From food businesses and urban farms to education and wellness ventures, Start:ME’s 2026 graduates are helping strengthen communities across metro Atlanta.
Goizueta Business School’s Start:ME Accelerator celebrated the graduation of its 2026 cohort this spring, honoring 86 entrepreneurs representing 69 microbusinesses from communities across metro Atlanta.
The graduation celebration marked the culmination of the four-month business accelerator program designed to help local entrepreneurs strengthen their businesses while building lasting connections within their communities.
Delivered by Goizueta’s Business & Society Institute in partnership with trusted local nonprofit organizations, Start:ME provides neighborhood entrepreneurs with business education, mentorship, and peer support at no cost. This year’s graduating businesses represented the Clarkston, East Lake, Southside, and Westside communities of Atlanta and reflected the diversity and creativity that define Atlanta’s small business community.
The ventures graduating this year range from urban farming and pediatric speech therapy to math education, food businesses, and creative enterprises. Together, they operate 12 physical locations, employ 144 people beyond their founders, and generate $3.2 million in annual revenue.
More than 100 volunteer mentors supported entrepreneurs throughout the four-month program, helping founders sharpen business plans, strengthen storytelling skills, build confidence, and prepare for long-term growth. Community volunteers also contributed through business resource fairs, financial pitch preparation, neighborhood feedback sessions, and final presentations.
“This year marks my 10th year with Start:ME, and I’ve had the privilege of working with 33 cohorts of entrepreneurs,” says Erin Igleheart, program director of the Start:ME Accelerator. “It has been a wonderful journey.”
This year’s graduating class also marks significant milestones for the accelerator.
Since launching in 2013, Start:ME has supported 583 ventures across 37 cohorts while investing more than $552,000 in peer-selected capital. Collectively, Start:ME businesses now generate $36.5 million in annual revenue, operate 113 offices and storefronts, and employ 1,144 people beyond their founders.
“Together, these businesses help make our communities stronger, more resilient, and more vibrant economically and socially,” Igleheart says.
“Ignited by Community, Empowered Through Unity”
Each year, one of the highlights of the Start:ME graduation celebration comes from the entrepreneurs themselves.
This year’s cohort message centered around the theme “Ignited by Community, Empowered Through Unity,” with entrepreneur representatives from each participating community reflecting on growth, resilience, and the relationships that shaped their experiences.
“Clarkston is the Ellis Island of the South — our Wednesday meetings were like the United Nations, full of beautiful accents, cultures, and ideas from around the world,” says Blanca Lerma of 2Bakers.
“The most beautiful thing I heard by the end of this journey was: ‘We are now a family.’ And that is priceless.”
Britni Swann of Educators’ Exchange reflects on the confidence entrepreneurs built together throughout the program.
“When we first walked into Start:ME, many of us were unsure, quiet, and wondering if we were qualified enough to be here,” Swann says.
“Start:ME gave us more than business tools — it gave us the building blocks to move forward, not alone, but together.”
For Genee’ Mitchell of Party Wat3r, the experience reinforced the value of authenticity.
“I came into Start:ME thinking I needed to be fixed—more polished, more corporate, more acceptable,” Mitchell says. “This program looked me in my eyes and said, ‘No. Be more you.’”
That sense of connection extends beyond entrepreneurs themselves.
More than 100 mentors supported this year’s cohort, including business leaders and Start:ME alumni returning to help guide newer founders.
“It’s a gift to be able to learn with these businesses at such an exciting time,” says mentor Lisa Williams.
The celebration also featured remarks from John H. Harland Dean Gareth James, who delivered Goizueta’s welcome to Start:ME graduates for the final time.
“I’ve learned that effective leadership means staying open to change, learning from it, and using those lessons to shape a better future,” James said.
Recognizing Entrepreneur Achievement
Peer-selected grants and awards recognized entrepreneurs demonstrating growth, resilience, and community impact.
Grow Grants ($4K–$5K)
- Broadway on Bankhead — Senitra Heath (Westside)
- Carrot Dog ATL — Kemi Bennings (Southside)
- East Atlanta Clay — Ashanti Hampton (East Lake)
- G Ann’s Cold Pressed — Tiffany Ellis (Clarkston)
- Ginny’s Apples — Cheryl Merriweather (Clarkston)
- Noir by Nolan — Cameron Nolan (Westside)
- Shakti Aging and Wellness Solutions — Subarna Mukherjee (East Lake)
- SoulRoller Rimz — Radhiya Abdul-Raheem (Southside)
Start Grants ($1K–$3K)
- II Inked — Monea Warner and Steven Boykin (East Lake)
- Al Chef — Miriam Alrubaii (Clarkston)
- House of Lux Designs — Sherry Southard (Southside)
- Karibea Events — Uso Sayers and Shona Rollins (East Lake)
- Marlee Loves Math — Marrielle Myers (Westside)
- MARVELOUS TOUCH PAINTING — Antonio Rosas (Southside)
- Outside In Wellness — Jenn Seay (East Lake)
- Party Wat3r — Genee’ Mitchell (Westside)
- Soren Group — Sasha (Javad) Arjomand Shal and Eber Ortiz (Clarkston)
- Sumthin About Spice — Sharan Aulakh (Clarkston)
- The Braid Company Luxury Hair Care — Brittany Harrod (Westside)
- The Glaze Room — Arian Hornsby (Southside)
Awards ($500) – Community Impact, Most Resilient, and Peer-of-the-Year
- Amin’s Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) — Zahra Amin (Clarkston)
- Beautiful Bites — Alexei Stokes (Southside)
- Educators’ Exchange — Britni Swann (East Lake)
- Down South Cleaners — Lerayh Matthews (Westside)
- Goode Strokes Swim School — Jessica Goode (Clarkston)
- Jewelparty000 — Danielle Parrish (Westside)
- Jules Collective — Jules Foster (East Lake)
- Neuro Cafe — Catedra Phillips (Westside)
- South Atlanta Farms — Mark Boswell (Southside)
- STAPLE The Community — Krista Durant (Clarkston)
- Sumthin Sweet Confections — Tanesha Oneal and Tameka Oneal (Southside)
- The Therapeutic Workshoppe — Keisha Lindsay (East Lake)
Start:ME operates in partnership with East Lake Foundation, Friends of Refugees, Focused Community Strategies, Grove Park Foundation, and Purpose Built Schools Atlanta, and alongside community volunteers and funding partners committed to strengthening neighborhood entrepreneurship across Atlanta.
The program is offered free of charge to all entrepreneurs thanks to continued support from financial partners including Delta Community Credit Union, PNC Bank, Regions Foundation, Target Corporation, Truist Foundation, and Emory’s Goizueta Business School.
As the Class of 2026 joins Start:ME’s growing alumni community, founders leave the program with stronger business foundations, expanded networks, and new connections that extend far beyond graduation.
To learn more about Start:ME alumni ventures, including the 2026 participating businesses, visit Start:ME’s shopping guide. Shop small and shop local at www.startmeatl.org/shopping-guide.
