June brings a variety of opportunities for entrepreneurs, small business owners, and innovators throughout Southern Virginia.

1-on-1 Consulting on Government Contracting

Wednesday, June 11, 2025 | SOVA Innovation Hub

Southern Virginia businesses interested in government contracting have a new opportunity close to home. Virginia APEX Accelerator is offering free, 1-on-1 consulting sessions at the SOVA Innovation Hub, located at 715 Wilborn Avenue, South Boston, VA. The goal of this service is to make it easier than ever for Southern Virginia businesses to access expert guidance on navigating the government contracting process. Learn More >

PUMP: Pull Up Mentoring Program

• Saturday, June 14, 2025 | 9am – 1pm | Halifax Farmers Market & Market Place (Halifax, VA)

• Wednesday, June 18, 2025 | 9am – 1pm | P&HCC Patrick County Fab Lab (Stuart, VA)

Hosted by the RISE Navigators, PUMP (Pull Up Mentor Program) is a free, drop-in event designed to connect entrepreneurs with valuable resources to support your business journey. 

Whether you’re a business owner looking to grow, an aspiring entrepreneur with a new idea, or an innovator with a fresh product or service, PUMP (Pull Up Mentor Program) offers a chance to discuss your ideas with a member of the RISE Navigator team. The RISE Navigators are knowledgeable about local, regional, and national resources to support your business journey.

Don’t miss this chance to strengthen your entrepreneurial journey with personalized support.

Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB) & Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) Certification Workshop

Wednesday, June 18, 2025| 12pm – 1:30pm | SOVA Innovation Hub

The federal government is committed to supporting veteran entrepreneurship by awarding at least 5% of federal contracting dollars annually to SBA-certified Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSBs) and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs).

Virginia APEX Accelerator will lead this informative workshop, sponsored by RISE Collaborative, to help veterans understand and navigate the certification process. Topics include program eligibility, benefits, set-aside contracting opportunities, required documentation, application steps, and recertification. This session is ideal for veterans looking to grow their business through federal contracting opportunities.

RISE Grapevine Monthly Virtual Meetup

Thursday, June 26, 2025 |   12pm – 1pm   |   Zoom

The RISE Grapevine Monthly Virtual Meetup is a virtual gathering of diverse, creative, and inclusive entrepreneurs and ecosystem builders from across Southern Virginia. During each monthly meeting, we share updates from local and regional entrepreneurs support organizations.

2nd Annual RISE Regional Innovation Summit for Entrepreneurs

Saturday, November 1, 2025 |   8am – 3pm   |   Institute for Advanced Learning & Research

Get ready to take your business to the next level at the 2025 RISE Summit—a one-day event filled with inspiration, practical workshops, and meaningful networking opportunities. Whether you’re launching a new venture or scaling an existing one, the Summit offers the tools, connections, and motivation you need to grow. Your registration includes access to all keynote sessions and breakouts, a buffet lunch, snacks and beverages, exclusive event swag, and free Wi-Fi throughout the venue. Don’t miss this energizing day designed to support your journey as an entrepreneur—save the date and get ready to connect, learn, and grow.

Upcoming Events Hosted by State Agencies

Intro to Selling to Virginia – Workshop #1

Wednesday, June 4, 2025  |   10am – 11:30am   |   Online

This session will provide a high level overview of the Commonwealth’s purchasing process, including purchasing policies that affect how buyers use the eVA system to “shop” and the eVA tools used by our buying community. You’ll also get a guided tour of the eVA website as we discuss the publicly accessible tools & resources every business should know about if they’re interested in selling to Virginia. And if you’re not already an eVA registered Vendor, you’ll learn how to get signed-up, as well as where to go for help at any time!

Hosted by the eVA outreach team with the Virginia Division Small Business & Supplier Diversity.

Generating Leads Using eVA – Workshop #2

 Wednesday, June 11, 2025 |   10am – 12pm   |   Online

This advanced workshop is the 2nd in the eVA series & focuses on lead generation. This hands-on session explores the public transparency tools available on the eVA website, including the Report & Resource Center and the new “power” search. You’ll learn how to identify buyers who are buying what you sell, determine prices being paid for goods/services, identify who’s getting business (is it you or your competition). We’ll also walk through the Virginia Business Opportunities public posting page – featuring collaboration tools like B2B Connect & VIBE – as we discuss how & when eVA builds a lead list for you and why rating your leads is important.

Hosted by the eVA outreach team with the Virginia Division Small Business & Supplier Diversity.

Success Through e-Commerce 

Tuesday, June 17, 2025  |  12pm – 1:30pm   |   Online

If you’re looking to shift more of your business efforts to online sales, this session from Virginia SBDC is for you. The training will explore the different types of websites available and how to upgrade your current site to support e-commerce, including estimated costs. You’ll also learn about various e-commerce platforms and how to choose the one that best fits your business needs. Finally, the session will cover how to set up and manage your online storefront or service portal, and how to use data and marketing strategies to maximize your online sales performance.

Upcoming Events Hosted by the Longwood Small Business Development Center &  Virginia Small Business Development Center (SBDC) 

Building the Foundation for Your New Business

Wednesday, June 25, 2025  |  9am – 10pm   |   Online

Starting a new business can be daunting, but with the right foundation, you can set yourself up for success. This seminar covers essential steps to establish a strong business foundation, including business planning, financial management, and legal considerations. Ideal for aspiring entrepreneurs and new business owners.

Hosted by the Longwood SBDC

Live and On-Demand Webinars

Multiple Dates  |   Online

No matter where you are in the state of Virginia, you can access virtual training programs and seminars on a variety of topics including business planning, marketing, management, legal considerations, accounting and bookkeeping, financial analysis, technology, access to capital, and business basics. 

Hosted by the Virginia SBDCs (Small Business Development Centers)

Upcoming Chamber of Commerce Events

Chamber of Commerce Events

Multiple Dates |  Various Locations

Many of Chamber of Commerce organizations host monthly networking events and ongoing training opportunities for businesses of all sizes and types.