gener8tor, Grow Southeast Alabama and HudsonAlpha Wiregrass welcome the second Alabama Forestry Accelerator cohort
DOTHAN, Ala. - Five startups building for the forest-products industry have been selected for the Alabama Forestry Accelerator, a gBETA program run by national venture capital firm gener8tor. DNA Source, enVerde, Gulf Coast Biomass, Proon-Tech and Treelyon will participate in the program, based at the Wiregrass Innovation Center in Dothan.
The Alabama Forestry Accelerator is a free seven-week program designed to set a path for startups to pursue investment opportunities. It charges no fees and takes no equity. Founders receive intensive concierge coaching and access to gener8tor's national network of mentors, customers, corporate partners and investors. This cohort also spends three in-person stretches in the Wiregrass, including an industry tour, and hears weekly from forestry leaders such as the Alabama Forestry Commission.
gener8tor received more than 30 applications for the program. The five selected companies were chosen based on their growth potential, investor readiness and commitment to doing business in the Wiregrass. See below for more details on each company.
“Forestry has long been one of the cornerstones of Alabama's economy, and nowhere is that more true than here in the Wiregrass. The companies selected for this year's Alabama Forestry Accelerator represent the next generation of innovation in an industry that supports thousands of jobs and countless rural communities across our state,” said Dean Mitchell, Director of HudsonAlpha Wiregrass. “We're proud to help these entrepreneurs grow their ideas and strengthen a sector that matters so deeply to our region's future.”
The program is made possible by a partnership with Grow Southeast Alabama and HudsonAlpha Wiregrass, with support from Innovate Alabama, Alabama Power and ALFA.
“Grow Southeast Alabama is proud to bring this program back to the Wiregrass for a second cohort. Forestry is one of our region's biggest industries, and these founders are bringing new technology and new investment to it,” said Melody Lee, Executive Director of Grow Southeast Alabama.
At the end of the program, the founders will pitch their companies to investors, community partners and the public at a showcase on Friday, Dec. 11, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at the Wiregrass Innovation Center, held as part of the monthly Wiregrass Innovation Network meeting. RSVP here.
Startups and founders interested in learning more about gBETA's programming or applying to a future cohort can visit the Alabama Forestry Accelerator website or reach out to Olivia Payton at olivia.payton@gener8tor.com. Those interested in mentoring these companies or getting involved in other ways are also encouraged to connect.
Alabama Forestry Accelerator Fall 2026 Cohort
DNA Source uses DNA-based technology to support the timber and forest-product industry, to help them verify what they grow, protect what they develop, and prove what they sell. Once started as a forestry research grant at HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, DNA Source is currently based in Dothan's Wiregrass Innovation Center, and is preparing to spin out as an independent company.
Business Development Lead: Lindsey Fountain | lfountain.contractor@hudsonalpha.org
enVerde turns wood waste into heat and fuel gas (syngas) using a patented catalytic gasification technology licensed exclusively from the University of Minnesota. enVerde’s modular units give sawmills/forest products organizations a use for bark, chips, sawdust, tree tops, branches, and pulp they would otherwise pay to handle. enVerde is actively progressing pilot and demonstration opportunities.
Founder and CEO: Dave Goebel | dave.goebel@enverdellc.com | enverdellc.com
Gulf Coast Biomass develops premium residential heating wood pellets from converted locally sourced sawmill and forestry residuals. Shipping from Savannah and other southeastern ports Gulf Coast Biomass produces pellets to ENplus A1 specifications for residential markets throughout Europe, with focus on the large and growing Italian market.
Founder and CEO: Dominic Walker | dominic@gulfcoastbiomass.net | gulfcoastbiomass.net
Proon-Tech helps land owners reduce the resource intensity of growing, managing and protecting trees: the water, labor and inputs each tree needs to survive and thrive. Proon-Tech’s 360° deep-tech stack combines biotech and AI field intelligence across the tree lifecycle, for forests, nurseries, orchards and infrastructure. Across Proon-Tech’s four field pilots in forestry and orchards, Proon-Tech cut planting and post-planting resource & labor cost by 73%. The company is now bringing these pilot results to the United States, starting in the Wiregrass and the Southeast.
Co-founders: Thea Gherdan, CEO and Ștefan Alin, CTO
thea@proon-tech.com | proon-tech.com
Treelyon builds the biophysical intelligence infrastructure for the world’s forests, starting with Alabama’s timber industry. Treelyon’s sensor-agnostic AI pipeline fuses LiDAR, hyperspectral and thermal imaging, ground-based sensing, and environmental DNA (eDNA) technologies to measure individual tree structure, species, health, and defects, while developing automated timber product and grade classification. A recent Alabama pilot reduced field data collection time by 93%, demonstrating the potential for faster, more affordable timber cruising and a deeper understanding of a forest’s biological and economic value. Founder and CEO Abby Seneor, recognized as one of the Top 10 Women in AI, previously served as CTO of deep-tech companies, led urban forest digitization initiatives, and held senior engineering roles at Microsoft and Intel, specializing in computer vision and spatial technologies.
Founder and CEO: Abby Seneor | abby@treelyon.com | treelyon.com
About gener8tor
gener8tor is a global venture firm and accelerator network that supports startups, workers, employers, artists and musicians. gener8tor partners with companies, governments, universities and nonprofits to operate accelerator programs and conferences in more than 46 communities across 25 states and territories and three countries. Fast Company named gener8tor one of the Best Workplaces for Innovators in 2021 and 2022. The International Trade Council recognized gener8tor as the Global Venture Capital Firm of the Year in 2022.
About Alabama Forestry Accelerator
Alabama Forestry Accelerator is a gener8tor gBETA program. gBETA is a non-equity accelerator that facilitates the growth of early-stage companies through a network-driven program. This accelerator supports five startups per cohort and requires no fees for startups and takes no equity. Since launching in 2015, gBETA accelerator alumni have raised $1.5B+ in capital and created 7,000+ jobs across the U.S. and Canada.
About Grow Southeast Alabama
Grow Southeast Alabama represents 11 counties that are working together as a team to promote and advance industrial growth in the region while leveraging its existing strengths in aerospace, automotive, agriculture, forestry, and wood products industries. Grow Southeast Alabama is a model of regional cooperation that our local industries have grown to depend on as a critical factor in their success.Grow Southeast Alabama unites 11 counties dedicated to fostering regional economic development by expanding key industries like forestry, timber, agriculture, aerospace, and manufacturing. By driving collaborative regional initiatives, Grow Southeast Alabama provides local businesses with the foundational partnership and resources necessary to succeed.
About HudsonAlpha Wiregrass
HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama, is a nonprofit institute dedicated to developing and applying scientific advances to health, agriculture, education and commercialization. HudsonAlpha partnered with the City of Dothan and created HudsonAlpha Wiregrass to spark innovation, enhance STEM education and inspire economic growth in the region. HudsonAlpha Wiregrass utilizes a collaborative approach to identify areas of promise within agriculture-related fields and implement strategies to build an ecosystem leading to new partnerships with existing companies, startup ventures, and an overall excitement of doing business in the region. HudsonAlpha Wiregrass is the main tenant in the Wiregrass Innovation Center in Dothan. This center, owned by the City of Dothan, serves as a hub for the work of HudsonAlpha Wiregrass, and a host of other ag tech companies.
