LAUNCH

What LAUNCH does

LAUNCH (legal name: LAUNCH, Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit entrepreneurship support organization headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee, founded in April 2011. The organization provides training, coaching, networking, and capital-access services to early-stage and underrepresented entrepreneurs through a layered portfolio of programs: the Start-Up Matrix (10-week foundational course, $100 fee), the KIC Catalyst (16-week food and CPG accelerator, $500 fee), the LAUNCHing Bright Ideas high school curriculum, the StartSpark national network of 20+ partner organizations, and the Kitchen Incubator of Chattanooga (KIC), a 10,000 sq. ft. shared commercial kitchen facility opened in 2020.

The underlying technology stack is intentionally lightweight and non-proprietary: LAUNCH relies on standard business software, the Catalyzer app for cohort applications, Eventbrite for event management, and conventional email and social media marketing. The organization's competitive differentiation is built on community, physical infrastructure (KIC), and 15 years of accumulated local trust rather than on technology.

LAUNCH's business model is multi-stream nonprofit revenue. It charges modest one-time program fees, generates rental income from the KIC kitchen, solicits individual and organizational donations, and pursues government grants (notably California's Apprenticeship Innovation Funding). The customer base is highly distributed — 943 entrepreneurs trained and 663 businesses started to date — composed almost entirely of individual founders, food entrepreneurs, and high school students, with no enterprise or concentrated anchor customers. GTM motion is community-led, relying on local partnerships, word-of-mouth, alumni referrals, and recurring community events (Food Truck Friday, LAUNCH Games, KIC Nights).

Name

LAUNCH

Legal name

LAUNCH, Inc.

Website

https://launchchattanooga.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

LAUNCH is a Chattanooga-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides entrepreneurship training, coaching, and shared kitchen infrastructure to early-stage and underrepresented founders, primarily serving individual entrepreneurs and food-business startups through cohort-based programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Entrepreneurship Training and Small Business Support

NAICS

Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Educational Support Services (61171), Technical and Trade Schools (61151)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators (EDAMAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA), Entrepreneurship & Small Business Workforce Programs (EDAAAOAM), Food Entrepreneurship (Food Trucks/Small Business) (EDAOAKAK), Business Planning, Pitching & Competitions (Pitch Decks, Demo Days) (EDAMAHAB), Career Exploration & Industry Exposure (Guest Speakers, Company Visits) (EDAMAHAJ)

Keywords

• Entrepreneurship training programs
• Small business coaching
• Commercial kitchen incubator
• Startup accelerator services
• Community economic development

Headquarters

HQ city

Chattanooga

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Apprenticeship Innovation Funding: LAUNCH receives government funding through California's Apprenticeship Innovation Funding (AIF) program to support workforce training programs. The funding supports earn-and-learn apprentices in high-demand sectors including healthcare, education, and technology.
2. Program Fees: LAUNCH charges program fees for its accelerator programs: $100 for Start-Up Matrix (10-week course upon acceptance) and $500 for KIC Catalyst (16-week food-focused program upon acceptance). These are one-time fees for program participation.
3. Donations and Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, LAUNCH receives charitable donations from individuals and organizations. The organization actively solicits donations ($25, $100, $1,000 or any amount) to support entrepreneurs in the Chattanooga community.
4. Kitchen Incubator Rental Revenue: The Kitchen Incubator of Chattanooga (KIC) generates revenue through rental of its 10,000 sq. ft. shared commercial kitchen space to caterers, food trucks, bakers, and CPG developers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

LAUNCH is a nonprofit entrepreneurship support organization that delivers cohort-based training programs, business coaching, networking, and capital access to early-stage and underrepresented entrepreneurs in Chattanooga. Its portfolio includes the Start-Up Matrix 10-week foundational course ($100), the 16-week KIC Catalyst food/CPG accelerator ($500), the LAUNCHing Bright Ideas high school curriculum, a 10,000 sq. ft. shared commercial kitchen (KIC) for rental, and the StartSpark national network connecting partner organizations serving underrepresented founders.

Product overview

LAUNCH is a nonprofit entrepreneurship support organization in Chattanooga, Tennessee, operating as a single unified organization offering multiple interconnected programs. The portfolio consists of five core programs: the Start-Up Matrix (10-week foundational entrepreneurship course started in 2011), KIC Catalyst (16-week food and CPG accelerator), the Kitchen Incubator of Chattanooga (10,000 s.f. shared commercial kitchen), StartSpark (national network of partner organizations launched 2014), and LAUNCHing Bright Ideas (high school entrepreneurship curriculum). Additionally, free LAUNCH & Learn workshops and community events like The LAUNCH Games provide ongoing support. Programs are offered both in-person and online, with KIC Catalyst and Start-Up Matrix providing the primary progression pathway for entrepreneurs from training through to food-specific acceleration and kitchen access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• StartSpark: A national network of organizations empowering underrepresented entrepreneurs across the U.S.
• Kitchen Incubator of Chattanooga (KIC)
• Start-Up Matrix
• LAUNCHing Bright Ideas
• KIC Catalyst

