The journey to becoming a successful venture is often rocky, and never linear – this program provides a team of mentors to alleviate the confusion and guide the entrepreneur to success through team mentoring sessions and office hours with Mentor Specialists.

NAV is a service provided by the Cherokee Office of Economic Development, through it’s Fresh Start Cherokee initiative, that is principled and based off of MIT VMS. This personalized program provides entrepreneurs with a mentoring team that will assist ventures in various stages.
Through hands-on mentoring, entrepreneurs will learn how to perfect their products and services, identify markets, build business organizations, seek funding, and grow as strong entrepreneurial leaders. The team mentoring approach provides a unique coaching experience to help ventures make informed decisions while being able to consider multiple perspectives from successful businessmen and women with different backgrounds. The success of this program is not only measured by starting and growing a profitable company but in providing a valuable learning process for entrepreneurs to gain the skills they need to be successful in the long run.

What are the minimum requirements to become a NAV Venture?

1. The company must have a legal business entity.
2. Founder(s) representing >51% of the ownership work on their venture full time.
3. Founder(s) representing >51% of the ownership commit to being involved in and adhering to program guidelines, and to meeting with mentors.

Who can apply to be a NAV Venture?

1. Scalable ventures located in the North Atlanta region who are looking for targeted business guidance through team-based mentorship.
2. Entrepreneurs and growing companies seeking to navigate new challenges, perfect products and services, identify markets, build business organizations, seek funding, and grow as strong business leaders. 
3. Ventures who have a working concept, and at least a working prototype, business plan, and are revenue producing. 
4. Preference is given to ventures in the following high-growth areas: Advanced Manufacturing, Healthcare, IT/Technology, Makers/Inventors, Corporate Operations, Culinary, and Film/Media.