In 2010, a group of local businessmen were moved by the negative impact of the recession on many in the community and were inspired to call on individuals, churches, and businesses to use their collective experience to provide support to underserved entrepreneurs. The goal was to empower individuals by fostering an entrepreneurial spirit and encourage job creation by building small businesses putting people in a position to succeed. With this goal and backing from the community, LAUNCH was born. Over time we became more aware of the need for greater diversity among the entrepreneurial landscape. In Chattanooga, African Americans own only 10% of the businesses and women only 14%. With this as an additional focus, 71% of LAUNCH-supported businesses are owned by African Americans and 65% are owned by women, generating an estimated
$11.5 million in annual revenue.