News & Stories for Entrepreneurs
Meet the Winter 2024 RISE Business Bootcamp Cohort!
These entrepreneurs are digging in, learning, and hustling to start or grow their businesses in Southern Virginia! We're excited to introduce you to them! Introducing the RISE Collaborative Winter 2024 CO.STARTERS Business Bootcamp cohort! Congratulations to the 30...
Celebrating Successful Succession Planning: Insights from Jeffress Funeral Home
In February 2024, business leaders, community members, and entrepreneurs gathered at the SOVA Innovation Hub to celebrate and learn from a remarkable story of business succession. The event highlighted the transition of Jeffress Funeral Home in Halifax County, VA, a...
RECAP: February 2024 Grapevine Meetup for Entrepreneurs and Businesses – Featuring Shatera Robertson of Unique Styles & Designs
The RISE Grapevine Virtual Meetup was hosted on Thursday, February 15, 2024, 12pm-1pm on Zoom.During this virtual meetup, we discussed recent events and upcoming opportunities for entrepreneurs who are starting or growing businesses in Southern Virginia. The meetup...
RECAP: January 2024 Grapevine Meetup for Entrepreneurs and Businesses – Featuring Shawn A. Barksdale of Press 4 Time Tees and Ten Minutes of Truth Podcast
The RISE Grapevine Virtual Meetup was hosted on Thursday, January 18, 2024, 12pm-1pm on Zoom.During this virtual meetup, we discussed recent events and upcoming opportunities for entrepreneurs who are starting or growing businesses in Southern Virginia. The meetup was...
Project will develop potential business owners
This article originally appeared in The Charlotte Gazette on November 17, 2023. To view the article as it originally appeared, click here.Project will develop potential business owners Published 8:00 am Friday, November 17, 2023 By Jeff Moore Charlotte County’s...
Celebrate National Entrepreneurship Week: February 10-17, 2024
National Entrepreneurship Week (#NatlEshipWeek) is an annual, congressionally chartered week celebrating America's Entrepreneurship Ecosystem. This year, #NatlEshipWeek is Monday, February 10 through Friday, February 17, 2024. Entrepreneurs, educators, and ecosystem...
RECAP: November 2023 Grapevine Meetup for Entrepreneurs and Businesses – Featuring Shecorie Conley of River Citi Tax Solutions
The RISE Grapevine Virtual Meetup was hosted on Thursday, November 16, 2023, 12pm-1pm on Zoom.During this virtual meetup, we discussed recent events and upcoming opportunities for entrepreneurs who are starting or growing businesses in Southern Virginia. The meetup...
SOVA Innovation Hub Receives $600,000 Boost to Accelerate Entrepreneurial Support in Southern Virginia
SOUTH BOSTON, VA – October 26, 2023 - Southern Virginia's entrepreneurial ecosystem – the synergistic combination of people, organizations, and culture that interacts and cultivates business creation and growth - is poised for extraordinary growth, thanks to a...
RECAP: October 2023 Grapevine Meetup for Entrepreneurs and Businesses – Featuring Lynne Mann of the Crater APEX Accelerator & Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC)
The RISE Grapevine Virtual Meetup was hosted on Thursday, October 16, 2023, 12pm-1pm on Zoom.To recap, during this virtual meetup, we discussed recent events and upcoming opportunities for entrepreneurs who are starting or growing businesses in Southern Virginia. The...
Access to Capital Entrepreneur Roundtable Series – June 2023
We have knowledge and resources to share with small businesses and entrepreneurs about access to capital. All entrepreneurs and innovators are welcome to join this virtual roundtable series. Learn more about CDFIs - Community Development Financing Institutions and the...
Chamber Awards $77,000 in 2023 Rev Up Danville Pittsylvania
This press release originated from the Danville-Pittsylvania Chamber of Commerce. View it on their website here. NEWS RELEASE For Immediate Release June 1, 2023 For more information, contact: ...
June 2023 Events for Southern Virginia Entrepreneurs
Check out the list of events happening in June for entrepreneurs and small business owners in Southern Virginia. In-person events are noted with * before the date. All other events are online/virtual.Updated 5/24/23 June 1 Virginia SBDC Starting a New Business June 1...
RISE Collaborative Announces 2023 Business Pitch Competition Winners
RISE Collaborative Announces 2023 Business Pitch Competition Winners $18,500 in prize funds awarded to Southern Virginia entrepreneurs and business owners RISE Collaborative hosted its inaugural regional Business Pitch Competition on March 28, 2023, from 4:00 pm to...
Entrepreneurs gain experience, community at regional business pitch competition
Entrepreneurs gather from around Southern Virginia to accelerate their businessesA group of 13 businesses represented by 16 entrepreneurs took the stage at the first annual RISE Business Pitch Competition. Each competitor presented their business startup or business...
RISE Business Pitch Competition set for March 28 in South Boston
On Tuesday, March 28, from 4-8 p.m. at the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center Innovation Center, RISE Collaborative will host the RISE Business Pitch Competition (BPC), Southern Virginia’s first region-wide business pitch competition. The event is open to the...
Patrick & Henry Community College team takes top prize at RISE Collegiate Business Plan Competition
Patrick & Henry Community College student Sara Wall wins $1,000 to launch an eco-friendly products store in Martinsville, Va.Sara Wall of Martinsville, Va. earned 1st place and a $1,000 prize at the second annual RISE Collegiate Business Plan Competition hosted on...
RISE Collaborative Announces Sponsors and Prize Categories for March 28 Business Pitch Competition
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Brandon HennesseyLongwood Small Business Development Center (SBDC)434-395-2752hello@sovarise.com Lauren Mathena SOVA Innovation Hub434-570-1305hello@sovarise.comRISE Collaborative Announces Sponsors and Prize Categories for March 28 Business...
Meet the RISE Winter 2023 Business Bootcamp Cohort
These entrepreneurs are digging in, learning, and hustling to start or grow their businesses in Southern Virginia! We're excited to introduce you to them!Introducing the RISE Collaborative Winter 2023 CO.STARTERS Business Bootcamp cohort! We are SO proud of these...
Celebrate Black History Month: Support Black Businesses
February is Black History Month In honor of Black History Month, RISE Collaborative presents, "The Vibrary," a virtual library of business resources, Black Business facts, and a treasure hunt celebrating the entrepreneurial spirit of Southern Virginia (GO Virginia...
Farmville SEED hub seeks to grow innovation
This article was originally posted by Virginia Business. To view the article on the Virginia Business website, click here. PUBLISHED JANUARY 30, 2023 BY SARAH KING Sheri McGuire, executive director of Longwood University’s Small Business Development Center Photo...
Entrepreneurial Energy: Revisiting the Inaugural CO.STARTERS Cohort in Blackstone, Virginia
Entrepreneurial Energy: Revisiting the Inaugural CO.STARTERS Cohort in Blackstone, Virginia Historic Southern Virginia Town Reaping Benefits of Entrepreneurship Training Program In April 2021, an entrepreneurial movement started in Blackstone, Virginia. That spring,...
RISE Collaborative serves entrepreneurs in the following 15 localities in Virginia:
Patrick, Henry, Martinsville, Danville, Pittsylvania, Halifax, Mecklenburg, Brunswick, Charlotte, Lunenburg, Prince Edward, Buckingham, Amelia, Nottoway, and Cumberland. Questions? Contact our team at hello@sovarise.com.
