This story is free to read.

Chattanooga Startups Hit the Accelerator

Hot Chocolatier owner Wendy Buckner stands in her business on Market Street. Hot Chocolatier owner Wendy Buckner stands in her business on Market Street.

By Tim Omarzu March 2, 2016 7 min read

Photo Gallery

Startups Hit the Accelerator

Chuck Mason, right, talks to Olin Ivey about his Precision Fabworks company Wednesday at the Company Lab's Pitch Night.

Nathan Derrick, co-founder of SupplyHog, talks about the challenges and successes of the internet building supply company that has been in business since 2010.

Alex Lavidge makes opening remarks in late January at the Company Lab's Pitch Night on the fifth floor of the Edney Building.

More Info

Got an idea for a business?Co.Lab is located on the first floor of the Edney Building at the corner of 11th and Market streets across from the historic Patten Towers Hotel. To contact Co.Lab, go online to Colab.co or email info@colab.co or call (423) 648-2195.

Wendy and Brandon Buckner run the Hot Chocolatier, a thriving Market Street business in the heart of downtown Chattanooga across from the landmark Choo Choo Hotel.

Tourists and locals alike flock to the Buckners’ artisan chocolate shop, which got its start in 2008 with a boost from the inaugural CreateHere Springboard, a program that helped entrepreneurs turn their ideas into businesses – and eventually evolved into today’s Company Lab (Co.Lab) entrepreneur accelerator.

“That class helped me create my business,” Wendy Buckner says.

Eight years later, the Co.Lab’s accelerator program keeps chugging along.