KENNESAW, Ga. |
Jan 2, 2026
Some key parts of Kennesaw State University’s mission are to advance knowledge, foster innovation, and serve the community. Through the HatchBridge Incubator, those facets are coming to life.
In just two years, the incubator has become a launchpad for companies that are attracting
millions of dollars in investment, translating faculty research into real-world solutions,
and giving KSU alumni and the surrounding community a place to turn bold ideas into
thriving businesses.
HatchBridge is building an ecosystem that connects the University with the region
around it. Located on Chastain Road just across from the Kennesaw Campus, the incubator
welcomes alumni, faculty researchers, and community entrepreneurs who are ready to
take their ideas to the marketplace.
HatchBridge is just one of several ways KSU supports entrepreneurship. Undergraduates often begin their entrepreneurial journey through the Robin and Doug Shore Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center in the Michael J. Coles College of Business. HatchBridge serves a different purpose: supporting ventures further along the path, whether they’re backed by faculty research, alumni experience, or community expertise.
“At HatchBridge, we’re building a culture where founders can learn from each other, avoid repeating the same mistakes, and grow faster together,” said Colin Ake, director of incubation and commercialization. “We’re serving KSU researchers – but we are also serving the wider community of entrepreneurs in the region who want to build something meaningful.”
“The reality of startups is that most of the journey is hard, unglamorous work,” said Graham Gintz, associate director of the incubator. “What we do at HatchBridge is give founders the structure, mentorship, and accountability they need to keep moving forward – whether they’re raising capital, refining a product, or making their first sale.”
A clear example of HatchBridge’s impact is Chowder Financial, led by KSU alumnus Daniel Collier ’06, ’13. Chowder provides lease-purchase financing for homeowners and contractors needing to replace essential systems such as heating and air conditioning. Collier’s company has already raised more than $8 million in venture capital and is growing rapidly.
“As a Kennesaw State University graduate, joining the HatchBridge Incubator was an invaluable step in Chowder’s early journey,” Collier said. “The guidance, resources, and continued support we receive, especially in building a strong business foundation, has helped shape Chowder into the company we are today.”
Another HatchBridge standout is MycoLogic, a faculty-led venture commercializing a sustainable mushroom growing system. Created by Kyle Gabriel, KSU senior research associate and Chris Cornelison associate vice president of innovation and strategic partnerships in KSU’s Office of Research, MycoLogic has climate-controlled grow units. Through years of iteration and frontline work with farmers in the region, the units are now available commercially nationwide, with growers able to recoup their investment within just a few years.
“The impact of research can in many cases be realized through commercialization, which typically involves taking new information created through academic scholarship, and making that into a product or service,” said Cornelison, who is also an associate professor of microbiology.
Entrepreneurship isn’t limited to faculty research. Alumni like Emerson Smith ’18 are using HatchBridge as a launchpad, too. Smith founded HappyDoc, an AI assistant for veterinary clinics, entrusted by veterinarians to auto-generate SOAP medical notes, integrate with practice systems, and streamline workflows. What started as an early idea with grant funding from the Mookerji Innovation Fund in KSU’s Shore Entrepreneurship Center has evolved into a growing venture that blossomed after HatchBridge’s Chasing Venture Program. In just a few years, HappyDoc has raised over $5 million in venture dollars and is helping hundreds of veterinarians run more efficient practices.
“During the most stressful stage of building HappyDoc, the personal coaching I received through the Chasing Venture Program made all the difference. I’m grateful to have graduated from KSU, a school that pairs resources with the kind of personal mentorship every founder needs,” Smith said.
The Next Wave of Research Commercialization
Several faculty members are preparing to follow in these footsteps.
Maria Valero, associate professor in the College of Computing and Software Engineering,
is developing GlucoCheck, a device to measure blood sugar levels using light instead
of a blood sample. Laying the groundwork for future commercialization, she has incorporated
under the name Predicor.
Tiffany Roman, from the Clarice C. and Leland H. Bagwell College of Education, is developing an app to support music education for K-12 students.
Both Valero and Roman have completed the Innovation Launchpad, the incubator’s multiple-session program where faculty and entrepreneurs refine their business models, conduct customer discovery interviews, and receive hands-on coaching – with up to $3,000 to support customer discovery.
Student Fellows: Learning by Building
HatchBridge’s impact extends beyond founders and faculty. Through HatchBridge Fellows, 14 students from interactive design and engineering backgrounds have worked side-by-side with startups in the incubator. Fellows contribute to landing pages, prototypes, and user experience design – gaining real-world experience while adding immediate value to early-stage companies.
Two Fellows have even gone on to work full time with HatchBridge portfolio companies:
one at Chowder Financial, another at MycoLogic, evidence that the incubator is not
only helping companies grow but also creating a talent pipeline for the region.
Looking Ahead
In only two years, HatchBridge has grown into a cornerstone of KSU’s innovation ecosystem. With alumni raising capital, faculty spinning out companies, and researchers preparing to launch their own ventures, the incubator is already proving its value to both the university and the region it serves.
“This is just the beginning,” Ake said. “Our goal is to make HatchBridge the first call for anyone in the region with an idea worth building. Through ventures like Chowder, MycoLogic, and HappyDoc – and the promising research of faculty innovators – HatchBridge is demonstrating that entrepreneurial success at KSU is not a dream for the future, but a reality happening right now.”
By the Numbers: HatchBridge since July 2023
• 187 startups served across 20 cohorts of programs
• $18M+ raised by HatchBridge founders
This article also appears in the current issue of Summit Magazine.
– Story by Gary Tanner
Photos by Matt Yung
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A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to its more than 51,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties, and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 8 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.