Digital health company Acclinate is moving its corporate headquarters to Birmingham from Huntsville, where it will occupy 3,000 square feet in The Denham Building. Acclinate will also retain its office at the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology in Huntsville.
“As we enter the next stage of growth for our company, it is very important we evaluate our long-term future, in terms of location and operations,” said co-founder and CEO Del Smith. “It is very clear Birmingham is focused on health care and technology and seeing successful minority-based businesses start here and grow strongly, which made us want to establish a significant footprint in Birmingham.”
The company works with biopharmaceutical companies, contract research organizations and academic medical centers to increase representation and diversity in research and clinical trials. Racial and ethnic minorities make up 40% of the U.S. population, but just 2% participate in studies of new tests and treatments. Acclinate works through its platform, #NOWINCLUDED, to engage minority communities about making informed decisions about their health, genomic research and clinical trial participation.
“We are uniquely positioned to help connect Birmingham’s robust healthcare community to the majority minority community that already exists within the city,” said Tiffany Whitlow, co-founder and chief development officer.
In September, Acclinate received an investment from Bronze Valley, an accelerator working to fuel the growth of emerging startups in Birmingham, the state of Alabama and the Southeast.
“This investment demonstrates Bronze Valley’s commitment to the full scope of its own mission,” said Neill Wright, president and CEO of Bronze Valley. “Existing healthcare disparities in communities of color have been highlighted even more by COVID. Eliminating such chronic inequality is essential to creating a pipeline of economic opportunity and social progress.”
The company also recently received support from the Birmingham Business Alliance, BioAlabama, Birmingham Bound and others.
“From the city of Birmingham to local investors, there is tremendous appetite for the company and the services it offers,” said Victor Brown, BBA vice president of business development. “The BBA will continue to work with Acclinate and provide the company with our community’s valuable resources to ensure its growth and success.”
