Business Support

Accelerate Mississippi is the state’s workforce development office, coordinating training, credentialing, and talent pipeline programs across industry, K-12, community colleges, and universities. Accelerate MS aligns workforce investment with the needs of aerospace, defense, and technology employers—ensuring the state’s talent supply keeps pace with industry growth and high-wage job creation.

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The Aerospace and Defense Alliance of Mississippi (ADAM) is Mississippi’s industry alliance for aerospace and defense companies, giving the sector a stronger collective platform for advocacy, visibility, and business development. ADAM represents Mississippi’s industry on policy, hosts the annual Mississippi Aerospace and Defense Symposium, and joins GCBC and Hancock County Port & Harbor in carrying Mississippi’s story to the Space Symposium in Colorado Springs. ADAM’s growth from 12 members in 2021 to more than 60 today reflects the strength of Mississippi’s industry voice—built in partnership with MSET, which used a DoW-funded ecosystem study to transform its former membership structure into ADAM and create durable industry infrastructure for the state.

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Gulf Blue is Mississippi’s Blue Economy initiative led by the University of Southern Mississippi, supporting marine technology startups through programs like the Gulf Blue Navigator accelerator and a growing ocean-innovation network on the Gulf Coast. Gulf Blue connects ocean and maritime technology companies to federal assets at Stennis—including NOAA, NRL, and CNMOC—and integrates Mississippi’s Blue Economy into the state’s broader aerospace and defense innovation strategy.

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The Gulf Coast Business Council (GCBC) is the region’s leading business advocacy and economic development organization, shaping priorities and amplifying the Gulf Coast’s competitive strengths in workforce, infrastructure, and industry recruitment. MSET collaborates with GCBC to position Mississippi’s aerospace, defense, and technology story beyond state lines—ensuring Gulf Coast business leadership is connected to statewide growth strategy.

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Innovate Mississippi is the state’s nonprofit for supporting startups and growth-stage companies—running accelerator programs, mentoring networks, and capital access services across Mississippi. Innovate Mississippi gives aerospace, defense, and technology founders access to mentorship, early-stage capital, federal commercialization pathways, and state R&D assets through a single pipeline.

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The Mississippi APEX Accelerator (formerly the state’s PTAC program, housed at MDA) helps Mississippi businesses navigate government contracting — from registration and certifications to bid preparation and compliance across federal, state, and local agencies. APEX is the front-line resource that gets Mississippi aerospace, defense, and technology firms ready to win and deliver on federal contracts tied to Stennis-resident agencies, DoD buyers, and state programs.

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