San Antonio City Council on Sept. 14 approved a $1.7 million agreement with local startup community Geekdom that will help support local entrepreneurs and small-business owners.
The background
According to a news release, the three-year pact to manage the operations of Launch SA begins a new era for the Launch SA organization that started in 2014 and serves as a booster for San Antonio’s small-business landscape.
Under the pact, Geekdom members will provide expertise in entrepreneurial and small-business programs as well as funding and networking to help the city strengthen and grow Launch SA.
The takeaway
Located at the Central Library downtown, Launch SA has 6,900 square feet of working space designed to accommodate workshops for business owners, connect entrepreneurs to funding opportunities and provide educational resources for fledgling entrepreneurs into success. The city is using $300,000 of American Rescue Plan Act funds to improve Launch SA’s physical space as well as update technology and marketing efforts.
An updated Launch SA website will be available by Oct 1, the release states. Through Sept. 30, business owners should continue to reach out to LiftFund at www.launchsa.org or 210-598-6623. For more information about Launch SA services, contact Caitlin Cowart at [email protected], or 210-207-3996 or 210-598-6623.
What they’re saying
Mayor Ron Nirenberg said the city is happy to offer resources through Launch SA to bolster local small-business owners.
“Geekdom is a respected wealth of knowledge in business and entrepreneurship, and we look forward to the impact this partnership will create locally. Thank you to LiftFund for bringing Launch SA to where it is today,” Nirenberg said in a statement.
Geekdom CEO Charles Woodin said he and his colleagues are excited at the opportunity to manage Launch SA.
“We want entrepreneurs to experience Launch SA as the front door to the resources they need to grow their businesses. In partnership with the city of San Antonio, we want to do that for 750 small-business owners over the next three years,” Woodin said in a statement.
