Mixtroz
Mixtroz was a business which published a smart device app used for networking during events. The company had offices at "Forge" at The Pizitz.
The application was created by former corporate human resources professional Kerry Schrader and her daughter, Ashlee Ammons in 2014, while they were living in Nashville, Tennessee.
Mixtroz's founders pitched their business on the A&E television program "Rooster & Butch" in 2017. They brought the startup to Birmingham in 2018 to participate in Innovation Depot's "Velocity Accelerator" program and won investment funding from Steve Case's Revolution Fund during a "Rise of the Rest" tour event in Birmingham.
In October 2018 Mixtroz raised $1 million in investment capital to expand operations. Schrader and Halpin were recognized as the 37th and 38th Black women in America to raise over $1 million in venture capital. Mixtroz raised another $1 million investment in a round led by Black Star Fund in 2021. In September of that year Mixtroz was named as one of three Birmingham firms receiving $100,000 investments from the Google for Startups US "Black Founders Fund".
In August 2024 Schrader launched a separate personal and professional coaching business called KES. Mixtroz closed in November of that year after Halpin accepted a position with a national venture capital firm.
References
- Windsor, Matt (Summer 2019) "Power of Partnerships: Fueling the rise of Birmingham’s innovation ecosystem." UAB Magazine
- "6 questions with founder of innovative Mixtroz app." (November 2019) Birmingham magazine
- Patchen, Tyler (May 7, 2021) "Mixtroz raises $1M in seed round." Birmingham Business Journal
- Thornton, William (September 21, 2021) "3 Black-owned Alabama businesses each get $100,000 from $5 million Google fund." The Birmingham News
- Harwell, Harper (December 5, 2024) "Well-known minority-led startup ceasing operations." Birmingham Business Journal
- Harwell, Harper (December 6, 2024) "Mixtroz founder talks business closure, VC needs in Birmingham." Birmingham Business Journal