Birmingham’s Climate for High-growth Companies

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2016/08/e831b00d28f1083ecd0b470de7444e90fe76e6d21bb3134590f8c8_640_startup.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:640;s:6:"height";i:384;s:4:"file";s:78:"2016/08/e831b00d28f1083ecd0b470de7444e90fe76e6d21bb3134590f8c8_640_startup.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:10:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:78:"e831b00d28f1083ecd0b470de7444e90fe76e6d21bb3134590f8c8_640_startup-336x202.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:202;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:78:"e831b00d28f1083ecd0b470de7444e90fe76e6d21bb3134590f8c8_640_startup-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:76:"e831b00d28f1083ecd0b470de7444e90fe76e6d21bb3134590f8c8_640_startup-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:78:"e831b00d28f1083ecd0b470de7444e90fe76e6d21bb3134590f8c8_640_startup-600x338.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:78:"e831b00d28f1083ecd0b470de7444e90fe76e6d21bb3134590f8c8_640_startup-600x384.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:384;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:78:"e831b00d28f1083ecd0b470de7444e90fe76e6d21bb3134590f8c8_640_startup-518x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:518;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:78:"e831b00d28f1083ecd0b470de7444e90fe76e6d21bb3134590f8c8_640_startup-442x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:442;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:78:"e831b00d28f1083ecd0b470de7444e90fe76e6d21bb3134590f8c8_640_startup-600x384.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:384;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"ab-block-post-grid-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:78:"e831b00d28f1083ecd0b470de7444e90fe76e6d21bb3134590f8c8_640_startup-600x384.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:384;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:78:"e831b00d28f1083ecd0b470de7444e90fe76e6d21bb3134590f8c8_640_startup-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:206837;s:14:"optimized_size";i:145935;s:7:"percent";d:29.440000000000001;}s:5:"sizes";a:9:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:106:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/08/e831b00d28f1083ecd0b470de7444e90fe76e6d21bb3134590f8c8_640_startup.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:51320;s:14:"optimized_size";i:37217;s:7:"percent";d:27.48;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:6:"medium";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:114:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/08/e831b00d28f1083ecd0b470de7444e90fe76e6d21bb3134590f8c8_640_startup-336x202.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:21864;s:14:"optimized_size";i:16110;s:7:"percent";d:26.32;}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:114:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/08/e831b00d28f1083ecd0b470de7444e90fe76e6d21bb3134590f8c8_640_startup-600x338.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:42882;s:14:"optimized_size";i:28285;s:7:"percent";d:34.039999999999999;}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:114:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/08/e831b00d28f1083ecd0b470de7444e90fe76e6d21bb3134590f8c8_640_startup-300x300.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:22771;s:14:"optimized_size";i:15784;s:7:"percent";d:30.68;}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:114:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/08/e831b00d28f1083ecd0b470de7444e90fe76e6d21bb3134590f8c8_640_startup-518x311.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:37140;s:14:"optimized_size";i:25650;s:7:"percent";d:30.940000000000001;}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:114:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/08/e831b00d28f1083ecd0b470de7444e90fe76e6d21bb3134590f8c8_640_startup-442x265.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:30860;s:14:"optimized_size";i:22889;s:7:"percent";d:25.829999999999998;}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

)
1662722027 
1472446858

The idea of starting or growing a business is pretty straightforward – an entrepreneur takes money and through hard work develops products or services to bring to the marketplace. But not all marketplaces are equal. This week in Magic City Marketplace we have some perspective on how well Birmingham is for entrepreneurs and companies trying to scale up quickly.

 

Here they are: The best student podcasts in America

For the 2025 NPR Student Podcast Challenge, we've listened to nearly 2,000 entries from around the U.S., and narrowed them down to 11 middle school and 10 high school finalists.

Musicians keep leaving Spotify in protest of CEO’s defense investments

In the last few months, bands including Hotline TNT and King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard have pulled music from Spotify in a new wave of artist-led protests against the platform.

Trump’s Medicaid cuts will hurt children’s hospitals

The GOP said its overhaul of Medicaid was aimed at reducing fraud and getting more adult beneficiaries to work. Among the likely side effects: fewer services and doctors for treating sick children.

A new Nation’s Report Card shows drops in science, math and reading scores

It's the first Nation's Report Card since the Trump administration began making cuts to the U.S. Education Department. The scores reflect the state of student achievement in early 2024.

Nepal lifts social media ban following protests where police killed 19 people

Nepal's government lifted its ban on social media platforms Tuesday a day after police killed opened fire on mass street protests against the ban, killing 19 people.

Rick Davies, singer and co-founder of Supertramp, has died

The British musician co-founded the rock band Supertramp, which spurred hits like "Give A Little Bit" and "The Logical Song" in the 1970s.

More Economy Coverage