Products and services

• Start-Up Matrix A 10-week, in-depth introduction to entrepreneurship, paired with post-program business coaching and ongoing support. Offered in-person or online at a $100 program fee upon acceptance. Designed for early-stage entrepreneurs in the Chattanooga area who need business fundamentals, mentorship, and a peer community.
• KIC Catalyst A 16-week accelerator program designed specifically for food and CPG entrepreneurs. Includes the full Start-Up Matrix curriculum plus food-specific training and hands-on experience in the nationally recognized Kitchen Incubator of Chattanooga (KIC). Costs $500 upon acceptance.
• Kitchen Incubator of Chattanooga (KIC) A 10,000 sq. ft. shared commercial kitchen rental space for food-centric entrepreneurs, providing space for caterers, food trucks, bakers, and CPG developers. Generates revenue through kitchen rental and is a nationally recognized piece of physical infrastructure that is difficult for competitors to replicate.
• StartSpark National Network A national network of 20+ partner organizations empowering underrepresented entrepreneurs across the U.S. LAUNCH provides partner organizations with training, coaching, and tools to help them build supportive entrepreneurship organizations in their own cities.
• LAUNCHing Bright Ideas A free semester-long high school entrepreneurship curriculum that connects students with the Kitchen Incubator of Chattanooga, teaching them what it takes to start a mobile or brick and mortar food business. Expanded from The Howard School to nine local schools in the Chattanooga urban core.
• LAUNCH & Learn Workshops Free workshops available for entrepreneur skillset development, covering topics such as marketing, finance, technology, and professional skills. Open to the entrepreneur community on a workshop-by-workshop basis.
• The LAUNCH Games A competitive community event where teams or companies register and participate, promoting entrepreneurship through community engagement. Registration is via the LAUNCH Games email ([email protected]).

Quantifiable outcome

• 943 entrepreneurs trained
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Early Care & Education Pathways to SuccessminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the awardees of California's $30 million Apprenticeship Innovation Funding (AIF) program targeting healthcare, education, and technology sectors.
• Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority JATCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerApprenticeship Innovation Funding awardee focused on transportation sector workforce development in California.
• SLO Partners ApprenticeshipsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerApprenticeship Innovation Funding awardee in San Luis Obispo focused on scaling workforce training programs.
• The Howard SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLAUNCH began outreach to younger entrepreneurs in 2012 by partnering with The Howard School to create the High School Entrepreneurship Program. The partnership expanded to nine local schools in the Chattanooga urban core.
• Urban League of Greater ChattanoogacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for KIC Nights: Juneteenth celebration. Co-hosting this community event celebrating entrepreneurs, community leaders, artists, and more.
• Chattanooga Business ElitecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosting KIC Nights: Juneteenth celebration event. Partnership celebrating entrepreneurs, community leaders, and artists.
• ArtsBuildcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for KIC Nights: Juneteenth celebration. ArtsBuild is a key partner in empowering and educating the community.
• BetterFiminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of KIC Nights: Juneteenth celebration event.
• G93minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of KIC Nights: Juneteenth celebration event.
• Gordon Food ServiceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLAUNCH traveled to Atlanta for Gordon's Food Show to support KIC Catalyst students in testing and analyzing top-market food products for business development.
• TVFCUminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Food Truck Friday 2026 event at the Kitchen Incubator of Chattanooga.
• Arts Build (formerly Allied Arts)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormer Executive Director role for Ricardo Moris was at Allied Arts (now ArtsBuild) of Greater Chattanooga in Arts Administration. LAUNCH has current partnership with ArtsBuild for community events.
• City Farms Grower CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoel Tippens' urban farming organization has established partnerships with UTC Environmental Studies department, The Howard School, Hope for the Inner City, and The Bethlehem Center.
• CO.LABcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit partner in the entrepreneurial ecosystem that has broadened the support network for LAUNCHepreneurs like Ella Livingston of Cocoa Asante.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• SCORE: National nonprofit providing free mentoring, workshops, and resources to small business owners. Directly comparable to LAUNCH's mission of inclusive entrepreneurship support, though SCORE is mentor-driven rather than cohort/accelerator-based.
• Hot Bread Kitchen: NYC-based nonprofit kitchen incubator and food business program supporting immigrant and underrepresented food entrepreneurs. Comparable to KIC and KIC Catalyst's mission of providing commercial kitchen access plus training to underserved food founders.
• The Kitchen Incubator (Columbus, OH): Shared commercial kitchen and food-business accelerator in Columbus, Ohio. Direct comparable to LAUNCH's Kitchen Incubator of Chattanooga (KIC) — same physical-asset-plus-training model for food and CPG entrepreneurs.
• Start Small Think Big: National nonprofit providing free business support, mentoring, and resources to underrepresented entrepreneurs. Closely aligned with LAUNCH's mission of inclusive access to entrepreneurship education, coaching, and capital readiness.
• Accion: Nonprofit small-business lender and support organization serving underserved entrepreneurs with capital, coaching, and networks. Comparable to LAUNCH's capital-access value proposition and inclusive-entrepreneurship focus.
• Kiva: Global nonprofit enabling crowdfunded microloans to small entrepreneurs, with a U.S. program focused on underserved founders. Comparable to LAUNCH on the inclusive-entrepreneur / capital-access dimension, though Kiva is a lending platform rather than a cohort program.
• Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center: Bay Area nonprofit offering entrepreneurship training, business incubation, and small-business support to underserved communities. Comparable to LAUNCH's Start-Up Matrix in providing cohort-based foundational training with a focus on inclusive entrepreneurship.
• CO.LAB: Chattanooga-based nonprofit supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses, named as a LAUNCH ecosystem partner. Closest local peer in mission (inclusive entrepreneurship) and geography, with overlapping but distinct program offerings.

Emerging players

• Bpeace: Nonprofit deploying business experts to help entrepreneurs in underserved communities build sustainable businesses. Comparable mission to LAUNCH's StartSpark, with a focus on mentoring-driven capacity building for small entrepreneurs.

Broad incumbents

• SBDC (Small Business Development Center Network): Federally funded national network providing free business consulting, training, and resources to entrepreneurs. Closest public-sector analog to LAUNCH's Start-Up Matrix and KIC Catalyst programs, and a primary alternative LAUNCH competes against for local entrepreneurs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/launchchattanooga
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/launch-chattanooga
• Instagraminstagram.com/launchcha
• Xx.com/LAUNCHchatt

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about LAUNCH