladega College
• FuelTrip — Alabama A&M University
• NexU — Alabama A&M University
• Internably, LLC — Alabama A&M University
• Mobile Therapy Office/Unlimited Potential — Alabama State University
• BeVerified — Alabama State University
• The Vent Avengers — Trenholm State Community College

A New Path to the Stage

The 2026 competition introduced two entry tracks. Members of The Alabama Collective community were invited to apply to START, Digitalundivided’s flagship pre-revenue incubator, a three-week virtual program grounded in Lean Startup methodology. Selected participants built a working Business Model Canvas, earned an automatic slot in the Round 1 pitch booths, and received a $250 completion stipend on event day. Alabama HBCU students, recent graduates, faculty and staff filled the remaining booths and brought in founders new to the organization.

Alongside the competition, the day included entrepreneurship training, small group mentoring with industry leaders, and a Lunch and Learn fireside chat.

The 2026 competition was supported by JPMorgan Chase, HBCU CARES and NEBIUS.

About The Alabama Collective

The Alabama Collective is a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to elevating tech talent and entrepreneurs across Alabama. Through partnerships with HBCUs, industry leaders, and innovation hubs, The Alabama Collective builds programs that expose, educate, engage, and empower underrepresented communities in tech, entrepreneurship, and innovation.

About Digitalundivided

For over a decade, Digitalundivided has increased visibility and access for founders. Beginning with groundbreaking research and expanding into founder-centric training programs, strategic partnerships, and a vibrant founder community, Digitalundivided champions an equitable entrepreneurial landscape and provides founders at every stage with the space to improvise and innovate.

Based on reporting by Birmingham Times.

Vendor expenses determine profits before pop-up shops even open. Your success or the lack thereof is influenced by booth fees, suppliers, and advertising. Pop-ups bring new products to your customers, but they can also leave you out of pocket.

According to IBISWorld, the US pop-up shop industry revenue exceeded $15.6 billion in 2024. Pop-ups offer Black-owned businesses an easy way to try out their products, connect with customers, and build loyalty without the need for a permanent location. This can be particularly helpful for entrepreneurs who struggle to secure the financing needed to start a business.

Before you pay for a booth, look at the costs and work out how much you need to sell to break even. A little planning can help you decide whether an event is worth the investment. Just keep in mind that large crowds don’t always mean big profits.

What Do Pop-up Shops Really Cost?

A pop-up business pays for more than a table and a tent, and booth fees alone vary widely. A June 2026 fayVen study on U.S. vendor opportunities found a middle booth fee of about $55 for listings with confirmed prices. However, costs differed considerably by location, with some high-end markets charging much more.

Ask event organizers for a complete breakdown of costs. Some additional expenses to keep in mind include:

• Electricity
• Insurance
• Permits
• Equipment rental
• Additional display space

Don’t forget about any deposits or application fees, which may be non-refundable. That can be a big deal if bad weather keeps shoppers away and you end up paying the full amount. Before committing, make sure you understand the refund and cancellation policies.

A lower fee can make a first event less risky, but the pop-up still needs to meet your needs. A higher fee may be justified if the event attracts shoppers likely to buy your products.

Get the details in writing. Ask the organizer to confirm the price and what the fee covers. Check local rules on permits and sales restrictions, since these can differ by area and product.

How Do You Work Out Your Break-Even Point?

Before you book a market, work out how much you need to sell to cover your costs. That way, you can judge whether the booth is worth the price.

Add every cost, then divide by the profit on each item. Here is an example.

A candle maker books a 10×10 booth for $375 and pays a $25 application fee. Display supplies cost $60, travel and parking cost $45, and packaging plus card fees cost $70. Total spending is $575.

Each candle sells for $30 and costs $12 to make, so profit is $18 per candle. Divide $575 by $18, and you get 32 candles. Every sale after the 32nd is profit.

Now ask a hard question: can you sell 32 candles in one day? Check your results from past events and ask organizers about attendance.

If the number looks out of reach, don’t force it. Pick a smaller area or bring products with higher margins so the math works in your favor.

Compare prices with similar products, but do not assume you must be the cheapest vendor. Customers also weigh up quality, usefulness, and the experience of buying directly from the maker.

Remember to account for payment processing fees and any commission the organizer takes from sales. If the event requires a minimum inventory, consider how much money will be tied up in products that might not sell.

For many small business owners, especially first-time entrants, the challenge is balancing ambition with reality.

How Do You Get Your Pop-up Booth Noticed?

A good location matters, but so does the audience. A busy market doesn’t guarantee sales if the crowd isn’t interested in your products. Research events before committing so you know the visitors match your business.

Visibility is the lifeline of a pop-up shop. Make your booth easy to read at a glance. Clear pricing, a tidy display, and convenient payment options can make shopping a breeze.

Confusion and long delays can turn customers away to a competitor.

