The Work Trip Playbook: Birmingham Edition

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For startups, Birmingham, Alabama has certainly put itself on the map. The city is now home to a growing number of accelerator programs that draw founders from across the country.

But Birmingham's entrepreneurial ecosystem extends far beyond its accelerators. The city has evolved from its industrial roots into a growing hub for innovation. From FinTechs to HealthTechs, more homegrown startups are attracting outside investors. Some upcoming events highlighting local innovation includes Alabama Founder Fest, happening from December 8 to 9, and Innovate Alabama’s State of Innovation Day, on Tuesday, December 9.Perhaps you a founder, investor, or ecosystem builder heading to Birmingham in December. If so, you are in luck. For the latest in our Work Trip Playbook series, we are taking a spin around the Magic City.

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Where to Meet Fellow Entrepreneurs

• TechBirmingham: Check out their calendar for upcoming events!
• Birmingham AI, which holds regular meetings around town.
• Switchyards: Atlanta's own work club concept has landed in Birmingham.
• Tech Row: a downtown corridor where emerging startups are setting up shop through gener8tor accelerator programs, like the Bronze Valley Investment Accelerator and the Prosper HealthTech Accelerator.
• Innovation Depot: Founded through a public-private partnership in 1987, Innovation Depot is a non-profit 501(c)(3) tech incubator in Birmingham, Alabama. It serves as the hub for the city's startup ecosystem and is the host of the upcoming Founder Fest event.

Places To Schedule Your Coffee Meetings

• June Coffee: A specialty roaster that opened its first cafe in 2022 in Downtown Birmingham. Locals say June Coffee is best paired with a pastry from Last Call Bakery.
• Filter Coffee Parlor: a Station 41 and Southern Research favorite near the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)
• Cala Coffee: a bright, modern spot in Downtown Birmingham
• Alicia’s Coffee: located inside the historic A.G. Gaston Motel, a historic civil rights site

Where to Book Your Work Dinners

• Automatic Seafood: A seafood and oyster spot that is described as a blend of fine dining with a friendly atmosphere where everyone is welcome, always.
• Bottega: An American-Italian fusion restaurant. Bottega features flavors inspired by the wine bars and trattorias of Italy–from Venice to Palermo.
• Helen: A contemporary Southern grill in the heart of Downtown Birmingham.
• Bayonet: A raw bar and seafood-forward restaurant named on the 50 Best Restaurants in America by The New York Times in 2025.
• Hot and Hot Fish Club: A restaurant with a mix of Southern, French, and California-styles of cooking that locals say is a go-to for team dinners, client meetups or investor introductions.
• Saw’s BBQ: A casual BBQ spot that is great for lunch.
• The Garage: A casual local bar.
• Eugene’s Hot Chicken: You can't be in the Southeast and not go to a hot chicken spot, right?
• Bonus: Birmingham just earned 11 of Alabama’s 15 statewide Michelin recognitions, including local pizza, seafood, and Southern food spots

What to Do Between Meetings

• Stretch your legs along Railroad Park or the Rotary Trail
• Hit the trails at Red Mountain Park (pictured above) or Ruffner Mountain
• Tee off at Ross Bridge Golf Course, part of Alabama’s famed Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, just minutes from downtown
• Explore free cultural spots like the Birmingham Museum of Art or Birmingham Botanical Gardens
• Dive into history at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and The Southern Negro League Museum

Any places we missed? Drop us a note and share your favorite Birmingham spot!