Hurry over to Accelerate Augusta if you want to get an early look at how it can help your business.
Accelerate Augusta Powered by SRPFCU (SRP Federal Credit Union) is having a series of workshops through September as a “soft opening” leading up to the official opening on October 10th.
The downtown business incubator is a partnership between Augusta Technical College and the Downtown Development Authority.
“We’re doing this to give an overall view of who we are and to actually get some traction for our grand opening, Executive Director Shaun Andrews explained for ABD. “Just because the first day is October 10, we don’t want that to be the first of this official launching into the community.”
The incubator is in the former Greater Augusta Chamber of Commerce Building in the 600 block of Broad Street. It will serve as a hub for entrepreneurs, small business owners, and startups. It will provide a series of workshops and mentorship programs while also offering a chance to network with others facing challenges for new and existing businesses.
The first workshop, titled “The Daily Grind,” sponsored by Buona Coffee, brought together just that type of diverse representation, including Jahmal Williams, supervisor of the arena at the newly expanded Splatter Place in North Augusta.
“We’re here just to be a part of the community support for other business owners. Anybody who’s starting, who’s already in it,” he said, adding he was also looking for tips. “Everything and anything. Anything that will help us, and anything that I can learn from here to help somebody else.”
Another participant has established roots in Maryland, while trying to grow in Metro Augusta.
AV3 is a small, minority owned and veteran-owned audio-visual design and installation company. It works on commercial or government projects, updating their audio-visual setups or doing a new installation for the business based on its needs.
“We’re trying to build our brand here, and in order to build your brand, you’ve got to network,” local sales account manager Christa Avret said. “You’ve got to be in spaces where you can meet other people that can help you, and you can help them. So, together we can build our businesses together and referrals and things like that.”
Avret said one thing that would have been a significant help to getting AV3 off the ground in the C.S.R.A. would have been someone to help navigate the early steps to setting up the business.
“Knowing permits and licenses and what we need to be able to do some of these projects,” she said. “How to get into the community, networking, chambers (of commerce), and other organizations that can help us grow. We’ve been in Maryland since 2006, but here in Augusta, we’re having to learn everything.”
That, said Andrews, is one of the goals of Accelerate Augusta.
“We want to help people see around corners. I always tell people that having a mentor is like the secret sauce to success, and so we want to make sure that we are a welcoming place for individuals. When you come here, you have programming, but you’ll find community as well,” he said. “I think often times we think about the knowledge of entrepreneurship, but community is also one of the biggest aspects of being successful.”
Accelerate Augusta will continue to offer a series of workshops over the next several months.
“From now until the end of the year, we have about 20 different programs and events that we’re going to be having throughout here,” Andrews said. “Then in 2026, we’re going to have some really, really impactful programs that we’re going to be launching. So, on our (October) ribbon cutting, we’re going to preview or launch all of those. Those will vary from individuals who are looking to start a business to individuals who already have businesses.”
Learn more about Accelerate Augusta on the continuing education page on August Tech’s website: https://ce.augustatech.edu/