Branded materials can help customers remember your name and product. For example, a vendor could sell custom tote bags or use them to package purchases.

Lighting, signage, and layout matter, too. An inviting booth will draw people in even if they weren’t planning to stop. Step back and look at your setup from across the room.

If people can’t tell what you’re selling, adjust until your products speak for themselves.

Don’t forget the human touch. A warm greeting, a short story about why you started your pop-up business, or a quick demo can turn casual interest into a sale.

Shoppers who choose local businesses often want connection. Give them that, and your booth will stand out.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do You Find Pop-up Shop Opportunities Near You?

Start with local business associations, community development organizations, neighborhood social media groups, and event calendars. Find markets that suit your product and reach out to those market managers directly.

Before applying, check the event’s audience, vendor selection process, fees, and rules.

What Licenses Do Pop-up Shop Vendors Need?

Requirements usually depend on the:

• Location
• Business activity
• Items sold

A vendor may need a local business license, a temporary seller permit, or additional approval for some types of merchandise. Food vendors face separate health and safety requirements. Check with the city or county where the event takes place before accepting a booking.

What Are Some Good Pop-Up Shop Marketing Ideas?

Start promoting well before the event. Use a mix of social media, local business advertising partnerships, and in-person promotion. Post your booth number, email your list, and tag the organizer so they can share your brand.

Early visibility builds anticipation and gives customers a reason to look for you once the doors open. Small business marketing works best when it’s personal. A quick video showing your setup or a behind-the-scenes look at your products can generate interest.

These moments remind people they’re supporting a real person, not just a logo.

Pop-up Shops Demand Careful Math

Pop-up shops bring energy, community, and a chance to connect with customers who value small-business credibility. Yet profits don’t start at the cash register. They start with decisions you make weeks before the event, including understanding vendor costs.

Is a pop-up shop in your future? Head to our website to learn more about small businesses and why shopping local matters.

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Smart ways tech companies can speed up timelines for developing software include automating repetitive tasks to free up time and using AI-powered tools to accelerate development and decision-making. They can also improve team collaboration with centralized project management platforms and adopt continuous integration and delivery to reduce deployment delays.

Management consulting and technology firm ZS found that early launch performance is highly volatile, so it’s important that you have your products ready and launched on time.

Developing software is easier said than done, though, and it’s common to experience delays. Speed things up and streamline operations, so you launch as planned.

Can You Automate Repetitive Tasks to Free Up Time for High-Value Work?

Many project bottlenecks come from repetitive tasks that pile up, and in reality, these don’t need much human judgment. It’s much better to automate these tasks so that human workers can focus on high-value work instead.

Things you can automate include:

• Testing
• Code deployment
• Report generation
• Routine data entry

Automating these tasks also ensures better consistency and accuracy. Just make sure to only automate work where processes are already well-defined.

Use AI-Powered Tools to Accelerate Development and Decision-Making

Agile development should involve AI, as it can reduce the time spent on coding, research, documentation, and troubleshooting. With analytic tools, you can analyze large amounts of data to find key issues such as bottlenecks and tasks that may fall behind schedule.

Do note that these outputs will still need human review. Without it, you may be following erroneous reports, and this can put your project even further behind.

Improve Team Collaboration With Centralized Project Management Platforms

Engineering efficiency hugely depends on good communication, and this can be difficult when there are these stakeholders:

• Developers
• Designers
• Product managers

You may even need staff augmentation in software development to help in areas where you have a lack of people, and this adds to the chaos.

The best way to handle communication is to use centralized project management platforms. Your teams can easily see which tasks need to be done, as well as which ones are already complete. The platforms will also show what dependencies there are and who’s responsible for which tasks.

In addition, you can take it a step further and integrate these platforms with development tools and communication platforms.

Should You Adopt Continuous Integration and Delivery to Reduce Deployment Delays?

Continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) practices are vital if you want to speed up your timelines. They can reduce the risks that come with large and infrequent releases, as well as reduce the manual work required.

Implementing these practices can shorten feedback loops, as you can catch defects earlier. As a result, software delivery will be more efficient and faster.

Stay on Track When Developing Software

Developing software can be a monumental task, especially when you have multiple people on the job. If you stay organized, though, and use the right tools, you’ll be able to deliver a quality product exactly when you want to.

Check out more of our pages now to find additional informative articles.

Content provided through ContentManagerIO.

Turning potential customers into paying clients often comes down to what happens after the first inquiry. Fast responses, clear ownership, and consistent follow-up keep promising leads from slipping through the cracks.

How many leads slipped away last month because nobody called them back in time?

A contact form comes in on a Tuesday night, the message sits in an inbox until Thursday, and by then the customer has booked with someone else.

