The Cherokee Office of Economic Development (COED) announces the launch of the North Atlanta Venture Mentoring Service (NAV) today, July 1, 2019. Headquartered in Cherokee, NAV represents Georgia’s first entrepreneur mentorship program principled and trained by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Venture Mentoring Service (VMS). MIT VMS has a proven 20-year track record operating its program and has shared its mentoring model with organizations in 23 countries. NAV represents the 90th sister program of MIT VMS. NAV harnesses the expertise of mentors with proven skills and experience to guide startups toward success. Unlike many mentorship programs, NAV takes a team-based approach to mentorship. NAV was made possible through the Cherokee By Choice initiative – a five-year results-driven public/private partnership aimed at reinforcing Cherokee’s role a leader in economic development.