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About this Center
Operated by Georgia Tech’s Enterprise Innovation Institute, the MBDA Business Center-Atlanta wants to facilitate your company’s growth by connecting you with resources to help your business succeed. Strategically positioned within the Enterprise Innovation Institute, we are surrounded by a wealth of entrepreneurial services and resources your company can access. Through our outreach, resources, and efforts, we have assisted thousands of entrepreneurs.
Our Center enjoys affiliation with some of Georgia’s leading MBEs, corporations, and organizations, many of which have become our clients and partners. Although the Center is physically located in Atlanta, Georgia, we can assist clients anywhere in the United States.
Performance Overview
In FY2011, MBDA helped Georgia minority-owned businesses obtain 21 contracts totaling $47,052,617 and $24,490,000 in capital through seven financial transactions.
For clients with gross annual revenues of $500,000 or more, the MBDA Business Center completed 19 transactions totaling $56,358,064. For clients with annual gross revenues below $500,000, the MBDA Business Center completed nine transactions totaling $15,184,553.
MBDA assisted Georgia minority-owned businesses in creating 183 new jobs in FY2011.
In addtion to the Core Business Services, the center specializes in helping clients with improving processes and implementing environmental management, sustainability programs, and ISO 9001/ ISO 14000 certifications. Learn more about the Atlanta Business Center.
Visit Georgia Tech Research Corporation website for additional information.
Atlanta colleges land $1.65 million to create health IT jobs
Core Business Services
| Global Business Development | |
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Services include identification of export markets, facilitation of global transactions, international trade missions and market analysis, and overseas market promotion assistance. |
| Access to Capital | |
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Services include identification of domestic and global financing opportunities, equity financing, brokerage of financial transactions, identification and closure of merger and acquisition transactions. |
| Access to Contracts | |
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Services include identification of procurement opportunities, solicitation analysis, bid and proposal preparation, negotiation and closing, research contract award histories. |
| Access to Markets | |
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Services include government procurement assistance, private sector contract identification and specialized certification assistance including 8(a), and assistance with market research. |
| Strategic Business Consulting | |
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Services include sales consulting and forecasting, market feasibility studies, operations management and quality control, bid preparation and bonding (construction), and manufacturing facility leasing. |
Location
75 5th Street, NW, Suite 300
Atlanta, GA 30308
Telephone #: 404-894-2096
Program Director: Donna Ennis
Staff Information
Donna Ennis is the project director for the MBDA Business Center-Atlanta located at Georgia Tech’s Enterprise Innovation Institute. Funded by the Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), the MBDA Business Center’s mission is to grow and strengthen Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs).
Donna is responsible for the strategic direction, marketing, outreach, and operations for the Center. She also provides assistance to Center clients in strategic, business and market planning; private and public procurement, finance, operations and business process improvement. Under Donna’s leadership, the Center has assisted MBEs in generating over $500 million in contracts, financing, and sales and creating more than 3,500 jobs. The Center’s portfolio of clients consists of companies with capacity from most industries including information technology, healthcare, engineering, construction, manufacturing, energy, environmental, and professional services.
The Center has received special recognition from the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Institution Award by the Greater Atlanta Economic Alliance, and has been an Outstanding MBDA Performing Center since 2005.
Donna received her B.S. in communications from Boston University and a Master of Public Administration from Georgia State University. She was named in 2009, 2010, and 2011 as one of Atlanta’s Top 100 Black Women of Influence by the Atlanta Business League and is an awardee of the 2011 Georgia Tech Women Out Front program. She is on the Board of Trustees of Atlanta Unity Church and the Board of Directors for the National Center for the Prevention of Home Improvement Fraud. A native of Washington, D.C., Donna is the proud mother of daughter Adenike Makinde.