Most small businesses get plenty of interest. After someone reaches out, their inquiry lands in one of a dozen places: email, text messages, social media DMs, a sticky note on the desk. Closing more of those leads comes down to a few habits and the right tools to hold them in place.

How Do You Show Customers Your Value Right Away?

A potential customer decides within a few seconds whether your business deserves a reply. Your website headline, your first email, and the greeting on your voicemail all need to answer one question: what does this person get by choosing you?

Here’s what a strong first response covers:

• The specific problem you solve: Name it in the customer’s own words
• The result they can expect: Point to an outcome, such as a monthly savings figure
• What happens next: Give one clear action, like booking a call or requesting a quote

How Quickly Should You Respond to a New Lead?

A lead who just filled out a form is still thinking about the problem that sent them looking. Calling back within the hour catches them while they’re comparing options, and a same-day reply puts your business at the top of a short list.

Lead management software sends an automatic text or email the moment a request comes in, confirming you received it and telling the customer when to expect a call. A brief acknowledgment keeps them from clicking on the next search result.

Use Social Proof to Reduce Hesitation

In a digital world full of scams, it’s understandable that prospects would be skeptical about your business. Proof from real customers answers those doubts better than any claim you make about yourself.

Here are a few places to put that proof to work:

• Google reviews:Ask happy customers for a review
• Before-and-after photos: Show finished work on your website and social pages
• Short testimonials: Add a customer quote to your quote replies and follow-up emails

Remove Friction From the Buying Process

Every extra step between a customer’s yes and their payment gives them a chance to reconsider. A quote form with 12 fields, a booking process that needs a phone call during business hours, or a price they have to ask for all slow the decision down.

Trim your forms to a name, contact details, and a short description of the job. Let customers book appointments online, sign estimates from their phone, and pay by card or digital wallet.

Walk through your own process as a first-time customer would, and count how many times you’d have to wait on someone else.

Converting Potential Customers Starts With the Next Inquiry

Potential customers who fill out your contact form already want what you sell. What happens in the hour after they hit submit decides whether they buy from you or sign with a competitor.

Read more informative business content on our website.

Content provided through ContentManagerIO.

Smart ways tech companies can speed up timelines for developing software include automating repetitive tasks to free up time and using AI-powered tools to accelerate development and decision-making. They can also improve team collaboration with centralized project management platforms and adopt continuous integration and delivery to reduce deployment delays.

Management consulting and technology firm ZS found that early launch performance is highly volatile, so it’s important that you have your products ready and launched on time.

Developing software is easier said than done, though, and it’s common to experience delays. Speed things up and streamline operations, so you launch as planned.

Can You Automate Repetitive Tasks to Free Up Time for High-Value Work?

Many project bottlenecks come from repetitive tasks that pile up, and in reality, these don’t need much human judgment. It’s much better to automate these tasks so that human workers can focus on high-value work instead.

Things you can automate include:

• Testing
• Code deployment
• Report generation
• Routine data entry

Automating these tasks also ensures better consistency and accuracy. Just make sure to only automate work where processes are already well-defined.

Use AI-Powered Tools to Accelerate Development and Decision-Making

Agile development should involve AI, as it can reduce the time spent on coding, research, documentation, and troubleshooting. With analytic tools, you can analyze large amounts of data to find key issues such as bottlenecks and tasks that may fall behind schedule.

Do note that these outputs will still need human review. Without it, you may be following erroneous reports, and this can put your project even further behind.

Improve Team Collaboration With Centralized Project Management Platforms

Engineering efficiency hugely depends on good communication, and this can be difficult when there are these stakeholders:

• Developers
• Designers
• Product managers

You may even need staff augmentation in software development to help in areas where you have a lack of people, and this adds to the chaos.

The best way to handle communication is to use centralized project management platforms. Your teams can easily see which tasks need to be done, as well as which ones are already complete. The platforms will also show what dependencies there are and who’s responsible for which tasks.

In addition, you can take it a step further and integrate these platforms with development tools and communication platforms.

Should You Adopt Continuous Integration and Delivery to Reduce Deployment Delays?

Continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) practices are vital if you want to speed up your timelines. They can reduce the risks that come with large and infrequent releases, as well as reduce the manual work required.

Implementing these practices can shorten feedback loops, as you can catch defects earlier. As a result, software delivery will be more efficient and faster.

Stay on Track When Developing Software

Developing software can be a monumental task, especially when you have multiple people on the job. If you stay organized, though, and use the right tools, you’ll be able to deliver a quality product exactly when you want to.

Check out more of our pages now to find additional informative articles.

Content provided through ContentManagerIO.

Protecting your income after a workplace injury involves immediately seeking medical help and reporting the incident to your superiors or employer. You should also follow your organization’s workers’ compensation claim filing guide and keep detailed records relating to your injury and health.

Following all these steps is crucial to your claim’s success, the benefits of which include serving as a medical security and financial safety net for your treatment and recovery. You shouldn’t carry the burden of paying for these expenses, as they can reach thousands of dollars.

