Important Update: New Membership Plans for GENIE Locations and What's in Store for 2026

This information is specific to BIG/GENIE locations and is not relevant for partner locations

At the Georgia Southern University Business Innovation Group (BIG), our mission is to empower you, the entrepreneurs, founders, and innovators of Georgia, to turn ambitious ideas into successful realities. As we look ahead to 2026, we are thrilled to reinforce that commitment by making significant investments in both our physical and digital resources.

This post contains important details about the launch of our new, unified membership plan structure for all our physical spaces, now operating as GENIE Locations, effective January 1, 2026.

The Launch of GENIE: Your Ecosystem, Amplified

We are excited to officially introduce the Georgia Enterprise Network for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (GENIE). This platform is the digital hub you've been waiting for, designed to complement your experience within our physical BIG spaces.

GENIE is a comprehensive, on-demand ecosystem that combines everything you need to grow your business:

• Learning: Instant access to a curated library of video courses, expert-led workshops, and educational content.

• Networking: A private digital community to connect with fellow founders across the state.

• Guidance: Direct access to our Expert Mentorship Network for one-on-one advice.

GENIE represents a major expansion of the value we provide, ensuring that support and resources are available to you not just when you're in the building, but anytime and anywhere your business takes you.

2026 Membership Plans: Find Your stage

To sustain the high-quality services, state-of-the-art facilities, and continuous investment in new resources like GENIE, we are implementing an adjustment to our physical space membership and usage plans, effective January 1, 2026.

These new plans are designed to provide even greater flexibility and a clearer value proposition across different stages of your entrepreneurial journey.

Why the Change?

This update allows us to:

1. Maintain & Enhance Facilities: Continue to invest in the security, maintenance, and technology infrastructure of our incubation physical spaces.

2. Expand Support: Ensure we can offer robust, high-touch support from our staff and continue to grow our mentor and event offerings.

3. Fund New Digital Resources: Integrate the ongoing development and management of the GENIE platform as a core benefit of your membership to meet businesses where they are.

Details of the New Plans

We are retiring our current plan structure and introducing new tiers, each tailored to meet specific founder needs:

Part 1: Early Stage Incubation (For Ideation & Validation)

These plans are ideal for founders refining their concept, building their minimum viable product (MVP), and seeking foundational resources.

Plan	Price	Best For	Key Benefits
Discover	Free	Exploring & Foundation	Includes both Starter templates & videos and Startup toolkits, Orientation sessions, access to Mentorship Office Hours, and a discounted $10-15 Day Pass rate.
Ideate	$49/mo	Testing Your Concept	Upgrade to a Hot desk, get 4 hrs/mo of Conference Room use, access to Weekly workshops and Pitch practice sessions.
Incubate	$149/mo Updated $129/mo	Dedicated Build	Upgrade to a Dedicated desk, get 8 hrs/mo of Conference Room use, access to a full Startup fundamentals curriculum, and Showcase eligibility.

Feature Progression at a Glance (Early Stage)

Feature	Discover (Free)	Ideate ($49/mo)	Incubate ($129/mo)
Workspace	Day Passes ($10-15)	Hot Desk	Dedicated Desk
Included Conf. Room	-	4 hrs/mo	8 hrs/mo
Mentorship	Office Hours	Office Hours & General Access	Office Hours & General Access
GENIE Access	Free	Included	Included

Part 2: Growth Stage Acceleration (For Scaling & Investment)

These plans focus on established startups ready to scale operations, secure investment, and professionalize their structure.

Plan	Price	Best For	Key Benefits
Cultivate	$249/mo Updated $199/mo	Early Scaling	Dedicated Desk, 12 hrs/mo Conf. Room use, Dedicated Mentor (1 hr/mo), Priority Access to student support, and Investor meetups.
Accelerate	$549/mo Updated $299/mo	Investor Readiness	Semi-private workspace, 20 hrs/mo Conf. Room use, Dedicated Mentor (2 hrs/mo), and Investor introductions.
Growth	$749/mo Updated $449/mo	Strategic Expansion	Private office, 40 hrs/mo Conf. Room use, Dedicated Mentor (4 hrs/mo), and Strategic fundraising support.
Alumni	$249/yr	Continued Community	Retained access to Hot desk and 6 hrs/mo Conf. Room, Alumni showcases, and Alumni-only events.

Feature Progression at a Glance (Growth Stage)

Feature	Cultivate ($199/mo)	Accelerate ($299/mo)	Growth ($399/mo)	Alumni ($249/yr)
Workspace	Dedicated Desk (Priority)	Semi-Private Workspace	Private Office	Hot Desk
Included Conf. Room	12 hrs/mo	20 hrs/mo	40 hrs/mo	6 hrs/mo
Dedicated Mentorship	1 hr/mo	2 hrs/mo	4 hrs/mo	(Advisor access only)
GENIE Access	Included	Included	Included	Included

Members also receive discounted rates on additional conference room time, access to students to provide support within your business, and other resources that help close the gaps in your businesses and startups.

What This Means for Current Members

Starting January 1, 2026, the new plan structure will be active, but your existing membership and pricing will remain the same through the duration of your current term.

We want to give you maximum flexibility. Existing members have two options for transitioning to the unified GENIE ecosystem:

1. Remain on Your Legacy Plan: You may keep your current pricing and features until your license agreement term naturally expires.

2. Transition Now (Voluntary): You can choose to transition immediately to the most comparable new plan to gain instant access to all the enhanced features and benefits, including the full suite of the GENIE digital platform, which may be an upgrade from your current benefits.

We strongly encourage you to review the new plan details in the table above to understand the full features and pricing that will apply to your first billing cycle after your current term ends, or if you choose to transition early.

We Are Here for You

We understand that pricing changes require planning, and we are committed to making this transition as smooth as possible. If you have questions, you can reach out to us at genie@georgiasouthern.edu for immediate assistance.

Thank you for being an active part of the GSU BIG community as we welcome our new branding, GENIE, to the fold. We are excited about the future and look forward to supporting your continued success in 2026!