Mississippi

Accelerating Mississippi’s growth: Why venture capital is key

Published

1 year ago

December 10, 2024

Emily Wykle
| Special to the Mississippi Clarion Ledger

Mississippi stands on the brink of a transformative era. With a history steeped in agricultural and manufacturing industries, local leaders have recognized in recent years that, due to rapid technological change, the state’s evolution as an innovation-based economy is necessary to secure its place on the national stage.

The state recently securing $86 million in federal funding for small business and startups is a testament to this work. The 2023 Mississippi Innovation Plan underscores the critical need to nurture a robust environment to attract and cultivate startups, particularly by increasing the availability of risk capital.

While renowned innovation hubs in the U.S. like Boston and the San Francisco Bay Area capture much attention from investors, a quieter but equally significant revolution is underway in cities like Austin, Nashville and Atlanta, and even smaller markets like Chattanooga, Huntsville, Asheville and Green Bay. Mississippi, with its unique potential but fewer established connections, must strategically leverage its resources to achieve its long-term goals in the venture capital arena.

Laying the groundwork with local partners

In recent years, Mississippi has demonstrated a clear commitment to enhancing its startup ecosystem. Efforts from organizations like Innovate Mississippi, local angel networks, and the state’s nationally recognized universities have set the stage for significant growth.

Our team at gener8tor, a national venture capital firm, has actively engaged with these local partners to understand the specific needs of Mississippi’s startup ecosystem. Through these conversations, two critical requirements have emerged: comprehensive founder education and support, and access to risk capital. By addressing these needs, we can identify and nurture local founders, ensuring they remain in Mississippi to contribute to the state’s growth rather than seeking opportunities elsewhere.

Retaining homegrown talent

Glo, headquartered in Starkville, is a prime example of Mississippi’s potential as an investment-friendly ecosystem. Founded by two Mississippi State University students in collaboration with the MSU Center of Entrepreneurship and Outreach, Glo has achieved remarkable success. Initially recognized for their innovative product, Glo Cubes, the company has pivoted its target market to focus on children’s toys, where their product enhances sensory skills.

With a recent $1.72 million capital raise, Glo’s valuation has soared to nearly $20 million. In addition, Glo has renovated the historic Rex Theater for its offices, further proof of the economic impact startups can have on local economies. This is precisely the kind of company we need to support and retain within the state, ensuring local investors and customers benefit from their success. There are many more “Glos” in Mississippi waiting for support, investment and the opportunity to thrive locally.

Driving progress and investment

At gener8tor, our mission is to foster investment in promising regions like Mississippi. We have a demonstrated track record of galvanizing startup ecosystems in small-to-mid-sized markets that are often overlooked by traditional venture capital funds, particularly those in the South and Midwest, without compromising returns.

Mississippi is fertile ground for opportunity. It’s time to accelerate this progress, and we’re ready to hit the ground running.

Our dedication to community-driven growth is evident in our track record. We have facilitated over $2.2 billion in total follow-on financing, created more than 12 thousand jobs, and witnessed 40% of our alumni raising over $1 million in follow-on financing or achieving acquisition. Additionally, 62% of our alumni have raised more than $250K in follow-on financing or achieved acquisition.

Currently, we are raising a venture capital fund to invest specifically in Mississippi startups. In addition, we’re working closely with key partners, like Innovate Mississippi, and will be sponsoring this month’s Accelerate Conference.

Through targeted investment opportunities, we aim to ensure that the benefits realized from Mississippi’s innovative companies remain local, driving sustainable economic growth for the state. It’s time to unlock Mississippi’s full potential.

We invite Mississippi founders to connect with us and help drive this exciting new chapter for the Magnolia State.

— Emily Wykle, regional vice president, gener8tor

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Mississippi

Former federal attorney faces arson charge after two fires in Fondren

Published

2 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Former federal attorney faces arson charge after two fires in Fondren

A former federal attorney was arrested and charged with arson for two fires in Jackson, Mississippi.
The fires damaged a building and a dumpster at the Yana Club of Mississippi, a recovery community nonprofit.
The suspect, George McDowell Yoder III, has a history of previous arrests and was suspended from practicing law in 2022.

A former federal attorney was arrested and charged with arson after a building and dumpster were set on fire Friday, Feb. 27, in the Fondren area of Jackson, authorities said.

Jackson Fire Department Chief of Investigations Charles Felton said firefighters responded around 12 a.m. Friday in reference to a reported building fire and dumpster fire at Yana Club of Mississippi located at 555 Hartsfield Street.

Felton said fire crews arrived and found two separate fires in the Fondren neighborhood that caused damage to the Yana Club and the dumpster.

No injuries were reported.

After the fires were extinguished, a fire investigator was called to the scene. Investigators spoke with Capitol Police, who had a suspect detained.

Felton said the Jackson Fire Department Arson Division arrested George McDowell Yoder III, a former federal attorney, and charged him with first-degree arson of Yana Club and third-degree arson of the dumpster.

In 2021, WDAM TV reported Yoder had been a special assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi from 2009 to 2011. Yoder also ran unsuccessfully as a candidate for the Mississippi Court of Appeals in 2016.

