Governor McAuliffe announced today the kick off of the Virginia Velocity Tour Business Plan Competition in Roanoke.
Nearly 30 finalists will compete for five $25,000 business grants in public pitch events during the week-long tour with stops in Charlottesville, Hampton Roads, Northern Virginia, Richmond and Roanoke.
“I am honored to kick off of the Virginia Velocity Tour, a competition that embodies our efforts to build a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem throughout the Commonwealth,” said Governor McAuliffe. “It is my hope that this year’s competition will attract proposals from entrepreneurs who will be job creators of the future and draw more awareness to the significant progress we are making building a new Virginia economy.”
The Virginia Velocity Tour, a partnership between Village Capital and the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a week-long event designed to provide visibility and seed funding to promising startups throughout Virginia. The program will highlight industry sectors of regional strength, including: agriculture, biotech, energy, health, and security.
“Virginia is proud to partner with Village Capital on this tour that is offering additional incentives and platforms for entrepreneurs to showcase their ideas and talents,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Todd Haymore. “We are excited to learn more about each of the finalists through the pitch events, and we are looking forward to awarding $125,000 in grants to create new jobs and bring new businesses to Virginia.”
“The quality and quantity of the applicants we have seen for the Virginia Velocity Tour Business Plan competition has been nothing short of extraordinary, exceeding our already high expectations,” said Ross Baird, CEO of Village Capital. “There is no doubt in my mind that many of these companies will drive significant economic impact for Virginia, and leave a significant mark on the nation and the world.”
The Virginia Velocity Tour committee has selected 29 finalists to participate in five pitch competitions in several regions across the state. In addition to the pitch competitions, Governor McAuliffe will be participating in a fireside chat during the Richmond pitch event on September 20 at 5:30 p.m.
Below is information on all five days including the pitch events that are open to the public and a list of the finalists for each region.
Sept. 19, 6 p.m. – Roanoke/Blacksburg Region
Moss Arts Center
190 Alumni Mall, Blacksburg, VA 24060
Finalists:
● FluxTeq
● Netarus
● The Energy Control Group
● Aesop Technologies
● Imade3d
Sept. 20, 5:30 p.m. – Richmond Region
Fireside chat featuring Gov. McAuliffe to precede the pitch competition
Hofheimer Building
2818 West Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23230
Finalists:
● Glass Smith
● Card Isle
● Hamilton Perkins Collection
● PlayYourCourt.com
● Relish
● Delect
Sept. 21, 5 p.m. – Hampton Roads Region
Virginia Beach Aquarium
717 General Booth Boulevard, Virginia Beach, VA 23451
Finalists:
● GOGO Bands
● Adartis Animal Health
● Sanyal Biotechnology
● Track Patch 1 Corporation
● Cardinal Mechatronics
● Attention Point
Sept. 22, 4 p.m. – Northern Virginia Region
MACH37, Center for Innovative Technologies
2214 Rock Hill Road, #600, Herndon, VA 20170
Finalists:
● Tensor Wrench Inc.
● Eunomic
● Hill Top Security Inc.
● UnMEZ Inc.
● J&F Alliance Group Inc.
Sept. 23, 4:30 p.m. – Charlottesville Region
Event will kick off with special remarks from Senator Mark Warner
The Haven
112 Market Street, Charlottesville, VA 22902
Finalists:
● Agrospheres
● Seasonal Roots
● Hungry Marketplace
● Bonomuse Biochem LLC
● Edible Edu
● Tellus Agronomics LLC
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