Chattanooga-area entrepreneurs will soon have a new resource to help grow and sustain their businesses.
The Better Business Bureau serving Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia is launching the BBB Breakthrough Small Business Accelerator, a 12-week program designed to help local business owners strengthen operations and meet the organization’s Standards of Trust. The program begins April 9.
Nearly 50% of small businesses fail within their first five years, but mentoring can double the odds of long-term success, according to the BBB. The accelerator will offer training, one-on-one mentorship, networking opportunities and access to tools and resources to help participants build sustainable businesses.
The program is open to businesses operating for at least six months in Bledsoe, Bradley, Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Fannin, Floyd, Gilmer, Gordon, Grundy, Hamilton, Marion, McMinn, Meigs, Murray, Polk, Rhea, Sequatchie, Van Buren, Walker and Whitfield counties.
Each cohort will include 20–30 participants, with a focus on women, veterans, LGBTQ+ and minority business owners, as well as businesses serving low-income communities. Participants will be paired with mentors for individualized guidance.
To apply or learn more, visit bbb.org/local/0483/bbb-breakthrough-accelerator.html. For more information, contact Victoria Dwelle, director of the Small Business Accelerator Program, at victoriad@chattanooga.bbb.org or 423 805-7103.
River Market opens for the season March 7
Spring break weekends in March are expected to draw regional tourists to the Scenic City, and the Chattanooga River Market is preparing to welcome visitors at Tennessee Aquarium Plaza.
Operating March through October, the Chattanooga River Market offers a showcase of local makers, fresh foods and live music against the backdrop of the Tennessee Aquarium and the Tennessee River.
For the 2026 season, the River Market will open for full weekends beginning March 7 and 8 and continue in a weekend format through Easter before transitioning to Saturdays only. The complete schedule is available at Chattanoogamarket.com.
Each market features dozens of artisans and food vendors set up along the plaza as well as live music performances. Events are held rain or shine. Admission is free. Organizers ask that visitors leave pets at home
Organizers are also preparing for the return of the downtown Chattanooga Market, which opens for the 2026 season April 25 and 26. Vendors interested in participating in the farmers and artists market may apply at Chattanoogamarket.com/apply.
Peptide Test joins INCubator at HCBDC
An emerging biotech company has joined Chattanooga’s startup ecosystem.
Peptide Test has entered the INCubator program at the Hamilton County Business Development Center, operated by the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce. The move positions the company to accelerate product development, expand research capabilities and contribute to the region’s growing biotech sector.
Peptide Test develops next-generation peptide-based diagnostic technologies designed to make peptide analysis faster, more accurate and more accessible for health care providers and researchers. By introducing new detection methods, the company aims to reduce barriers that have traditionally limited peptide testing to specialized laboratories.
Through the INCubator program, Peptide Test will receive mentorship, business development support and access to a collaborative entrepreneurial environment.
The company plans to use the INCubator’s resources to advance its testing platform, expand partnerships and prepare for broader commercialization in the health care and research sectors. Leaders say the flexibility offered by the INCubator is critical as the company scales operations.
Peptide Test was created to address the lack of accessible, consumer-focused verification services. After encountering unlabeled, internationally sourced peptide products, founder Chad Stiles found that no U.S. laboratory offered direct-to-consumer testing and built Peptide Test to provide a modern alternative.
The company validates its methods using USP 1225 standards, the same analytical benchmark applied across the U.S. pharmaceutical industry. Pediatric Diagnostics opens in east Brainerd
Pediatric Diagnostic Associates has opened a new office at 6787 Lee Highway, expanding access to pediatric care for families in Chattanooga’s growing East Brainerd area.
The Lee Highway location replaces the practice’s previous office off Gunbarrel Road.
The newly renovated space offers a range of pediatric services, including a separate waiting area for ill children. Renovations were completed by Noon Development, a Chattanooga-based commercial real estate firm specializing in medical office environments.
Although 6787 Lee Highway is fully leased, Noon Development has additional properties available for physicians seeking ownership, custom renovation or leasing opportunities.
