Igniting the spirit of entrepreneurship for our students, community, and region.
Welcome to the Art & Lindee Lucas Center for Entrepreneurship at the College of Coastal Georgia. We believe that entrepreneurship lives in every human being, emerging in moments when the world needs our unique skills and ideas. We support students and entrepreneurs in the Golden Isles in three ways: We build communities to support entrepreneurship with mentors, peers, experts, regional partners, local businesses, and friends. We build capabilities for entrepreneurs with workshops, coaching, pitch competitions, college courses, and events. We support new and growing entrepreneurs on their path to accessing capital with our network investors, lenders, and partners.
Students
We believe that every student has the power and the potential to create their own future and empower their community. Students at the College of Coastal Georgia can minor in Entrepreneurship regardless of their chosen major, and access all of our programs and services for their business endeavors.
Mentors
At the Lucas Center, our volunteer mentors are the core of our support system for entrepreneurs. If you haven’t gotten involved yet, contact the Lucas Center to share your strengths, interests, and experiences in an impactful way. Our mentors represent decades of experiences across industries.
Entrepreneurs/Business Owners
Join us for regular meetups, workshops, mentor talks, or sign up for one of our programs to help you start or grow your business. New and experienced entrepreneurs can find support, peer networks, opportunities, and resources to launch or grow in the offerings of the Lucas Center.
Building Opportunities
At the Lucas Center, find the support you need to start or grow your business. Our mentors, workshops, bootcamp programs, and competitions challenge all entrepreneurs to grow into their potential. If you are ready to ignite your entrepreneurial spirit, fill out the prompts below to reach out to us.
At the Lucas Center, we understand that entrepreneurs are driven by passion, energy, and the determination to bring their visions to life – but they need support to make it happen. Our mentors provide valuable resources, including workshops, programs, and training in areas such as business planning, financial statements, strategy, human resources, and real estate. Below, you’ll find prompts to fill out if you are interested in becoming a mentor of the Lucas Center.
Starting a new business or growing an existing one requires support from across industries and sectors.
Our partners are available for entrepreneurs in our programs as their needs grow.
From seed funding, branding, web development, and childcare, to human resource counseling, real estate, and financing.
If your nonprofit or local business would like to join our network of partners, please reach out. We look forward to connecting and sharing the success and energy of our entrepreneurs with our community partners.
Sponsoring Lucas Center Programs:
Consider becoming a Founding Executive or Director of the Lucas Center. Your gift will not only support the businesses currently served by the Lucas Center, but also help to cultivate and grow the businesses of tomorrow, allowing the Golden Isles and South Georgia to be a place of growth and innovation.
LUCAS CENTER FRIENDS AND FOUNDERS
The Lucas Center serves hundreds of startups, aspiring entrepreneurs, and small businesses each year. Our sponsors create impact in our community by helping our programs run multiple times each year for free and by creating opportunities for entrepreneurs and students to access resources and education that would otherwise keep them from growing or launching their business.
As a sponsor donating more than $500, your name or organization’s name can be featured in our workshops, materials, and social media. Our sponsors giving $2,500 or more also have access to exclusive events, brand recognition in our materials, and regular impact updates sharing the value of their gift in the community.
Individual Supporters
Love the Lucas Center and its impact in our community? Consider a one-time or recurring gift to support a growing spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship in our region. From workshops to coaching to pitch competitions, your generosity grows our capacity to do even more!
Ecosystem
At the College of Coastal Georgia and in the Golden Isles region, our ecosystem is growing every day and presenting many new opportunities.
Events
Our events for entrepreneurs, students, mentors, and the community connect all of us with the innovations and excitement of entrepreneurship.
Resources
Whether you are an aspiring entrepreneur, a seasoned founder, or a mentor or advocate assisting, find the resources you need to grow here.
News
Keep up with what’s new, what’s brewing, and how the Lucas Center and partners are building opportunities in the community and region.
The Lucas Center is committed to inspiring entrepreneurship in our College, community, and region. We connect founders and aspiring entrepreneurs with the mentors, peers, resources, education, and partners to make their business goals come to life. We believe in the promise and potential of entrepreneurship for establishing economic empowerment, innovating solutions to our local and global challenges, and creating a better world and future for us all.
Lucas Center Calendar of Events
Founded 2021
When Dr. Skip Mounts and lifelong entrepreneur Art Lucas talked over their regular breakfast about creating impact for our students and our region, they always came back to the power of entrepreneurship. As they watched local initiatives, start-ups, students, and development efforts surge and ebb, they recognized a gap in the small business ecosystem in the Golden Isles: there was no hub to connect resources, mentors, and the community with entrepreneurs and their ideas. The Lucas Center for Entrepreneurship was born to fill this gap.
Major and Minor
The School of Business offers an Entrepreneurship concentration, available beginning a student’s junior year. Over the two years, students in this program with a 3.0 GPA or higher receive $1,000 each semester and build an executable business plan with the support of a mentor.
Students from any major can minor in Entrepreneurship.
Stay Connected!
Our Acceler8 Program
ACCELER8 is designed for existing businesses who are ready to grow through weekly sessions on marketing, financials, operations, and strategy. The program helps owners and executives of both Non-Profit and For-Profit businesses to improve their knowledge and better structure their companies for growth over time.
Idea Accelerator Bootcamp
Any aspiring entrepreneurs from the College or community are welcome to join us for a full-day workshop. Come with just a business idea and leave with a startup plan! Our full-day workshops include meals and opportunities to connect with other entrepreneurs, mentors, and partners in our local community.
Ande Noktes
