ADVANCING ECONOMIC MOBILITY
COLES COLLEGE OF BUSINESS ANNUAL REPORT
Combined, Kennesaw State University and the Coles College’s entrepreneurship efforts provide a continuum of support, from early-stage ideas to established businesses, creating multiple pathways to economic opportunity. Since 2020, the Shore Entrepreneurship and Innova - tion Center has provided more than $400,000 in seed funding and launched nearly 50 student and alumni-led businesses, demonstrating the tangible impact of this work. These efforts have also supported the development of hundreds of new ventures through coaching, mentorship, and early-stage funding.
One example is HappyDoc, an artificial intelligence- powered medical scribe designed for veterinarians. The company received early support from the Shore Center through seed funding and mentorship, helping bring the idea to life. It later raised more than $2.2 million in outside investment and is now used by veterinarians across the country, streamlining clinical workflows and reducing administrative burden. It is a clear example of how early access to resources and guidance can help accelerate growth. The College is also expanding access through programs like
INDUSTRY, COMMUNITY & SOCIETAL IMPACT A CONNECTED Ecosystem
The work of the Coles College of Business extends well beyond the classroom. Through partnerships with industry and engagement with the broader community, the College is helping create pathways to opportunity while supporting the growth of businesses across the region. Entrepreneurship is a central part of that effort. This work is supported by a connected ecosystem of centers and programs, including the Robin and Doug Shore Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center, the Small Business Development Center, the Family Enterprise Center, the Aspiring Community Entrepreneurs (ACE) Program, the up - coming STRIVE initiative, and collaboration with Kennesaw State’s HatchBridge Incubator. Each of the University’s entrepreneurial initiatives targets a specific segment of the population, ensuring anyone with an idea they want to bring to market has a resource available that provides expert consultation, business education, seed funding, workspace, and more.
Turning Ideas Into IMPACT
THE ENTREPRENEURS WE SERVE
Alumnus Emerson Smith received early support from the Shore En - trepreneurship and Innovation Center to launch veterinary AI company HappyDoc. He later raised an additional $2 million in funding.
(KSU STUDENTS/ RECENT ALUMNI) SHORE CENTER
SBDC
ACE
STRIVE, which launches in Fall 2025 and supports veterans and military family members interested in entrepreneurship. Participants will receive hands-on training, guidance, and access to networks that help them move forward with con- fidence. Meanwhile, the ACE program, launched in 2023 in partnership with Must Ministries and the University of Notre Dame’s Urban Poverty Business Initiative, focus specifical - ly on expanding access to entrepreneurship for individuals who have faced barriers to opportunity, creating pathways to economic mobility through business ownership. For many participants, these programs create opportunities where none existed before. Outside the Coles College, KSU’s Hatchbridge Incubator empowers entrepreneurs among the faculty and local community, offering education, funding opportunities, and workspace. Support for existing businesses is just as important. The Small Business Development Center has served many local business owners through consulting and education this past year, and facilitated $73 million in capital support: a direct in- vestment in the economic health of the region. Students are part of this work as well. Through consulting projects and applied coursework, they engage directly with businesses and organizations, gaining experience while con - tributing to solving real challenges. For instance, the College’s student-run marketing firm, Ground Work Agency, began ad -
vising clients in Spring 2024. That summer, they worked with KSU’s Industrial Assessment Center to develop a marketing campaign for an upcoming event. These efforts are strengthened by partnerships that ex- tend beyond the region. Programs like the Japan Georgia Futures Forum and the Joel A. Katz Music and Entertainment Business program’s London program connect students to industry networks and global perspectives that expand career pathways. The result is a model where education, entrepreneurship, and community engagement work together to expand opportu- nity and drive long-term economic growth. Students also play a large role in the success of the ACE program. Each year, a course in the undergraduate entre - preneurship program has students working alongside the community entrepreneurs for an entire semester. The stu- dents help develop the participants’ business plans, build marketing materials, and more. The result of the Coles College’s commitment to encourag- ing entrepreneurship in the classroom and in the communi- ty is a model where students, educators, and entrepreneurs work together to expand opportunity and drive long-term economic growth.
(ATLANTA SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS)
(UNDERREPRESENTED ENTREPRENEURS)
STRIVE
(KSU FACULTY, ALUMNI, ATLANTA COMMUNITY) HATCHBRIDGE
(MILITARY VETERANS)
“Creating multiple pathways to economic opportunity”
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