About Us
Meet CO.STARTERS
Our program equips your city’s small businesses with everything they need to start, grow and succeed.
Our beginnings
From the beginning, CO.STARTERS pioneered a community-based approach to economic development. Beginning in 2008 in Chattanooga, Tennessee as part of a five-year revitalization effort called CreateHere. We recognized a growing need to provide business support.
We focused on real community needs—jobs, revitalization, and growth opportunities for local talent.
Through our early work with entrepreneurs, we found that simultaneous business and community support led to the ability to transform Main Street
Over the first four years in Chattanooga, more than 1,000 people went through our program. Our local work grew to support not only small businesses, but also high-growth startups.
Today the CO.STARTERS network consists of thousands of success stories around the world.
“CO.STARTERS was, without a doubt, the biggest bang for our buck. And it’s doing the same thing in cities across the state of Tennessee, too. We couldn't even spell ‘entrepreneurship’ fifteen years ago in Chattanooga. Look at us now.”