BBB Breakthrough Accelerator program graduates cohorts in Atlanta, Chattanooga
The BBB Breakthrough Accelerator program for small businesses graduated two new cohorts in the Atlanta and Chattanooga markets this summer. The program, developed and launched by BBB Mountain West & Pacific Southwest, supports entrepreneurs in building stronger, more trustworthy businesses based on the BBB Standards of Trust. BBB Institute partnered with BBB Atlanta and BBB Chattanooga to introduce the program in two new communities through funding provided by the Truist Foundation.
Accelerator participants completed 12 weeks of learning, collaboration, and business development. Throughout the program, they gained valuable insights from an outstanding lineup of local entrepreneurs and business leaders, equipping them with practical tools and strategies to help their businesses thrive.
Two participants shared their reaction to the program:
- “This is the best business program that I have attended thus far.” Darlene, 2026 BBB Breakthrough Accelerator graduate.
- “As an entrepreneur, it’s impossible to know it all and I think this is the best way to get decades of business knowledge in a few short weeks.” LaQuan, 2026 BBB Breakthrough Accelerator graduate
A few statistics about the 2026 BBB Accelerator programs in Atlanta and Chattanooga:
- Served 57 entrepreneurs
- Delivered over 50 hours of business education.
- Provided 116 hours of personalized one-on-one mentoring.
- More than 86% of participants reported increased revenue after completing the program.
- Almost 90% reported greater confidence in their ability to grow and scale their business.
- 96% of participants said they would recommend it to another entrepreneur.
- Successfully served entrepreneurs from historically underserved communities, comprised of women-owned (48.3%), BIPOC-owned (27%), LGBTQ+-owned (4.5%), veteran-owned (2%), and businesses serving low-to-moderate-income communities (13.5%).
- Collectively, the program helped preserve 266 full-time and 169 part-time jobs while positioning businesses for future growth and job creation.
- Over $16,000 in grants was distributed to graduates to support their businesses.
