Birmingham Recognized as a Thriving Tech Hub
Read Time 1 mins | Written by: Kenneth Hough

We are thrilled to share the momentous news that Birmingham, Alabama has been officially recognized as one of the 31 prominent tech hubs in the United States, marking a significant milestone in the city's technological evolution. The recent announcement by the Biden-Harris administration solidifies Birmingham's position as the sole tech hub in the southeastern region, presenting a wealth of opportunities for the city's burgeoning tech community.
As part of this landmark designation, Birmingham now has the potential to secure substantial funding of up to $70 million in biotechnology, laying the groundwork for groundbreaking advancements and transformative initiatives within the city's thriving tech ecosystem.
Brooke Gillis, CEO of Innovation Depot, emphasized the critical need to cultivate a strong tech culture within Birmingham, fostering an environment that attracts and nurtures top-tier talent and cutting-edge companies to address some of the most pressing global challenges.
At KeyQ, we are proud to play a role in Birmingham's dynamic tech landscape. This momentous recognition not only underscores Birmingham's growing prominence on the national tech map but also signifies the city's vibrant and rapidly expanding technological prowess. We are excited to continue contributing to the city's technological growth and fostering innovation within the local community.
The 'tech hub' status holds the promise of enhanced collaboration, innovation, and technological breakthroughs within Birmingham. As we move forward, we are committed to driving the city's technological advancements and positioning Birmingham as a trailblazing force in the global tech arena.
Stay tuned for more updates as we embark on this exciting journey of technological transformation and progress in Birmingham's flourishing tech landscape.
Read the full CBS news article here.
A Framework Built to Accelerate App Development for Startups
Kenneth Hough
Background
I founded KeyQ in March of 2020 with the vision of helping businesses achieve the next level of success through delivering innovative and meaningful cloud solutions. Since its inception, I have worked with several businesses, non-profit organizations, and universities to design and build cloud applications that have helped streamline their business processes and reduce costs.
Prior to KeyQ, I was a medical researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine. UAB is also where I worked on my doctoral thesis under the mentorship of Dr. Jessy Deshane and Dr. Victor Thannickal. During my doctoral work at UAB I was exposed to the “omics” and big data, which has influenced my career choice to develop data-driven analytics platforms in the cloud.
I also have to give a big shoutout to my undergraduate education at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), where I majored in biochemistry. WPI’s motto is “Lehr und Kunst,” which roughly translates to “Theory and Practice” or “Learning and Skilled Art.” WPI truly cherishes and upholds this pedagogy, which can be seen by the teaching styles and class sizes. The learning experience I had at WPI is unique and has shaped me to be who I am, being able to learn, practice and apply.
Personal Interests
I love to learn innovative technologies and try new things. I have a broad area of interests that include serverless architectures, machine learning, artificial intelligence, bioinformatics, medical informatics, and financial technology. I am also working towards my CFA level 1 exam for 2021. Other interests and hobbies include traveling, rock climbing, rappelling, caving, camping and gardening!