The Advanced Technology Development Center, in partnership with theClubhou.se, will soon be accepting entrepreneur applicants from the metro Augusta region for its Startup Academy.

The Academy, which runs from May 15 through Aug. 8, is an intensive twelve-week experience for technology entrepreneurs who want to launch or grow their early-stage startups. Classes will be held in downtown Augusta at Enterprise Mill, 1450 Greene St., and theClubhou.se, 540 Telfair St. There is no cost to apply, but those who are accepted into the Academy must commit to the 12-week schedule and have a technology-enabled startup or idea. Apply to the Startup Academy here: https://goo.gl/forms/MaiHqd4cCeZamBnu2.

Startup Academy participants will meet weekly for two-hour sessions where they will receive the foundational tools and education on startup viability and discuss a range of topics ranging from idea validation, customer discovery and product development to funding and sales, said Scott Hardigree, ATDC's startup catalyst in Augusta.

A program of the Georgia Institute of Technology, ATDC is Georgia’s startup technology incubator and works with entrepreneurs statewide to help them learn, launch, scale, and succeed in the creation of viable companies. ATDC’s Augusta initiative is one of several core cities across the state — including Athens, Savannah, and Peachtree Corners — where the incubator offers its ATDC @ startup programming.

"Augusta has a growing community of entrepreneurial talent and we want to tap into that and help it thrive and flourish," Hardigree said, adding there was great success with the last year's Academy. One of the graduates from that cohort, Skyraider Aeronautics, joined the ATDC Accelerate portfolio.

"Participating in ATDC's Startup Academy this past spring was a game changer for Skyraider. We were just two guys fresh from the military with an idea but didn't know how to take our idea and form a business,” said Daniel Scheiner, Skyraider Aeronautics’ CEO. “The essential skills taught during the Academy has enabled our business to thrive."