Launch Chattanooga leaders asked the council on July 1 for $65,000 in city support to complete an all-weather patio at the nonprofit’s kitchen incubator. The patio, Launch said, would extend program space for food entrepreneurs, support Food Truck Fridays and enable events and tastings that help entrepreneurs develop products for grocery and food-service markets.

DeJuan Jordan, co-CEO, and Mark (director of the Kitchen Incubator) described the incubator as a workforce and small-business development program that has trained 892 entrepreneurs since 2011 and helped launch 642 businesses. The incubator serves consumer packaged goods businesses, caterers and food trucks, and staff said the patio would allow year-round outdoor events, r&d and tastings, and give classrooms for Food Truck Fridays that have generated revenue and opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Council members asked about Launch's annual budget and staffing; Launch said its annual budget is about $1.5 million and it employs five full-time staff. Councilmembers expressed support, noting the program’s economic-development impact and return on investment for the requested city contribution.

The presentation was informational; no vote occurred. Launch tied the patio request to ARPA funding previously discussed and outlined a five-year return-on-investment projection tied to entrepreneur revenue and program outcomes.