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Located in downtown Chattanooga and located in the Hamilton County Business Development Center, the Chattanooga Chamber Incubator is the largest business incubator in Tennessee and the third largest in the United States. Serving as an integral part of Chattanooga’s entrepreneurial ecosystem for more than 30 years, the program provides 127,000 square feet of start-up business support aimed at developing sustainable enterprises that create jobs for Hamilton County.
At INC, a diverse and multicultural community comes together to advance Chattanooga’s sustainable workforce. Entrepreneurs come from diverse backgrounds and industries including technology, manufacturing, food and beverage, and more. These companies will be an integral part of our economy by providing good jobs and continued investments in the region.
In fact, a recent study showed that INC’s clients and graduates bring more than $70 million in economic impact to Hamilton County.
Here are some of the diverse entrepreneurs making their mark at INC.
Zoe Angle Group
Jeff Coffey founded the Zoe Angling Group in 2014 after learning the dark truth of the fly tying industry overseas, where women and children are trafficked to produce the flies used by fishermen.
Determined to make a difference, Coffey started a fair labor fly tying company called Fair Flies. Later, Fair Flies became Zoe Angling Group when co-founder and director of partnerships and digital Chris Allen joined the group.
Today, Zoe Angling Group partners with global organizations that practice fair trade structures, sustainable practices and living wage practices to empower workers, prioritize ethical transparency and foster innovation.
Learn more here.
Photo by Yasmin Rubio/Ella Livingston She works in the Cocoa Asante kitchen.
Cocoa asante
In the year Founded in 2018 by Ella Livingston, Cocoa Asante is a luxury chocolate company that offers bars and bonbons using ethically sourced cacao.
Although relatively new to the industry, Cocoa Asante’s chocolate tradition dates back generations at the Livingston family cacao farm in Ghana. Livingstone’s home country, Ghana, has a reputation for producing some of the world’s best cocoa beans, with over 70% of the world’s cocoa production coming from the west coast of Africa.
Cocoa Asante is committed to being a bean-to-bar company, allowing them to control the entire production process from the bean to the final chocolate bar. This control will allow the company to invest more in the cocoa growing communities of Ghana and allow customers to access the highest quality chocolate in the market.
By purchasing Cocoa Asante products, chocolate lovers everywhere can support a movement that values sustainability, fair trade and transparency.
Learn more here.
Photo by Yasmin Rubayo / Audrey Lloyd Co-Owner and Production Manager of Fusion Threads
Collection of Fusion Threads
As a lifelong seamstress and advocate for fair trade fashion, Mariel Rico founded a sustainable clothing brand – Fusion Threads Co. – In the year Established in 2018. Before starting Fusion Threads, Rico spent five months in Peru working with women artisans on a small fair trade label. . In the year In 2021, co-owner Audrey Lloyd joined the team, bringing her expertise in costume design and color art.
Fusion Threads clothing is designed to be comfortable, easy to wear, stylish and attractive. The brand uses luxurious natural fibers and low-impact fiber-reactive dyes. Each garment is double stitched to ensure longevity, challenging the throwaway nature of fast fashion companies.
Fusion Threads also offers collections made throughout the year – believing that all women have the right to beautiful clothing that complements their unique shape. Shoppers select their favorite designs and preferred trendy colorway before entering their sizes in the order form. Fusion Threads then creates the perfect garment for the customer’s body, providing a personalized and sustainable clothing experience.
Learn more here.
Photo by Yasmin Rubayo / Ben Beasley, leather crafter and founder of Chattanooga Leatherworks.
Chattanooga Leather Works
Ben Beasley, founder of Chattanooga Leatherworks, is bringing high-quality craftsmanship to the knife sheath industry. The company takes great pride in creating each item as a unique work of art, carefully crafted to last a lifetime. Their philosophy is based on a deep appreciation for the art of leatherwork using the finest quality materials and traditional techniques perfected over generations. The result is a collection of functional, durable and beautiful products.
Chattanooga Leather Works also takes a careful approach to its manufacturing process, recognizing the industry’s environmental impact, reducing waste and reducing its carbon footprint. By using only ethically sourced leather, they ensure that the products are environmentally friendly while maintaining the highest quality.
Learn more here.
Photo by Yasmin Rubio / Nick Johnson Owner of One of Robotics.
One off robotics
Nick Johnson at One of Robotics leads a team of skilled engineers who recognize the critical role of robotics innovation in today’s world. They specialize in developing sophisticated robotic manufacturing systems to simplify even the most complex manufacturing problems.
The team builds their customizable digital manufacturing systems on industry-leading motion control platforms, offering multiple axis configurations with multiple robots. Their systems cover additive and subtractive manufacturing with the ability to perform robotic 3D printing, robotic machining and robotic CNC trimming and laser cutting. One of Robotics uses these advanced robotic systems to deliver unparalleled accuracy and efficiency, saving customers time and money.
Learn more here.
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* How a Chattanooga entrepreneur is customizing the art of bird’s eye view.
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