Brooke Gillis

Brooke is a seasoned leader in Birmingham’s tech startup space and serves as CEO of Innovation Depot, where she drives the city’s entrepreneurial growth. Previously, she launched Techstars’ Alabama EnergyTech accelerator and had an 8+ year run with Instagift, a startup rooted in Innovation Depot. She helped design and develop the Velocity Accelerator program, running for 6 years. Brooke, passionate about fostering community culture, holds a bachelor’s in communications from the University of Alabama and was named a Power 60 Emerging Influencer in 2023. She is a member of the Downtown Rotary Club of Birmingham, serves on UAB’s Committee Information Security Liaison, and will attend Harvard Business School’s Young American Leaders Program this year. Brooke lives in Birmingham with her husband, two sons, and their dog Annie.