Shegun Otulana, a Birmingham-based entrepreneur originally from Nigeria, has built a remarkable legacy of impact and investment in his adopted city. Raised by industrious parents who overcame poverty by building multiple businesses, Otulana moved to the U.S. for college, earning a bachelor's degree in management and information systems from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2003. Staying in Birmingham, he developed a strong sense of responsibility to contribute to the local economy, motivated by the belief that overlooked regions often hold great opportunity.

Otulana founded Therapy Brands, a practice management software for behavioral health providers, in 2013. Under his leadership, it scaled into a national platform and ultimately achieved a historic $1.25 billion exit in 2021, marking one of the Southeast’s largest software deals and the biggest in Alabama's history at the time. Despite early challenges, such as a difficult fundraising process that secured only $250,000 initially, Otulana’s persistence turned Therapy Brands into a highly profitable venture with extensive clinician reach.

After this major success, Otulana launched Harmony Venture Labs (HVL), an AI-focused venture studio that co-builds and invests in promising B2B software startups like ListedKit.ai. Based in Birmingham, HVL is designed to tackle ecosystem challenges by concentrating talent, capital, and entrepreneurial energy in one place, helping founders—whether local or remote—overcome traditional barriers such as limited access to funding and networks. HVL also partners with corporations and institutions to incubate startups by uniting founders passionate about solving industry problems.

Looking ahead, Otulana aims for HVL to seed the South with numerous thriving startups over the next two decades. The venture studio has ties with Innovate Alabama, contributing to a $10 million fund supporting Alabama-based companies like PackPay, DealTree, and SupplyFlo. Through collaborative community efforts that cross racial and cultural lines, Otulana and his partners are committed to recognizing history while actively building a forward-looking, inclusive entrepreneurial environment in Birmingham and beyond.