Resources

Helpful Guidelines for Starting New Businesses

comprehensive collection of tools, guides, and expert advice for small business entrepreneurs. From step-by-step business plan templates to funding opportunities, this page is a one-stop hub for the essential information needed to launch and grow a successful new business.

Go to:Start-Up Guides|Funding|Licensing and Patents|Local Support

Start-Up Guides

Practical guides for starting a business, including templates, legal advice, and financial planning tools:

Funding Opportunities

University resources, grants, and third-party investment funds.

  • The Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC):High-tech entrepreneurship headquartered in Atlanta, has an Augusta-based startup catalyst, Chris Dickson (chris.dickson@atdc.org). They offer great training and development courses, along with mentoring, and are well-connected in the Atlanta area to money and management.
  • Coursera: Startup-Funding for Entrepreneurs:New Venture Finance, a free online entrepreneurship class from the University of Maryland, College Park, offers insights into how to get that financial shot in the arm
  • CSRA Business Lending:Private non-profit small business lending corporation serving businesses and banks throughout all of Georgia and South Carolina.
  • GRA Venture Fund:A public-private venture capital fund investing in research-driven, Georgia-based startup companies
  • Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses:Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses is an investment to help small businesses grow and create jobs by providing them with greater access to education, capital, and business support services. To date, more than 12,800 business owners have graduated from the program across all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.
  • MassChallenge:Is a 3-month mentor-based program that provides intensive support, guidance, tools and connectivity to the MassChallenge community in order to drive startup business traction. The program is industry agnostic with a focus on supporting approximately 200 startups per cohort that range in stage from those currently engaged in customer discovery work to validating a technology or service.
  • VentureSouth:An early-stage venture firm that provides capital and expertise to Southeastern startups through our angel investment network and funds

Licensing and Patents

US Patent Office:Learn about the basics of applying for a patent, get assistance, pay and maintain your patents, find investors and more.

Augusta University:Looking for a technology or invention to commercialize? This site has a large array of technologies listed across multiple categories that can be searched and licensed. With a direct link to universities and institutions, this is the best place to find new technologies online.

Army Medical Technology:Research & Development Command. For licensing opportunities, please contact the ORTA:USArmy.Detrick.MEDCOM-USAMRMC.List.ORTA@health.mil

Savannah River National Lab:SRNL is pleased to provide a variety of business arrangements.

VA Diffusion Marketplace:TheVeterans Healthcare Affairs of Augustalaunched in 2015 to build and empower a community of VHA employees who actively move VA forward using innovation to better serve Veterans and their families.

  • Spark-Seed-Spread Investment
  • (iNET) connect empower employees
  • Greenhouse Initiative

Local Support

  • Accelerate Augusta:Augusta Technical College and the Downtown Development Authority of Augusta officially launch Accelerate Augusta.
  • The GarageMarkerspace: We offer fabrication services for a variety of materials and machines. Partner with us on your next project. Whether it's small-run manufacturing or a one-off prototype, we're excited to collaborate with you.
  • theClubhou.se:A coworking space, a makerspace, a code school, a startup accelerator, a prototyping lab, a mentorship network, an organizer of events, and think tank.
  • ATDC Augusta:We are passionately committed to our goal of making Georgia the best place on earth to start and grow a technology company.
  • Augusta Economic Development Authority:The Augusta Economic Development Authority is responsible for the recruitment of new businesses in the areas of industrial, manufacturing, distribution, corporate and regional headquarters, customer service centers, and assistance with other major economic development projects in the county.
  • Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce:The Augusta Metro Chamber leads the business community by advocating, promoting and enhancing the business climate in the Augusta, Georgia.
  • Augusta Technical College | Entrepreneurship:The Entrepreneurship program generally prepares individuals to perform development, marketing and management functions associated with owning and operating a business.
  • Downtown Development Authority:Our mission is to make the metro area's economic, cultural and entertainment epicenter an even better place to dine, shop, work and live.
  • INBIA:These courses allow you to build on your experience according to your unique needs, enhancing your professional toolkit by helping you stay abreast of current best practices.