Georgia State Entrepreneurs Boosted by $307,500 Grant From Truist Foundation
Media Contact: Michael Rohling
ATLANTA — Georgia State University student and recent alumni entrepreneurs are receiving new support thanks to a $307,500 grant from Truist Foundation to the GSU Entrepreneurship and Innovation Institute (ENI). The grant will enhance the ENI’s award-winning business accelerator program, the Main Street Entrepreneurs Seed Fund (MSESF), which provides entrepreneurs in the university community with mentorship and seed funding to help start and grow new business ventures.
“Georgia State student and alumni entrepreneurs are, like the university itself, driven by innovation, and Truist Foundation’s generous backing of the Main Street Entrepreneurs Seed Fund will help their business ventures thrive and meaningfully contribute to the vibrant ecosystem of enterprises serving Atlanta and beyond,” said Georgia State President M. Brian Blake. “We appreciate Truist Foundation’s belief in GSU and the talented entrepreneurs it fosters, and greatly value their contributions to our mission of preparing Panthers to succeed academically and in their careers.”
The Truist Foundation grant will strengthen the MSESF program and its ability to help a cohort of emerging entrepreneurs in the metro Atlanta area from Jan. 1, 2025, through Dec. 31, 2027. The selected businesses will be provided support and resources tailored to their needs, including mentoring, access to an entrepreneur in residence, and workshops designed to help launch products and services, increase revenue and exceed key performance indicators. Businesses will also be supported with seed funding as they complete program milestones.
“Our purpose at Truist is to inspire and build better lives and communities,” said Katie Saez, Truist regional president for Georgia. “We’re proud to partner with Georgia State University as we are committed to helping the small business ecosystem grow with programs such as the Main Street Entrepreneurs Seed Fund.”
Access to the typical avenues to startup success have been historically limited for individuals from underserved or resource-constrained populations. This results in these aspiring entrepreneurs being disconnected from traditional startup systems and subjected to formidable risks from the absence of a secure financial safety net and a lack of connections to commercial networks. Since its establishment in 2019, the MSESF program has been dedicated to inviting diverse entrepreneurs at Georgia State and across metro Atlanta to benefit from the university’s inclusive entrepreneurship landscape. Truist Foundation’s grant will enhance Georgia State’s ability to support students of all backgrounds in pursuit of their entrepreneurial endeavors.
Explore some of the many ways Georgia State’s philanthropic partners and individual donors make a meaningful difference in students’ lives at giving.gsu.edu.
