Statesboro’s downtown district buzzed with excitement this Tuesday morning, August 27, 2024 as Georgia Southern University celebrated the grand opening of the newly expanded Business Innovation Group (BIG) Incubator.
This expansion marks a significant milestone in the ongoing partnership between the university, the city of Statesboro, and the broader community.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony, held at the BIG incubator’s newly renovated facility, drew an enthusiastic crowd eager to witness the latest addition to Statesboro’s burgeoning entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Dominic Halaby, Associate Vice President for Innovation at Georgia Southern, opened the event with remarks that highlighted the transformative journey of the building itself—a space that once housed an auto repair shop and later a furniture store, now reimagined into a hub of innovation and business growth.
Live Stream of the Ceremony
“When I see this building,” Halaby said, “I see the countless hours of hard work from Georgia Southern employees, city leadership, the Downtown Statesboro Development Authority, and all those involved in making this vision a reality. This is your legacy—your building.”
The morning’s event was a true celebration of collaboration, with speakers from various key partners reflecting on the efforts and dedication that brought this project to life.
Georgia Southern University President Dr. Kyle Marrero emphasized the strategic importance of the incubator, noting that it’s poised to play a critical role as the region prepares for exponential growth over the next decade.
“With the activation of this incubator, we now have a soft-landing facility in downtown Statesboro where entrepreneurs can launch and scale their businesses,” said Marrero. “This project exemplifies our vision at Georgia Southern—growing ourselves to grow others.”
The ceremony also featured remarks from Jonathan Corso, the Georgia representative for the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), which has been a key supporter of the incubator’s development. Corso praised the project as a model for others across the state and country, reflecting on the successful partnership that began over a decade ago and continues to thrive today.
Statesboro Mayor Pro Tem Shari Barr offered a heartfelt reflection on the building’s history, sharing personal anecdotes of its past as a grocery store and consignment shop.
“This place has been inhabited by people who had vision and believed in themselves and this community,” Barr said. “That spirit of entrepreneurship and commitment is what got us here today, and it will continue to drive us forward.”
As the ceremony drew to a close, Delores Groomes Dickey, Chair of the Downtown Statesboro Development Authority (DSDA), expressed pride in the collective achievements that the expanded incubator represents.
“This expansion is not just about physical space,” Groomes Dickey noted. “It’s about expanding opportunities and developing our city in a meaningful way.”
The ribbon was finally cut, officially opening the doors to the new and improved BIG Incubator. Guests were invited to explore the state-of-the-art office spaces, the Fab Lab, and the Makerspace, which promise to be the birthplace of countless new ventures in the years to come.
The BIG Incubator’s expansion is a shining example of what can be accomplished when a community comes together with a shared vision. As the event wrapped up and attendees moved inside to escape the August heat, the sense of optimism and determination was palpable—Statesboro is ready to soar to new heights.
BIG is located at 62 East Main in Statesboro, GA.
