East Lake’s Start Micro-Entrepreneur Accelerator Program (Start:ME East Lake) is a 14-session program in partnership with Social Enterprise @ Goizueta at Emory University that offers the assistance promising micro-entrepreneurs need to develop viable and sustainable microbusinesses.
A group of 15-18 entrepreneurs are selected to be a part of a cohort that works to develop their businesses through access to:
- Intensive skills-based programming
- Opportunities to meet and work with a panel of lending experts
- Mentoring by a selected group of business leaders
- Peer support offered by other entrepreneurs
- Access to finance, legal, and other experts
- Opportunities to network in the community to promote and grow your business
- Loans to be distributed among top business ventures (as selected by program peers)
2021 Impact
Start ME: East Lake works with micro-entrepreneurs that reside, operate, or provide valued products and services in the East Lake community.
- 16 micro-entrepreneurs selected to participate
- 69% of participants are from moderate- to low-income households
- 63% are minority-owned ventures
- 88% of the ventures are woman-owned