According to a 2023 article by the Laurel Leader Call, Yoder was arrested in 2021 for residential burglary and faced multiple charges from 2021 to 2023. Yoder was also arrested in 2023 for arson charges, the outlet reported.

Documents from the Supreme Court of Mississippi also indicate that Yoder was admitted to the practice of law in the state in 1999 but later suspended in 2022 from practicing law for three years.

Court records show Yoder was found to be accepting fees from clients, abandoning them and then failing to deposit their retainers into a trust account. Yoder “commingled” his personal money with those of his clients and performed little to no work on a Madison County criminal case he was hired to resolve.

Jackson fire officials also said that a fire did not occur Friday morning at The Pig & Pint, a barbecue business located next to Yana Club.

Yana Club of Mississippi, a nonprofit organization, is described via their Facebook page as a “recovery community” that serves individuals seeking help with addictions.

The organization confirmed at 10:23 a.m. Friday via a social media post that the Yana Club building will be closed due to damages sustained from the fire.

“Due to the safety of our members, we will be closed through the weekend,” the organization stated. “We are working with [the] fire department and insurance to determine the best course of action. The building is currently deemed unsafe for meetings to be held. We will be in touch with updates when we have them.”

Pam Dankins is the breaking news reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Have a tip? Email her at pdankins@gannett.com.

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Mississippi

Renowned New York dance instructor visits Mississippi to recruit for summer program

Published

14 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Renowned New York dance instructor visits Mississippi to recruit for summer program

LAUREL, Miss. (WDAM) – A world-renowned dance instructor from New York visited Laurel Thursday to conduct a special class and do some recruiting for a prestigious summer dance program in the Big Apple.

Melanie Person, who is co-director of the Ailey School in New York, taught a master ballet class Thursday morning at Laurel Middle School.

It’s part of a three-day residency in the Magnolia State, organized by the Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience in Meridian.

She’ll teach two other classes Friday in Meridian before hosting an audition Saturday for a prestigious summer dance program at the Ailey School.

“I typically tour in about six to eight cities in the U.S., and I recruit dancers to come to our summer intensive, so part of this weekend, in one of the classes, I will be accepting students to come to New York for our five-week summer intensive,” Person said.

“We accept the dancers we like, and we see if they are able to come. The decision to come to New York for the summer is a big undertaking for families, so we just hope that they can do it.”

Registration is required for that audition, which will be held at the Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience.

To do that, click HERE.

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No. 12 Mississippi State’s Balance Shows Again in Road Win at Georgia Tech

Published

1 day ago

February 26, 2026

Press Room

No. 12 Mississippi State’s Balance Shows Again in Road Win at Georgia Tech

Mississippi State has won plenty of different ways during this 15-1 start, but Wednesday night in Atlanta felt like one of those games where the Bulldogs reminded everyone why they’ve looked so steady all month.

It wasn’t perfect, and it wasn’t stress‑free, but the 8-3 win over Georgia Tech was the kind of road win that shows a team knows exactly who it is and what buttons to push when things get a little weird.

Alyssa Faircloth set the tone again, even on a night when she didn’t have her cleanest beginning. She gave up a game‑tying homer in the second, shrugged, and then basically disappeared Georgia Tech’s lineup for the next three innings.

Eight strikeouts in nine batters the second time through the order, back‑to‑back innings striking out the side. The only real hiccup came on another leadoff homer in the sixth, and by then she’d already done the heavy lifting.

And while Faircloth was settling in, the lineup did what it’s been doing all year: spreading the damage around.

Des Rivera wasted no time, jumping on the first pitch of the second inning and sending it out. When Georgia Tech tied it, Nadia Barbary answered immediately with a solo shot of her own. It wasn’t loud or flashy, but it was the kind of response good teams make without thinking.

The middle innings were more about pressure than power. Barbary worked a walk, Kiarra Sells split the gap for an RBI double, and Anna Carder did her job with a sac fly. Suddenly it was 4-1, and Mississippi State had the game exactly where it wanted it with Faircloth cruising, the lineup stacking quality at‑bats, and the defense staying clean.

The seventh inning, though, is where the Bulldogs turned a solid win into a comfortable one. Sells homered again, and then Rivera and Tatum Silva kept the inning alive long enough for Morgan Bernardini to drop the hammer. Her three‑run shot to center didn’t just put the game away; it capped off the kind of night she’s been stringing together for a week now. She’s 7‑for‑11 during her four‑game hitting streak and looks like a hitter who’s seeing everything in slow motion.

Peja Goold handled the final outs, picking up her second save and slamming the door on a Georgia Tech team that kept trying to make things interesting late.

What stands out most about this win isn’t the four homers or the 11 strikeouts or even the 15-1 record. It’s how routine it all felt.

Mississippi State went on the road, took a couple of punches, and never looked rattled. Rivera homered. Barbary homered. Sells homered. Bernardini homered. Faircloth dominated. Goold closed. It was the same formula, just in a different ballpark.

Now the Bulldogs head to Clemson for a weekend that should tell us even more about who they are. But if Wednesday night is any indication, they’re traveling with a lineup that can hurt you anywhere and a pitching staff that doesn’t mind carrying the load when needed.