Attracting young professionals to Birmingham has been a goal of business and city leaders for some time, and the efforts appear to be paying off.

A recent survey by Thumbtack ranked Birmingham in first place for its list of theTop 10 Cities for Millennial Entrepreneurs.

Birmingham has been a hotbed for startups in recent years, as business incubators like Innovation Depot work to cultivate the ideas of the city's aspiring entrepreneurs.

MONTGOMERY, Alabama - The Alabama Innovation Fund has awarded nearly $4.5 million to advance research being conducted at universities and other institutions, providing key support for programs that could generate new ventures and create jobs across the state.

This year, the Alabama Innovation Fund is funding 14 projects at six different universities and two research-focused organizations, with the maximum award reaching $500,000. The projects being supported focus on fields ranging from automotive metallurgy to aquaculture and exercise science.

"Innovation and entrepreneurship are critical to Alabama's long-term economic development plan, and I am proud that the Alabama Innovation Fund supports research at universities across the state," Governor Robert Bentley said.  "These grants are highlighting some of the state's best and brightest researchers from various industry sectors. Each grant represents the potential for new jobs as well as other economic opportunities for the state."