high_tech_incubator

Posted January 2006

The Hamilton County High-Tech Incubator/Accelerator will open in the UTC School of Engineering building on January 27. The Chamber, the County and UTC formed a partnership to fund, manage and house the incubator which will focus on the creation of high-tech companies, says John Riddell, vice president of the Center for Entrepreneurial Growth (CEG).

The incubator, which operates under the auspices of the Chamber's CEG, is housed in an unused classroom equipped with cubicles where clients selected for the program have access to AV equipment, conference room facilities, business development counseling from Riddell and support from UTC engineering and business faculty - all at no charge.

"Clients are required to participate in a structured business development process to insure a solid foundation for future business success. Our purpose is to rapidly move start-up companies from idea to product or software," Riddell says.

Once clients "graduate" from the accelerator, they may move into the Business Development Center - the Chamber-managed incubator on Cherokee Boulevard - or to other space of their choosing.

The Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce is the leading business and economic development organization for the Chattanooga region. For over 100 years, the Chattanooga Chamber has provided community engagement and opportunities for businesses, large and small, including networking, business promotion, business discounts, and public policy advocacy, as well as leadership development and training opportunities.

In addition, the Chattanooga Chamber is a one-stop-shop for site selectors and business decision-makers considering investments and job creation projects in the Chattanooga region. The Chattanooga Chamber is also responsible for marketing Enterprise South Industrial Park, a top-tier industrial park that offers significant strategic business advantages. In addition, the Chattanooga Chamber administers the Chattanooga Hamilton County Business Development Center, the largest business incubator in the U.S. in terms of the number of start up companies it houses, and the Center for Entrepreneurial Growth, an innovative effort to nurture technology-based start-up companies.

As the first stop for people interested in moving to the Chattanooga, the Chattanooga Chamber provides a range of relocation information including demographics, informational videos, connections to Chattanooga Area jobs, and frequently asked questions.