CO.LAB Updates

CO.LAB Awarded Grant from EDA to Help Launch Regional Investment Fund
Our team is very excited to announce that CO.LAB has been awarded a 3-year $299,651 grant from the Economic Development Administration (EDA) as part of the agency’s Build To Scale grant program. The funds will be used to build and launch the Chattanooga Regional Catalyst Fund (CRCF), which once established, will invest in high-growth companies in the Chattanooga region. Learn more by reading the press release from the EDA below.
READ RELEASE
 
Premiere of #BuildTN: CO.LAB on Creating Community-Supported Entrepreneurship in Chattanooga

In the #BuildTN series that premiered during year’s virtual 36|86 Festival, our CEO Marcus Shaw reflects on what makes East Tennessee a special place to build, and how a connection to statewide partners helps forge a stronger ecosystem. Click the video above or the link below to watch.

WATCH VIDEO

In the News

Chattanooga Times Free Press: EPB partnership connects 6,800 Hamilton County Schools students with free internet
We are excited to see our partners at EPB featured in the Chattanooga Times Free Press for their new HCS Ed Connect Program. This initiative provides free internet connections for all students receiving free or reduced lunches in Hamilton County and has already connected more 4,400 local households since the program was announced in late July, extending free broadband connections to more than 6,800 low- and moderate-income students in the Chattanooga area.

Chattanooga Times Free Press: Hamilton County Schools’ Bryan Johnson named Tennessee Superintendent of the Year

The Chattanoogan: Vanderbilt Researcher Receives $3.9 Million In Grants To Redesign CARTA Transit System
Abhishek Dubey, assistant professor of electrical engineering and computer science at Vanderbilt University, received two grants from the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy which will fund regional transit systems using cutting-edge data science techniques through a group of projects called Smart Transit. Both grants will fund projects with the Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority.

More news from the community:

“TVA Economic Development Recognized As Top Utility 15 Years Running” — The Chattanoogan

“Lowe’s offers small businesses the ‘Shark Tank’ treatment” — Chattanooga Times Free Press

“Chattanooga-based CBL joins Time to Vote moment” — Chattanooga Times Free Press

Capital Update

Apply for TN Small Business Relief
The Tennessee Business Relief Program was created to provide relief payments to more than 40,000 eligible businesses that had to temporarily close or suffered a substantial reduction in taxable sales due to COVID-19. Learn more and apply by September 25th here! 

TVFCU Financial Literacy Library Launched
Tennessee Valley Credit Union has launched a new YouTube series with short videos on breaking down financial topics from demystifying everything from investing to what differentiates credit unions from banks.

WATCH VIDEOS

Partner + Community Updates

2020 CHATECH Scholars Program Announced 
The Chattanooga Technology Council (ChaTech) connects the local technology community to help drive economic growth for all. Qualifications and more information can be found here.
Styles L. Hutchins Fellowship Now Accepting Applications
The City of Chattanooga and Urban League announced the application for this fall’s Styles L. Hutchins Fellow program. This high caliber research and outcomes-based project will help to identify and implement strategies to help attract, recruit, and retain early-career Black talent in Chattanooga. Find more info and apply here.

Maija Ehlinger joins Hypepotamus as Editor-in-Chief
Atlanta-based tech and startup publication Hypepotamus brings on new Editor-in-Chief, Maija Ehlinger. Welcome Maija to her new role! Hypepotamus is also looking for freelance writers who can cover startup news and find valuable stories in funding announcements, events, cohorts and everywhere else the Southern tech community can be found. Read more here.

Founder Spotlight

Ella Livingston, Cocoa Asante

Ella Livingston, Credits: Chattanooga Times Free Press

Ella Livingston, a participant of CO.LAB’s Consumer Goods Accelerator and BBS Program, recently was one of four featured Black female guest chefs in this year’s virtual 4 Courses and Tennessee Whiskey hosted by the Tennessee Whiskey Festival to benefit Brainerd High School’s culinary arts program. She is the chocolatier behind Cocoa Asante, a chocolate truffle company that uses cocoa sourced from Ghana, where she was born. Since 2018, Ella has sold her handmade truffles directly to local businesses for retail and to online customers.

READ MORE

Job Postings

Production Assistant (Tesbros)
Partner Success Associate (Bellhop)
Customer Care Specialist (Bellhop)
Insides Sales Executive (Rhinogram)
Marketing Designer (Rhinogram)

Full-Stack Developer (ProNvest)
Video Content Producer (Freightwaves)
TV/Events Executive Producer (Freightwaves)
Quality Assurance Engineer (Text Request)

What We’re Reading

Fast Company: Is it smart to start a business in 2020? COVID-19 is inspiring people to do just that
2020 has been a year of uncertainty for many, especially those in the world of entrepreneurship. However, there are those who see disruptions in the market as opportunities in this difficult season. In a recent survey by JustBusiness and highlighted in Fast Company, more than 1 in 5 entrepreneurs surveyed had not planned to start businesses before the pandemic. Additionally, 40% are launching into industries that face challenges like accommodations and retail. It is not uncommon to see a surge of creativity and innovation in times of economic recession, and we believe this wave will continue to move as we see more sectors return to normal operations.

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