The INCubator is the new name for the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce’s program to support the launch and growth of local businesses. Located in the newly renovated Hamilton County Business Development Center, the INCubator is a development program designed to help small businesses reach milestones of growth.
The tenant companies, which include a mix of manufacturing and commercial enterprises, work through a three-year maturation process from business plan through graduation. The INCubator launches about 20 new companies every year into commercial and industrial locations throughout Chattanooga. More than 90 percent of the graduate companies are still in business after five years. The BDC is a 125,000 square foot former manufacturing facility. Hamilton County, which owns the building and has been operating it as a business incubator since 1988, recently completed a nearly $5 million renovation of the facility. In addition to giving the BDC a fresh appearance, the project addressed issues that had arisen due to the age of the structure, updated the building’s data and communication systems, and greatly improved its energy efficiency. To display the improvements and give the public a chance to meet some of the tenants, the Chamber held an INCubator open house on December 8.