Reach out

Nate Schmidt serves as the Director of Portfolio Success at High Alpha Innovation.

Nate came to HAI by way of Techstars, where he worked in a variety of roles including Head of Product, General Manager of the East Coast, and Managing Director for the Techstars EnergyTech Accelerator. Originally from Kansas, Nate headed South in 2001 after meeting his Birmingham-born wife while finishing law school in London.

Nate is a serial entrepreneur and software developer who has participated in multiple startup ventures, including Cloverly, an API for carbon offsets and renewable energy credits, Instagift, Preptix, and Deal Co-op. From scaling Cloverly to exiting Preptix, Nate has vast experience building and operating technology companies. He remains extremely passionate about startups and regularly donates his time supporting the local entrepreneurial ecosystem.

In 2016, Nate launched the Velocity Accelerator, Alabama’s first startup accelerator, at Innovation Depot and served as Managing Director for its first class. Nate speaks regularly throughout the South on a variety of startup-related issues, including one that he is particularly passionate about, founder mental health. 

In his free time, Nate obsessively shoots baskets. He is a world class three point shooter and was featured on ESPN’s The Jump for making 100 half court shots in two and a half hours, converting 16% of his attempts. 

Nate and Jennifer live in the Homewood area of Birmingham where they are parents to a fifteen year old and twin eleven year olds, all boys. 

Nate has BA in Anthropology from the University of Kansas and a JD from the University of Kansas School of Law.

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