Thank you, 2026 RISE Summit sponsors!

Gold Sponsor

Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation

VIPC fuels Virginia’s innovation-driven economy by amplifying entrepreneurial startup ecosystems, accelerating technology commercialization pathways, and attracting early-stage investment capital.

VIPC drives impact by equipping entrepreneurs, researchers, and ecosystem partners with critical funding, expertise, and connections. From seed-stage investment and research commercialization grants to statewide networks and public-private partnerships, VIPC builds the infrastructure that allows innovation to thrive across the Commonwealth. VIPC is the operating nonprofit of the Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority (VIPA).

Silver Sponsor

Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Innovation Center

The CEA Innovation Center is a partnership between Virginia Tech and the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research dedicated to advancing controlled environment agriculture through research, innovation, workforce development, and industry collaboration.

Bronze Sponsors

RetirePath Virginia

RetirePath Virginia is the Commonwealth’s automatic-enrollment, state-facilitated individual retirement account savings program. It’s designed to give more Virginians the option to save for retirement at work.  Virginia businesses with five employees or more are required to offer retirement savings to their employees. RetirePath serves as the fee-free alternative option. Learn more at RetirePathVA.com.

Community Investment Collaborative

CIC is a Community Development Finance Institution (CDFI) with a mission of strengthening community by fueling the success of under-resourced entrepreneurs through education, mentoring, financing and networking. Based in Charlottesville, VA and serving central Virginia, the program is built on four pillars designed to help entrepreneurs start or expand their business: 1. An established and proven business-education program. 2. Extensive mentoring, peer discussions, and ongoing support 3. Startup financing or ongoing micro-lending to qualified graduates 4. Networking within and cross the community. CIC is host of the Central Virginia Small Business Devleopment Center.

Friend Sponsor

Locus

Locus is a CDFI that creates access to capital by developing community partnerships and innovative tools to tackle systemic challenges and advance promising opportunities.