ASU’s Center for Lifelong Learning creates ‘Launchbox’ entrepreneurial center

ATHENS — Athens and Limestone County are rich with talented and innovative thinkers who now have a new “Launchbox” entrepreneurial center at Athens State University’s Center for Lifelong Learning 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.

LaunchBox is expected to open on October 1 this year.

Currently, no other entrepreneur center like Launchbox exists in Limestone County, therefore up until now, the needs of local small businesses in Limestone County have often gone 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 throughout Limestone County that encourages creativity, risk taking, growth, and innovation. This ecosystem will include support related to networking, mentoring, and expanding access to regional resources.

The Launchbox project is 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.

The LaunchBox 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. It 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.

The Center for Lifelong Learning opened in 2012 and has served as the continuing education and outreach extension of Athens State University since then. Andrew Dollar is the director of the learning center located at 121 South Marion Street on the east side of the historic Athens Courthouse Square.