Chattanooga has long been known as The Scenic City but its newer reputation is about its budding startup scene.
We’re almost a month away from Chattanooga’s Startup Week, which celebrates our entrepreneurial community, so it’s the perfect time to highlight resources for budding business people, like the Business Development Center (a.k.a. INCubator), as well as some of the small companies doing big things here. 🙌
The INCubator is a startup development center in North Chattanooga + some of the entrepreneurs from the facility have participated in past Startup Week events.
What services does it provide?
- Low-cost rent for new companies
- Administrative services
- Training workshops
- Use of tech conference center
- Access to free on-site business counseling from the Tennessee Small Business Development Center
By the numbers:
- INCubator is currently home to 51 startup businesses in different stages of development.
- More than 556 startups have graduated from the INCubator’s entrepreneur support program.
- Annual lease rates for office spaces are between $6-per-square foot and $10-per-square foot. Rent includes water, trash collection, heat and air, use of the technology center, a post office box + parking.
Fast Facts
- INCubator is the largest business incubator in the state of Tennessee and the third-largest in the country.
- INCubator is a program of the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce + located in the Hamilton County Business Development Center.
- In 2012, The U.S. Green Building Council awarded the Business Development Center building LEED Silver Certification.
- The INCubator program is accredited by the International Business Innovation Association.
Spotlight on startups
From Hoff & Pepper, which got an Instagram shoutout from social media maven + model Chrissy Teigen, to Branch Technology, which has captured national attention for building the world’s first 3-D printed house, INCubator has housed a wide range of startups.
Check out some of the newer tenants + what they are bringing to our community.
- Bitter Bottle | Founder Kaleena Goldsworthy created this “modern American apothecary company,” with the goal of making herbal bitters and tinctures from the Chattanooga area.
- Local Venture Legal | Whitney Standefer-Smith started LVL to provide quality legal counsel to small businesses, regardless of access to capital.
- Sustainable Soul | Christina Wright started her business to provide “soul-based mindfulness women’s leadership coaching.”
