Create

Clark Russell Entrepreneurship and Technology Ecosystem

CREATE develops Atlanta innovative food and agricultural entrepreneurs beginning with a 10-week accelerator program. The program is open to those ranging from the idea stage of their business to those already in operation.

The program works with entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs to develop their idea, value proposition, target markets, financial forecasts and marketing strategy. Continued coaching and support is available to everyone who completes the accelerator. This includes further business planning support, product development, networking, pitching investors or pivoting from the original concept.

Resources available to entrepreneurs through CREATE include:

Truly Living Well farm sites as living laboratories to test products
3D printing lab (PLA and Metal printers, 3D scanner) to prototype validated concepts
A national network of business and community to draw on for research, networking and potential investment

CREATE’s Facilitators

Jonathan Tescher

Jonathan Tescher has over a decade of experience with local food and farming in Georgia. He is a veteran of the farmers market scene as a co-founder of Community Farmers Markets and started Sparta Imperial Mushrooms, a commercial organic mushroom operation with distribution to Whole Foods. He also spent three years as the first Farmer Services Coordinator for Georgia Organics.

James Harris

James Harris of Core Venture Studios, a co-developer of Pittsburg Yards, and has significant private investment experience. He has mentored entrepreneurs of more than 40 startups from Georgia Tech’s Flashpoint program and Hypepotamus/Collider, assisting entrepreneurs in moving from an idea to a successful high-growth technology business.

CREATE’s partners include Clark Atlanta University, the Russell Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (RCIE), Truly Living Well, and the United Negro College Fund. The program is funded through the U.S. Economic Development Administration i6 Challenge Program.