University of Alabama at Birmingham
IN-27: Innovation D

The Academic Small Business Alliance (ASBA) Bridge to Success Project is a collaborative partnership between UAB’s Collat School of Business, Department of Small Business Inclusion and a number of small business owners from the greater Birmingham area. This program was designed to create a talent pipeline into employment opportunities with small diverse business enterprises (DBEs) in a way that allows them to build capacity and to succeed. As a part of ASBA, students were selected from UAB’s Collat School of Business and placed for internship opportunities that complement the needs of the small business. This innovative initiative is a first for UAB and is a unique collaborative partnership between numerous internal and external partners. Numerous diverse businesses have been selected for the program through an extensive admission process that includes: - Application submission - Onsite visits - Interview process In a relatively short period of time, this project has become streamlined, sustainable and successful. Since the program began, a total of 69 companies within 19 distinct zip codes have been positioned for growth. This program has directly helped underrepresented students develop crucial relationships with innovators in the Birmingham Community and help these students learn how to develop their own businesses.