The Accelerator Empowering Business Owners in Food & Beverage
Georgia Tech is launching its inaugural Food and Beverage Accelerator (GT.FBA) program in January 2025, offering an exciting opportunity for passionate food and beverage entrepreneurs to scale their businesses. The program, which will last six months, is designed to help small food and beverage startups take their products from home kitchens to retail shelves, providing a structured pathway from idea to market.
With decades of combined entrepreneurial expertise, Aubrey Lenyard (L) and Brandy Stanfield-Nagel (R) have combined their skills and experience to create GT.FBA, providing support to business owners in the highly challenging food and beverage industry.
The Georgia Tech Food and Beverage Accelerator, a program of Georgia Tech’s Enterprise Innovation Institute, has been a work in progress for several years. It began with a USDA grant that enabled GT.FBA Co-Directors Aubrey Lenyard and Brandy Stanfield-Nagel to build a comprehensive food safety and entrepreneurship training program. The success of that initiative led them to recognize the continued need for hands-on support in helping entrepreneurs grow their businesses beyond the early stages.
"We realized that many of the entrepreneurs we were working with needed more than just education — they needed help navigating the complexities of bringing their products to market," says Stanfield-Nagel. "That's when we decided to create the accelerator."
The GT.FBA program is specifically designed to meet the needs of food and beverage entrepreneurs across Georgia, providing a robust support system that includes business strategy, product development, marketing, distribution, financial literacy, and much more. The program is also unique for its accessibility — while its value is significant, the cost to entrepreneurs is minimal, with a fee of only $200 for the six-month program.
“The goal is to make this program accessible to local businesses,” says Stanfield-Nagel. “If we priced it at its full value, many of the entrepreneurs we aim to help wouldn’t be able to participate.”
In total, 17 companies have been selected for the accelerator's first cohort. These businesses represent a diverse array of entrepreneurs eager to make their mark in the food and beverage industry. From small-batch jams and sauces to ready-to-eat meals to gourmet dog treats, these founders work on versatile products that can scale regionally and nationally. Each company is coming into the accelerator with different sets of goals.
“ Our goal is to refine our packaging for retail shelves and wholesale distribution while maintaining our commitment to clean ingredients and sustainability. We’re particularly focused on developing solutions that allow us to ship nationally without freezing or adding preservatives. This program is an incredible opportunity to gain expert guidance and resources to help us meet these challenges effectively.”
“We are aiming to master formulation and consistency, achieve FDA approval, and implement scalable fully automated systems for growth in the manufacturing industry. We are most excited about networking and discovering systems and suppliers needed to support our expanding clientele and 2025 growth plans. ”
One of the accelerator's key aspects is its emphasis on partnerships. The program has secured critical support from several corporate leaders, including Bank of America, which is helping with financial literacy workshops; Gourmet Foods International, which will assist with national distribution; and Stuckey’s Corporation, which will provide promotional support. Additionally, local designers and food safety experts are partnering to help with packaging, labeling, and marketing.
“We are excited to have access to valuable resources and to be in rooms with experts who can address our concerns, from scaling our business and understanding the scientific aspects of our product to mastering logistics, pricing, and collaboration with other entrepreneurs.”
“Through the accelerator, we aim to solidify our foundation, expand our distribution network, and enhance our digital presence. Our goal is to take strategic steps toward becoming a household name, sharing the flavors of Nigeria with more people worldwide. We are excited to scale up and innovate within Nigerian cuisine by introducing new varieties, creating a cookbook, and providing tools that bring the cooking experience to life.”
“Having the right collaborations and corporate support is crucial for success, and we’re fortunate to have the support of some incredible companies,” says Lenyard. "These partners are helping our entrepreneurs scale in ways they couldn’t have done independently."
Beyond the business fundamentals, the accelerator also strongly emphasizes community building. The program offers valuable networking opportunities, bringing together experts and entrepreneurs to collaborate and share resources. This approach helps foster an ecosystem of support for businesses expanding beyond their regional markets.
“Through the accelerator, I aim to gain knowledge, mentorship, and the resources necessary to scale my company sustainably. Specifically, I want to refine our growth strategy to successfully launch in unique retail environments like airports and rest stops through vending machines. Additionally, I hope to leverage the program’s network to connect with industry leaders, enhance our operational efficiency, and identify innovative approaches to production, distributions, and collaborations that align with our values. ”
“We don’t just want to provide resources — we want to build a community that helps these businesses thrive,” says Stanfield-Nagel. “It’s about connections, mentorship, and the long-term sustainability of these companies.”
For the current cohort, which will start in January 2025, the program will include a blend of in-person and online workshops, mentorship, and networking events. This hybrid approach ensures that even entrepreneurs from rural Georgia can access the resources and support they need without traveling long distances.
Image: Shiola Odan/Unsplash
The program is also designed to be flexible. Companies can participate in individual workshops (such as financial literacy or product development) on an à la carte basis through the incubator, open to all entrepreneurs who applied but didn’t make it into the accelerator program. This flexibility allows businesses to access critical resources while working at their own pace.
One of the accelerator's most exciting aspects is its potential for long-term growth. By providing both incubation and acceleration, the program helps entrepreneurs at different stages of development. For businesses ready to scale, the program offers the tools to expand quickly, while those still refining their products can take advantage of the incubator’s ongoing support.
Looking ahead, Stanfield-Nagel and Lenyard are hopeful that the GT.FBA will not only meaningfully impact individual entrepreneurs but also contribute to Georgia’s economy. The accelerator aims to create a thriving food and beverage ecosystem in the state, fostering innovation, supporting local businesses, and driving economic growth.
“We’re seeing a real need for programs like this,” says Stanfield-Nagel. “The food industry is constantly evolving, and we want to ensure that Georgia is at the forefront of that innovation. We aim to build a community that sustains these businesses for years to come.”
As the program progresses, the GT.FBA team plans to expand its partnerships and continue to evolve the curriculum, ensuring that the next generation of food and beverage entrepreneurs has the tools and resources they need to succeed. With a focus on accessibility, community, and innovation, the Georgia Tech Food and Beverage Accelerator is poised to become a key player in Georgia’s food ecosystem and beyond.
For a complete list of this year’s cohort, please click here.