ATLANTA – The city announced today that it has been selected to receive a $50,000 Startup in a Day Competition grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Startup in a Day is an initiative designed to help cities and Native American communities streamline licensing, permitting and other requirements needed to start a business, with the goal that an entrepreneur can apply for everything necessary to begin a business within one day.
Atlanta one of 28 cities selected by the U.S. Small Business Administration for $50,000 grant
“Technology now makes it easy and inexpensive to create online license and permitting tools that meet SBA’s Startup in a Day challenge,” said Kristin Wilson, Interim Chief Operating Officer. “This grant will allow the City of Atlanta to increase efficiency and service delivery by providing local businesses with a single online interface to manage the permitting and application process.”
The City received the $50,000 grant through the “Start Small” competition. This prize was awarded to 25 cities and two Native American tribes in order to help develop a streamlined, centralized business formation platform. The final prize of $250,000 was awarded to the city of Los Angeles, California, through the “Dream Big” competition. Los Angeles will use the prize money to create an open source solution that will be replicable and scalable on a broad basis.
The SBA reviewed more than 100 applications, and applicants of both competitions were awarded priority points for being rural/non-metropolitan, high poverty, a Veterans Economic Community, and/or a Promise Zone.
“When I started my businesses, it was overwhelming,” said Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet, head of the SBA and member of President Obama’s Cabinet. “I had to set up a legal structure, find office space, learn local zoning laws, apply for multiple licenses and permits and navigate a maze of city, county, state and federal requirements before I could even open my doors. That’s why I’m proud to join the White House in announcing the winners of the Startup in a Day prize competition as we work to make it easier for entrepreneurs all across the country to get started.”
The SBA is conducting the Startup in a Day initiative in partnership with the National League of Cities (NLC), which represents thousands of municipal leaders around the country. Following the awarding of prizes, the NLC will lead a group of winners to share best practices and build community development and implementation of startup solutions.
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