VentureVets is Mission: Entrepreneur – a supply line for resources, expertise, and tactical guidance for veterans, first responders, and veteran spouses in their entrepreneurial journey.

In the service, veterans gained all the skills that are critical to entrepreneurship, including smart risk-taking, a desire to be creative, team building and leadership, and a service mentality.

So, VentureVets is a community initiative to help veterans, first responders, and their spouses create businesses. It’s powered and operated by Community Development Resources, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to community economic development. We’re focused on creating sustainable business models that blend ideas, innovators, processes, and resources.

VentureVets has three elements:

  • A Pre–Accelerator to help veteran entrepreneurs create and pressure test their business models and prepare to share them with others.
  • A Funder Network to help veteran entrepreneurs find the early-stage investment needed to launch their enterprises.
  • And Ongoing Support for veteran entrepreneur cohorts to support their journey and continue to make connections.

Together these elements help in the transition from service to business ownership through a five-step process that is overseen by volunteer leaders in each community we serve:

  1. A local veteran entrepreneur peer group that meets monthly and is led by a veteran, first responder, or spouse entrepreneur.
  2. A Workshop to help participants shape and pressure-test their idea and business model.
  3. A pitch night event so stakeholders can experience the energy unleashed by VentureVets innovators.
  4. Direct coaching from successful entrepreneurs on venture capital, go-to-market strategy, branding, and more.
  5. Ongoing access to the VentureVets funder network and fundraising support.

We invite veterans and their spouses to apply to be a part of a cohort, and supporters of veteran entrepreneurship to sponsor a founder with your resources and experience to support Mission: Entrepreneur.

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