Every day, more people and companies set their sights on life in Alabama—people like Corey Anand, founder and CEO of Kaya.
Kaya, a company that connects employees together to build mental health programs in the workplace, moved from its headquarters in San Francisco to Birmingham in 2022 thanks to Alabama’s financial investment and community support of startups.
INNOVATORS WELCOME
Alabama-based Prosper HealthTech Accelerator, powered by gener8tor, identifies and supports healthcare founders. Anand and the Kaya team were in the first round cohort of the accelerator, and after raising funding for the company through the Alabama Futures Fund, they stayed to help build partnerships.
Participating in the cohort was Anand’s first experience in the state, and he learned what locals know to be true: Alabama is a welcoming space for innovators, whether they’re launching a business or exploring a nearby park.
“I was very pleasantly surprised to see that Birmingham is such a progressive and vibrant and welcoming city in Alabama. You don’t really hear about specific towns—you just hear about the state of Alabama. So it was really great to come here and feel very welcomed.”
Get outside in Alabama
When he isn’t hard at work, Anand takes advantage of Birmingham’s green spaces in his triathlon training. You can find him biking with a dog in tow through the streets to get from one place to another, but he’s also enjoyed discovering the city’s many outdoor paths.
“I love being able to get out in nature and just hop on the bike for hours to explore new areas,” he explained. “It’s been fun on a bike in Birmingham, especially when you get to get on those hills.”
His go-to for biking and running is the Rotary Trail, and during the week, Railroad Park is his self-proclaimed second home. He brings his dogs and walks around the park multiple times a day. That accessibility is what sets Alabama apart for so many people: here, your favorite outdoor activities might just be minutes or hours away, not a flight.
“There’s access to so many different types of environments in Alabama, depending on which direction you go. From heading down south to the beach or going camping only 30 minutes away.”
What’s next for Kaya
Today, Kaya continues to innovate and provide mental health support. They’re venturing into the AI space to help organizations predict the future health of their workforce.
Anand’s advice for startup founders considering making the same move that Kaya did? “Look into what Birmingham has to offer in terms of the environment and community. If you’re in the startup scene, there are a lot of great programs and places to work like Innovation Depot.”
For people like Anand, enjoying life and growing businesses in Alabama just makes sense. Ready to see for yourself? Follow along on Instagram + Facebook.
