You've no doubt seen the resiliency of Chattanoogans and the ability of people to come together to solve big problems. That's what our Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce has been doing over our 133-year history in Chattanooga.
Before the events of this spring and summer, nearly 5,000 people responded to the call in Hamilton County and shared their desires for themselves, their children and grandchildren through the Velocity2040 survey. From that, the Chattanooga Chamber, many partners and individuals from the community embarked on planning and research to create Chattanooga Climbs, a five-year economic growth and inclusive talent development plan. We remain passionately committed to the goals of Chattanooga Climbs.
This early work meant we were as well-positioned as possible to respond quickly to the impact of the pandemic on businesses and to offer trusted information about financial resources and new legislative measures to help businesses survive and plan for rebuilding.
In the coming months, I look forward to working closely with our board of directors, our Chattanooga Chamber Council leaders, business leaders, key partners and our many volunteers. It is extremely important to me that we engage with businesses and organizations to rebuild our momentum, specifically in the areas of economic growth and inclusive talent development.
As a community we are resilient, courageous and authentic. We're one of the best - if not the best - communities people could possibly consider for relocation - especially those who enjoy outdoor activities and who require the fastest internet in the world. We are always planning for our future, and we never once thought about anything other than a robust rebuild of our economy.
As Chattanooga Chamber President and CEO Christy Gillenwater would say, "We remain laser-focused on rebuilding momentum for our area businesses."
We're off to a confident start with some of our talented local entrepreneurs leading the way. Recently, FreightWaves, which provides freight data and analytics, raised $37 million in two rounds of minority investment - since April - putting the total capital the company has raised at $75 million. Increasing capital investment in our businesses is critical for attracting and retaining entrepreneurs. Congrats to Craig Fuller and his team at FreightWaves.
July also brought an incredible investment in our future when multiple community partners joined EPB in announcing that more than 28,000 students will receive free internet via the Hamilton County Schools EdConnect program. This is a fantastic example of how our community comes together to solve big problems. HCS raised $6 million toward the upfront investment of $8.2 million needed for additional infrastructure and equipment to begin the project.
So far, HCS EdConnect funding partners include Hamilton County, the City of Chattanooga, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Foundation, and the Smart City Venture Fund, which includes Benwood Foundation, Community Foundation, Footprint Foundation, and Robert L. And Katherina Maclellan Foundation.
Our community can be proud of this work as we strive to help meet some ambitious goals in workforce and talent development. Our students will benefit for generations to come.
Speaking of coming together, in some ways it's never been easier to engage with the Chattanooga Chamber's many programs and networking opportunities. It's as close as your phone or your keyboard. The Chattanooga Chamber reshaped what it means to network, providing creative online programming and tools for small businesses - and all businesses - to stay engaged and help their businesses prosper.
Some of the best opportunities are right around the corner - our annual meeting on Aug. 19 and our Business Expo on two days - Aug. 26-27, both now virtual.
Won't you join us? It will take all of our diverse talents and voices to rebuild our momentum and achieve the goals we've set together.
Valoria Armstrong, chairman of the board of directors of the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce, is vice president of national government and regulatory affairs for American Water.
Valoria Armstrong / Photography by Flint Chaney