August 6, 2026 – DANVILLE, Va. — Entrepreneurs, business owners, manufacturers, farmers, innovators, and community leaders from across Southern Virginia are invited to attend the third annual RISE Summit on Thursday, August 27, 2026 at the Institute for Advanced Learning & Research (IALR) in Danville, VA. This year’s event, themed “Innovation in Business, Manufacturing, and Agriculture,” will connect entrepreneurs and small businesses with practical insights, regional resources, industry leaders, and opportunities in the sectors driving Southern Virginia’s future.
The RISE Summit will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with doors opening at 8:30 a.m. for check-in and networking. Early Bird tickets are $55 through August 13, and tickets will increase to $65 on August 14. Registration for the event closes on Monday, August 24. Scholarships are available.
The Summit will kick off with a conversation featuring Kelsey Robertson (Founder and CEO, TECHnista), and event emcee Natalie Hodge Davis (Founder and CEO, Rudy’s Girl Media, and Southern Virginia Market Lead, Locus). Robertson will discuss her entrepreneurial journey building TECHnista from the ground up and the role small businesses and entrepreneurs play in supporting the manufacturing economy.
An afternoon panel moderated by Kiana Dillard of the West Piedmont Planning District Commission will feature Gretchen Clark (Hurt & Proffitt), Dr. Scott Lowman (IALR), and Angela Yancey (Hitachi Energy). The panel will discuss how industry partnerships and investment create opportunities for small businesses, entrepreneurs, and communities.
Throughout the day, attendees can choose from breakout sessions organized around three tracks: Access to Capital, Business Foundations, and Innovation. Session speakers include Karen White (Virginia Small Business Financing Authority), Kathy Deacon (Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity), Community Investment Collaborative, Peter Raines (Co-Owner, Get YOU Found), Taurean Russell (VP of Information Technology, IALR), and Crystal Hairston (Owner, Socialize Me).
The Summit will also feature a panel on regional resources that support product development, prototyping, and innovation. Panelists will include Dana Knott (Longwood Small Business Development Center) and representatives from makerspaces across Southern Virginia, including Amy Reed (Patrick & Henry Community College Dalton IDEA Center in Martinsville), Evan Jones (SEED Innovation Hub in Farmville), Autumn Evans (The Spark Creativity Lab in Altavista), and Adam Reeves (SOVA Fab Lab, coming to South Boston in Fall 2026).
“The RISE Summit gives entrepreneurs a place to learn, build relationships, and connect with resources they can use after the event,” said Lauren Mathena, Director of Economic Development and Community Engagement for the SOVA Innovation Hub and RISE Program Director. “It also creates opportunities for entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and economic development partners to learn from one another and strengthen Southern Virginia’s economy.”
Past attendees have described the RISE Summit as “an opportunity to network with small business entrepreneurs” and a resource for understanding “how to advance my business and potentially find financing.”
The RISE Summit is hosted by the SOVA Innovation Hub through RISE (Regional Investment in Startups and Entrepreneurs). Organizers thank the event’s sponsors and supporters, including GO Virginia, the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC), the Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Innovation Center, Community Investment Collaborative (CIC), and RetirePath Virginia for helping make the Summit possible.
The Summit is part of a broader effort coordinated by RISE to strengthen Southern Virginia’s entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem. RISE connects entrepreneurs and business owners across the region with programs, resources, and relationships that help them start and grow.
View the agenda and speaker information at sovarise.com/summit. Register by August 24 at risesummit2026.eventbrite.com.
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Media Contact:
Liz Smith | SOVA Innovation Hub | hello@sovainnovationhub.com | (434) 570‑1312
About RISE
RISE (Regional Investment in Startups and Entrepreneurs) is a regional entrepreneurship initiative serving Southern Virginia and Franklin County. Managed by the SOVA Innovation Hub in partnership with Longwood’s Small Business Development Center and regional ecosystem partners, RISE helps entrepreneurs connect with resources, training, mentors, and opportunities to start and grow businesses. Learn more at sovarise.com.
About SOVA Innovation Hub
The SOVA Innovation Hub is a nonprofit organization working to spark economic transformation in Southern Virginia by advancing digital skills and entrepreneurship. Located in South Boston, VA, it provides coworking, training, and collaborative space and serves as a lead partner for RISE entrepreneurship initiative. Learn more at sovainnovationhub.com.