Indeed, the “price” of workplace injuries goes beyond treatment fees; they come with many other costs, from wage losses and administrative expenses to medical bills and employer losses. The National Safety Council even points out that in 2024, the cost per medically consulted workplace injury amounted to $48,000.

What Qualifies as a Workplace Injury?

Workplace injuries are not just injuries that arise during or from one’s course of work.

If a worker’s job role or work environment causes, significantly aggravates, or contributes to any physical or mental harm, illness, damage, or abnormal condition, then it usually qualifies as a workplace injury. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has guidelines for determining an injury’s or illness’s work-relatedness under OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1904.5.

The keyword to remember here is “work-relatedness.” Workers’ compensation coverage only applies to job injuries that satisfy this requirement.

Even if an employee sustains an injury at the workplace, if it occurred as a result of doing something not related to their work, then it likely won’t qualify for occupational loss recovery under workers’ comp.

What Are the Most Common Workplace Injuries?

The latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that in 2024 alone, there were over 2.48 million recordable cases of nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in the private sector. It also provides other eye-opening statistics, including:

• 568,150 DAFW (Days Away From Work) cases involving sprains, strains, and tears (making these workplace injuries among the most common)
• 479,480 DAFW cases of slips, trips, and falls
• 248,180 cases of injuries to the exterior and musculoskeletal structures of the back

What Steps Should You Take to Protect Your Income After a Workplace Injury?

A workplace injury can put your income in jeopardy by forcing you to take time away from work to recover. If it’s a severe injury, it could even cause a long-term reduction in your earning capacity.

Considering the short- and long-term effects of work injuries, you’d want to do everything in your power to protect your personal and financial interests, which you can do by following these safety steps and injury documentation tips.

Seeking Authorized Professional Medical Care

In many states, injured workers need to seek medical care from a doctor, specialist, or healthcare facility approved and “authorized” by employers or their workers’ compensation insurance providers. If you’re in one of these states, adhere to the rules to ensure your employer’s policy will kick in and you won’t have to pay out of pocket.

An exception is if you’re in a “true emergency” scenario (e.g., you have a life-threatening injury). In this case, you can go to the nearest emergency department for life-saving care.

Reporting the Incident to Your Superior or Employer

One of the most crucial workers’ comp claim and wage replacement steps to adhere to is filing an incident report as soon as possible. While the length of time you have to report your injury to your supervisor or employer depends on your state, the best practice is to do so immediately after the incident.

The sooner you do, the sooner your employer can file a claim with their workers’ comp provider, and the sooner the insurer can begin their investigation and the claims process.

Keeping Detailed Injury Records

Maintaining detailed, well-organized records of anything related to your injury is crucial to protecting your income because it provides you with supporting evidence. You can use your records and documentation to:

• Establish proof of all your lost wages
• Demonstrate how your injury has resulted in reduced earning capacity
• Have a more accurate calculation of your losses
• Protect yourself from bad faith insurance practices (e.g., denying, disputing, or undervaluing a claim)

Seeking Legal Injury Claim Assistance

Many workplace injuries arise from simple causes (e.g., improper lifting or repetitive strain). Some, however, aren’t as straightforward, such as in cases in which employers aren’t the only ones at fault. Unsafe general contractors and faulty equipment may also be to blame, as pointed out by Thompson Law Phoenix injury lawyers.

If you believe your workplace injury is a result of a combination of these factors and negligent parties, reach out to a personal injury lawyer. They can help ascertain all parties that could share the blame, allowing you to pursue compensation beyond your workers’ comp benefits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can You Lose Your Job Due to a Workplace Injury?

Yes. It’s possible to lose your job due to a workplace injury.

You can legally lose your job if your long-term injury is interfering with your job performance, and there isn’t any other position that your employer can transfer you to.

The same is true if your employer has already provided all reasonable accommodations (e.g., modifying your duties, reassigning you to a vacant position you qualify for, or giving you access to specialized equipment). If they’ve exhausted all these options and your injury still interferes with your ability to perform essential work functions, they can choose to let you go.

You should also know that workplace injuries resulting from a worker’s own negligence or recklessness can be grounds for termination.

Can Your Employer Fire You for Filing a Workers’ Comp Claim?

No. Your employer cannot fire you solely because you filed a workers’ compensation claim following an injury on the job. If they do this, they’re breaking the law, as it’s a form of retaliation.

Protect Your Interests After a Workplace Injury

A workplace injury can be devastating, forcing you to miss work, causing you pain and suffering, and draining your budget. Following all critical steps for filing a workers’ compensation claim is therefore crucial, as the benefits you receive can provide you with the medical and financial support you need to recover.

Stay connected and informed by exploring the rest of our news platform and reading our latest posts.

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