Turning an idea into a business takes more than ambition. It takes knowledge, guidance and opportunities to put both into practice.

At the University of South Alabama, the Melton Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation brings those elements together, nurturing entrepreneurship on campus and throughout the Central Gulf Coast. Its work has earned the Center the Mobile Chamber’s 2026 Reverend Wesley A. James Minority Business Advocate Award.

The Melton Center’s commitment extends into the community through two programs designed to support entrepreneurs at different stages of their business journey.

The Minority Business Development Program helps aspiring entrepreneurs develop early-stage ideas, while the Minority Business Accelerator supports existing businesses ready to grow. Both provide intensive, customized business development, opportunities to compete for financial awards and continued support after graduation.

Since the community programs began, more than 80 entrepreneurs have graduated, receiving approximately $250,000 to help launch or expand their businesses. Eighty percent of those graduates are minority entrepreneurs.

On campus, instruction, hands-on collaboration and pitch competitions give students opportunities to develop their ideas, present them to judges and build confidence. That combination of learning and practical experience helps prepare aspiring entrepreneurs to take their next steps.

Through education, engagement and community partnerships, the Melton Center is helping more people gain the skills and support to turn ambition into opportunity and contribute to the region’s economic growth.

The Mobile Chamber congratulates the University of South Alabama’s Melton Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation on receiving the 2026 Reverend Wesley A. James Minority Business Advocate Award.