Advancing Entrepreneurship

Engaging Entrepreneurship with Bridging Innovation Week’s 2024 Programming

West Virginia’s annual Bridging Innovation Week will take place April 8-11th, 2024 in Huntington, West Virginia. This year's symposium will be the biggest and most comprehensive yet, featuring a wide range of events, competitions, and networking opportunities. Bridging Innovation Week promotes and fosters entrepreneurship by bringing together engaged stakeholders from...

Victor W. Hwang To Keynote 2024 WV Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Conference in Huntington

The West Virginia Entrepreneurship Ecosystem is thrilled to announce that Victor W. Hwang, Founder and CEO of Right to Start and a world-renowned champion of entrepreneurship, will deliver a keynote address at this year’s West Virginia Entrepreneurship Economic Conference. The conference will be held on April 9th at the Mountain...

Advancing the Culture of Entrepreneurship in West Virginia

In my two roles advocating entrepreneurship in West Virginia, I often hear people say that one of the obstacles to new business growth is that West Virginia has no established culture of entrepreneurship, as its economy has historically been fueled by natural resources with large companies in the forefront. But...

ARC Accepting Applications for Summer Study Programs in Entrepreneurship and STEM for Region’s Middle and High School Students

Appalachian Entrepreneurship Academy and Appalachian STEM Academy applications due February 2, 2024 WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) opened applications for two summer study opportunities: the Appalachian Entrepreneurship Academy (AEA) and the Appalachian STEM Academy at Oak Ridge. Both programs, planned for summer 2023, are free intensive learning experiences specifically for...

SEED SPOT in West Virginia: Nurturing Underrepresented Entrepreneurs

If you are just learning about SEED SPOT you might be wondering why a Phoenix-based non-profit wants to work with West Virginia entrepreneurs. With WV’s entrepreneurs and small business owners being the driving force behind the growing local economy, SEED SPOT can play a small role in supporting this emerging...

70 Years of Helping Small Businesses in the Mountain State

Last month, The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), celebrated seven decades of helping small businesses start, grow and succeed by honoring local small businesses with their Legacy Business recognition. Diana Lewis-Jackson, President and CEO, of Action Facilities Management received the recognition, at an invite only ceremony among family, friends and colleagues, on...

Energizing Entrepreneurship Across West Virginia

Nearly all job growth in America comes from new and young businesses. That’s why entrepreneurship is so vital to West Virginia and why I’ve become associated with two entities that can be pivotal to catapulting West Virginia to national leadership in new business growth. The entities are Marshall University, already a...

West Virginia University Industrial Extension Awarded $400,000 Federal Grant to Aid West Virginia Manufacturers

A federal grant has been awarded to the WVU Industrial Extension (WVUIE) to help small and medium sized West Virginia manufacturers build their supply chain initiatives. The funding will provide services to expand existing MEP capabilities to provide National Supply Chain Optimization and to establish a supply chain Intelligence Network,...

Introducing the WVU Industrial Engineering Capstone Program: Enhancing Business Productivity through Student-Driven Solutions

The West Virginia University (WVU) Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering is excited to announce the launch of the WVU Industrial Engineering Capstone Program (IECP). In a nutshell, the WVU IECP aims to provide students with unparalleled experiences and to serve the land-grant mission of the University by supporting...

Removing Barriers: Enhancing Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs in 2023

Access to capital is a critical factor for the success of entrepreneurs, but traditional funding avenues have often presented challenges for many aspiring business owners, particularly those from marginalized communities. Fortunately, the Kauffman Foundation's recent report, "Access to Capital: Removing Barriers for Entrepreneurs 2023," offers insights into the current landscape...