Copyright AL.com
A Birmingham-based financial tech company is expanding its operations in the Magic City with plans to create 66 new jobs over the next five years. SmartWiz uses advanced artificial intelligence to streamline the work of tax professionals. It is one of only 16 IRS-approved tax software providers worldwide, and its founders turned down a $3 million offer to relocate to Los Angeles. “SmartWiz’s decision to grow in Birmingham reinforces that Alabama has the talent, resources and supportive business climate that innovative companies need to succeed,” Alabama Commerce Secretary Ellen McNair said. The company currently employs 10 people at Birmingham’s Innovation Depot. SmartWiz was founded in 2021 by five Auburn University students with a “simple” goal: to put its software in the hands of every tax professional in the U.S. within five years, according to CEO Tevin Harrell. “We plan to grow our team here in Alabama with some of the world’s most talented engineers, sales and customer support professionals, building the next unicorn tech company right here in our state,” Harrell said. The Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA), which was also involved in the project, estimates that expansion will have an economic impact of $9.6 million over the next 20 years. Over its life, the company won $50,000 in early seed funding through the Alabama Launchpad and received $500,000 from Innovate Alabama’s State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI). It also secured funding from Techstars Los Angeles, Google and entertainer Pharrell Williams. Harrell said the decision to stay in Birmingham was based on the support of Innovation Depot, the local atmosphere and the ease of doing business. “As a business owner, people are your biggest investment,” he added. “With support from the Birmingham Business Alliance, Jefferson County, the City of Birmingham and the State of Alabama to help offset training, we’re not only able to attract top talent to the Birmingham region but also strengthen our path toward becoming a billion-dollar company within the next five years.” The Alabama Department of Commerce is providing tax incentives tied to job creation milestones, and state workforce development agency AIDT is chipping in services valued at $780,000. The City of Birmingham and Jefferson County are providing local job creation incentives totaling a combined $231,000.
