Home Business accelerator program announces next round of participants
Local

Business accelerator program announces next round of participants

Crystal Graham
business incubator
(© Gajus – stock.adobe.com)

Five companies have been selected to participate in the next installment of a virtual accelerator/incubator program for growing businesses.

Startup Shenandoah Valley, or S2V, is a virtual program that supports entrepreneurs with scalable business ideas in the following sectors: light manufacturing, value-added food, agriculture, technology, healthcare, logistics, and professional services.

The five businesses chosen from a dozen applicants include:

  • Helix Hydrogen, an electrolyzer manufacturer quickly maneuvering to meet the rising demand for green hydrogen, Daniel Warren, Harrisonburg
  • Isle Candle Co., rebranded as Elizabeth Paige Candles, original soy lotion candle manufacturer, Becca Slye, Harrisonburg
  • Nonprofit MBA, provides nonprofits with access to an online application that assesses the capacity of their organization, Juan Pablo Berrizbeitia, Staunton
  • Low Carb Kitchen, concentrated focus on creating and distributing a tasty keto French fry for consumers, Donald Goff, Elkton
  • Zion Sprouts Gathering House, a multi-facet center for the conservation and promotion of the Christian arts, Katherine Archibold, Harrisonburg

S2V is managed by the Shenandoah Community Capital Fund, a regional organization that supports business owners. A GO Virginia Region 8 grant was awarded to SCCF in 2020 for the program.

“It’s thrilling to bring together this group of entrepreneurs into a cohort – all of whom are working at different stages of their business and in different industries,” said Katie Overfield-Zook, a S2V program facilitator, in a news release. “And yet, they’re able to find support and encouragement from each other to keep going and keep building a successful business, even on the hard days. That’s the real power of a program like S2V – guidance from their coaches and mentors, and the power of their peers.”

To learn more about Startup Shenandoah Valley, visit sccfva.org/support

Crystal Graham

Crystal Graham

Crystal Abbe Graham is the regional editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1999 graduate of Virginia Tech, she has worked for nearly 25 years as a reporter and editor for several Virginia publications, written a book, and garnered more than a dozen Virginia Press Association awards for writing and graphic design. She was the co-host of "Viewpoints," a weekly TV news show, and co-host of Virginia Tonight, a nightly TV news show. Her work on "Virginia Tonight" earned her a national Telly award for excellence in television.