TN Placemaker Spotlight: LAUNCH

LAUNCH Chattanooga (LAUNCH) is an organization that works to empower underserved communities and individuals through entrepreneurship training programs at both the adult and high school level.

As a recipient of BERO’s LiftTN: Microenterprise grant, LAUNCH offers a 10-week Business Academy that focuses on validating and expanding an individual’s business idea while providing support that continues after graduation and into early-stage business activities. 

LAUNCH’s Business Academy is crafted for adults interested in starting their own business and those who have already started. And, additionally, they offer a uniquely tailored program for high schoolers interested in the entrepreneurial experience. 

Because of the LiftTN: Microenterprise grant, LAUNCH has been able to expand their services to better fit their community and to utilize data to better target and assist in the success of underrepresented businesses.

LAUNCH utilizes the rigorous reporting required by Lift TN to quantify, explain, and defend the work that they are doing.  LAUNCH says that the reporting makes it easier to reach the goals set forward by the grant.  They recommend having a qualified individual in charge of the reporting and grant handling. 

As LAUNCH looks forward, they plan to bring Business Academy to all Title I schools in Hamilton County to create a strong and youth-filled entrepreneurial pipeline while also creating a back-end support system that better helps entrepreneurs reach their business goals and become successful enterprises within their community.