Urban Vision Initiative

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Urban Vision Initative

Now Accepting Applications for Fall 2024

Urban Vision Initiative (UVI) is a program that supports disadvantaged individuals who are developing new businesses in under-served areas of Chattanooga. Roughly 18 percent of Chattanoogans live in poverty. Many have started their own businesses to provide life-sustaining income. UVI provides these entrepreneurs with instruction and mentoring to help them grow their businesses and achieve profitability as quickly as possible.

UVI is made possible by the generous support of the Frost Family Foundation. The mission of UVI is to foster the creation of 100 sustainable new ventures by the disadvantaged entrepreneurs in Chattanooga, TN over the next five years.

Are you an entrepreneur who is interested in participating in UVI?

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UVI assists entrepreneurs operating in adverse circumstances by:

Leveraging UTC and community resources to help new for-profit and non-profit ventures owned by those facing economic and other disadvantages reach profitability
Assisting existing small businesses owners who suffer from disadvantages in helping their businesses become sustainable and to grow
Working with those in adverse circumstances on the development of both the person as an entrepreneur and the business as a successful venture
Identifying and sharing best practices in poverty alleviation and wealth-building through entrepreneurship
Measuring and tracking the development and performance of entrepreneurs and their ventures based on program participation
Celebrating the entrepreneurial achievements of those facing adversity

UVI is led by UTC faculty and staff in partnership with Chattanooga’s startup community. UVI is part of the Urban Poverty and Business Initiative, a national program developed by Dr. Mike Morris at Notre Dame University in South Bend, Ill. To date, 96 percent of the participants are people of color and 70 percent are women. Their ages range from 20 to 70 years. All come from disadvantaged circumstances.

Chattanooga’s entrepreneurial ecosystem has earned a national reputation as a vibrant startup community. Working with our partners - notably Launch Chattanooga, Tech Goes Home, The Company Lab, La Paz, Pathway Lending, Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union, and the City of Chattanooga - the program operates on a 10-month recurring schedule and includes six core components:

Six weeks of training in an entrepreneurial “bootcamp” along with the option to participate in Tech Goes Home, a program that provides laptops and Internet connections to low-income residents.
Mentoring by successful business owners from the local community, providing insights and inspiration to the entrepreneurs.
One-on-one consulting provided by UTC students. Paid internships are a strong predictor of success in the job market after graduation.
Connections to community resources drawn from Chattanooga’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Microcredit programs led by national lenders and local banking initiatives.
Research and progress tracking: UVI will contribute to a national database tracking participation and outcomes.