PDA also operates an office at 281 N. Lyerly St. Schedule an appointment at the new East Brainerd location at www.pediatricdiagnosticassociates.com.
Hamilton leadership cohort announced
Eleven emerging and mid-career professionals from 10 Chattanooga-area organizations have been selected for the inaugural cohort of the Ascension Leadership Accelerator, a new five-month leadership development program launched by Hinton & Company in partnership with the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce.
Program leaders say organizations across sectors are facing a common challenge as senior leaders transition out of their roles and high-performing individual contributors prepare to step into leadership positions. The Ascension Leadership Accelerator is designed to support that transition by developing leadership capacity while building peer networks.
The program includes individual assessments, supervisor input, personalized development planning, group learning, peer accountability and one-on-one coaching.
Members of the inaugural cohort include Destiny Burns of Kenco; Jaleesa Brumfield and Stacy Johnson of the City of Chattanooga; Kyree Brown of the Urban League of Greater Chattanooga; Bryant Fairley of The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga; Ashley McKnight of EPB; Kristy Miles of Unum; Emily Allen Murphy of the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga; Nahomi Ortiz of Chattanooga State Community College; Natalie Patric of United Way of Greater Chattanooga; and Brian Lebron Reed of BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee.
The inaugural cohort runs through June. Enrollment for the fall cohort opens in April. Organizations interested in learning more or exploring future enrollment opportunities may contact the program team at team@hintonco.com.
TDOT expands rural driver assistance patrol
Motorists in the Chattanooga region will soon see expanded interstate assistance as the Tennessee Department of Transportation rolls out a new Rural Service Patrol across the state, including in TDOT’s Region 2, which covers Southeast Tennessee.
The expansion builds on TDOT’s long-running HELP Program, which currently patrols Tennessee’s four largest urban areas – Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga and Memphis. The new Rural Service Patrol will launch this spring in Region 2 and expand statewide by summer, ultimately covering more than 870 miles of interstate.
“In rural areas where crashes are often the most severe – drivers tend to speed, traffic is confined to two lanes and hospitals are farther away – the Rural Service Patrol fills a critical gap in emergency response coverage, improving safety and reducing incident clearance times,” says TDOT Commissioner Will Reid.
The expansion is funded through $80 million in recurring general fund dollars for transportation included in the state’s annual budget for the first time last year. The funding, made possible by reallocating a portion of existing tire sales tax revenue, does not raise taxes but increases TDOT’s service capacity. Approximately $16.7 million will support the Rural Service Patrol program.
The patrol will operate around the clock, seven days a week. Active patrols will run from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., with on-call overnight support from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. for major incidents and traffic control. Services will include fuel and water delivery, minor roadside repairs, first aid, traffic control, debris removal and maintenance reporting. Operations will be coordinated through TDOT’s regional Transportation Management Centers to allow rapid, localized response.
Since its creation in 1999, the HELP Program has focused on reducing congestion, improving roadway safety and assisting stranded motorists.
Following a competitive request-for-proposals process, the contract for the Rural Service Patrol was awarded to AutoBase, a company that operates more than 400 patrol vehicles across 10 states and brings more than 25 years of experience supporting state departments of transportation.
Cempa to assume four area health centers
Four Erlanger-affiliated community health centers in Chattanooga might soon operate under new leadership.
The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Hospital Authority and Cempa Community Care have signed a non-binding letter of intent to begin the federal approval process that would allow Cempa to take over management and operations of three community health centers and one school-based clinic.
The proposed transition involves Erlanger Community Health Center – Southside, Erlanger Community Health Center – Dodson Avenue, Erlanger Community Health Center – Premier Health and the Erlanger health clinic at Howard School.
Because the facilities are federally qualified health centers, the change must be approved by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration through what is known as a “Successor-in-Interest” process. Officials said the move is designed to ensure long-term sustainability and continuity of care for patients.
After the separation of the Hospital Authority and Erlanger Health System, the health centers remained under the authority’s oversight but continued working closely with Erlanger for services and staffing.
Cempa, which already operates within the federal framework required for health center services, was selected as the preferred organization to assume operations.