Athens State University’s Center for Lifelong Learning is currently working to create the “LaunchBox” Entrepreneurial Center. LaunchBox will serve to support and catalyze entrepreneurship, small business growth, new product development, job creation, and economic development efforts for the City of Athens and Limestone County.
Located in the fastest growing county in Alabama, the LaunchBox Entrepreneurial Center will serve as a collaborative workspace for aspiring entrepreneurs, students, investors, small businesses, idea makers, and government for the purpose of creating new jobs, increasing investment, and innovating business solutions in Limestone County. The center plans to offer business development assistance, professional network and relationship support, community educational programs, and facility-based services. The center will also include multi-use, collaborative workspace, virtual pre-incubator programming, a technology-based conference room, and ongoing technical support services to strengthen and diversify the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Currently, no other center like this exists in Limestone County, often forcing entrepreneurs to travel to Huntsville or Florence for programming. This often means that the needs of local small businesses in Limestone County go unmet. LaunchBox seeks to fill this void by providing a physical location for entrepreneurs, technical assistance for small businesses, and community programming to help cultivate an ecosystem of creativity and innovation. This ecosystem will include support related to networking, mentoring, and expanding access to regional resources.
Athens and Limestone County are full of talented and innovative thinkers. This project aims to harness the local talent to build an ecosystem throughout Limestone County and encourages creativity, risk taking, and growth. The LaunchBox will serve as a source of economic and community engagement to help generate growth and investment in our area.
ANDREW DOLLAR, DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER
Located at 121 South Marion Street on the east side of the historic Courthouse Square, The Center for Lifelong Learning opened in 2012 and has served as the continuing education and outreach extension of Athens State University for a decade. The LaunchBox project will be a collaborative partnership between Athens State University, the Greater Limestone Chamber of Commerce, City of Athens, Limestone County Economic Development Association, and Main Street Athens.
LaunchBox is slated to open on October 1, 2022.
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