Welcome to August, and the start of the new academic year. Summer is behind us, and we have a lot to accomplish between now and the end of the calendar year. I'm excited to welcome Lauren Lange and Steven Monzon to HatchBridge as Community Program Managers - they bring a wealth of experience and energy and strong hearts for the work of HatchBridge in helping builders succeed. Come out to an event (like one of those mentioned in this newsletter, for instance) and meet them! You won't be disappointed. Next month, we expect to be able to announce new programming, so look forward to that!

Bill Arnold

Director - HatchBridge Incubator

Date: Friday, August 7th | 12:00 - 1:30 PM | Members Only

This informal drop-in session with AI Strategist and KSU Researcher, Laila Harrison, is designed for founders who want hands-on guidance on integrating AI into their day-to-day operations. Come with a specific workflow challenge, a tool you’ve been trying to understand, or just curiosity about where AI fits in your business.

Date: Friday, August 14th | 10:00 - 11:00 AM | Residents Only

This is a collaborative peer-driven forum for HatchBridge residents, facilitated by HatchBridge staff. Founders come together to share challenges, exchange insights, and help one another solve real business issues through open discussion, shared experiences, and meaningful connections. This is a space built to support founders as they grow together.

Date: Thursday, August 20th | 12:00 - 1:30 PM | Members Only

This Slice & Advice is a practical introduction to marketing funnels, built for founders who want to better understand how people move from awareness to action. EIR Ian Cohen will break down each stage in plain language, explain what helps move customers forward, and show you how industry benchmarks can help you evaluate your results.

Date: Friday, August 28th | 9:00 - 11:00 AM | Open to the Public

This monthly, no-agenda morning gathering for anyone who wants to be part of the entrepreneurial community in the Atlanta suburbs, whether you're actively building a business, exploring an idea, or simply curious about what's happening the HatchBridge Incubator. Founders, KSU faculty, students, and community members are all welcome.

Date: Monday, August 31st | 3:30 - 4:30 PM | Open to the Public

Join us for a quick look at how we help entrepreneurs and KSU faculty move ideas forward through venture support, idea validation, and commercialization resources. Tour the space, meet our community, ask questions, and discover if HatchBridge is the right fit for you. Whether you're building a business, exploring an idea, or simply curious, we'd love to welcome you.

Date: Friday, November 13th (Applications Close Friday, August 7th)

Big ideas. Live pitches. Real funding.

LaunchCon Columbus is the Chattahoochee Valley's premier startup pitch competition, where entrepreneurs compete live for a share of $40,000 in funding. Free and open to the public, this high energy event brings together founders, investors, and supporters to celebrate innovation and the region's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Date: Monday, August 9th - Friday, August 14th

Where the city's innovation ecosystem comes together.

Founders, investors, operators, and tech leaders unite for a week of events, conversations, and collaboration that showcase why Atlanta is one of the best places to build and grow a company. Powered by community partners across the region, it's your chance to connect, learn, and be part of the momentum shaping Atlanta's future.

Date: Tuesday, August 18 | 7:30 AM – 9:00 AM

It's more than coffee. It's your next opportunity.

Join fellow entrepreneurs, small business owners, and startup founders for Coffee & Conversations, a quarterly networking event hosted by Cobb County Economic Development. This session features an inside look at the Cobb County Entrepreneurship Grant, with insights from grant reviewers and successful recipients who have turned funding into growth. Learn what makes a strong application, hear real success stories, ask your questions, and make valuable connections that can help move your business forward.

July was a month of growth at HatchBridge. We welcomed two new Community Program Managers, Lauren Lange and Steven Monzon, who will support our founders, residents, and broader entrepreneurial community. We also welcomed two new student fellows, Evan Hoddinott and Raam Patel, who are helping strengthen the experience and support available to our residents and community members.

During our monthly Resident Roundtable, founders gathered for an honest conversation about the evolving needs of entrepreneurs. The discussion explored topics including healthy team dynamics, maintaining balance, avoiding burnout, and showing up as your best self while building a business.

Our residents continued building community by hosting HatchBridge’s first resident led potluck. Participants shared favorite dishes while creating space for meaningful conversations, new connections, and stronger relationships.

We were also excited to celebrate HatchBridge resident James Fortune and the launch of the Stitch Social app on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. James hosted a launch celebration at HatchBridge, where attendees had the opportunity to explore the app, test its features, and gain a better understanding of the platform’s capabilities.

Download the app here: Google Play Store | Apple App Store

As part of BuildIt! Digital: AI Afternoon, Laila Harrison facilitated office hours and answered questions from members looking to use artificial intelligence more effectively within their startups.

We closed out July with our monthly HatchBridge Hangout and Open House. Entrepreneurs, professionals, and members of the Kennesaw State University and North Georgia communities joined us to connect, exchange ideas, and build stronger relationships around their shared goals.

Join us for Slice & Advice this Friday, July 31, from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m.

Facilitated by Lauren Lange, this members-only session will focus on the importance of customer discovery and how founders can use real conversations to better understand their customers and strengthen their businesses. RSVP HERE to join us!