VIPC Regional Innovation Fund Grant Awarded to Verge in the Roanoke-Blacksburg-Lynchburg Region

Funding will further Verge’s work to advance entrepreneurship in the region’s technology sector

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, UNITED STATES, June 21, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ — Verge announced today that it has received a $200,000 Regional Innovation Fund (RIF) grant from the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC). RIF is a state-funded program that provides competitive grants to leading Virginia-based entrepreneur support organizations and ecosystem building initiatives. Verge is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that serves as a catalyst for growing the innovation economy across the New River Valley, Roanoke Valley, and Greater Lynchburg regions.

“We are pleased to provide a second year of support to Verge through the Regional Innovation Fund to support its work strengthening the region’s innovation economy,” said Conaway Haskins, Vice President for Entrepreneurial Ecosystems at the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation. “We have been impressed with their progress since launching RAMP in 2017 and are excited about their success in fostering energetic startup communities across this dynamic region of the Commonwealth.”

The RIF grant will support the Regional Accelerator and Mentoring Program (RAMP) and Verge’s entrepreneurial ecosystem building and supporting work in its 5-city, 13-county region. RAMP serves innovation-driven, high-growth potential startups based in the New River Valley, Roanoke Valley, and Greater Lynchburg region and beyond. It provides early-stage education and training for entrepreneurs before and after their participation in the flagship RAMP accelerator bootcamp.

“We are so grateful for VIPC’s ongoing support of our regional ecosystem and entrepreneurs. With this latest funding from VIPC, we will be able to continue driving the development of our regional innovation economy supported by Verge programming, including our flagship RAMP accelerator program,” said Verge President, Erin Burcham.

Regional Innovation Fund (RIF) is a state-funded program administered by the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation that provides competitive grants to leading Virginia-based entrepreneurial support organizations (ESOs). RIF grants provide operational and program funding for successful ESOs and ecosystem building initiatives. It is managed by VIPC’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystems Division.

Verge

Verge supports entrepreneurs in the New River and Roanoke Valleys and Greater Lynchburg region (GO Virginia Region 2) and works to form collaborations with government, business, academia, and other organizations to advance the region. Verge aligns the strengths and programming efforts of the RBTC (Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council) and RAMP (Regional Accelerator & Mentoring Program). Learn more at www.vergeva.org.

Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC)

Connecting innovators with opportunities, VIPC is the commercialization and seed-stage economic development driver in the Commonwealth that leads funding, infrastructure, and policy initiatives to support Virginia’s innovators, entrepreneurs, economic developers, and market development strategies. VIPC collaborates with local, regional, state, and federal partners to support the expansion and diversification of Virginia’s economy.

Programs include: Virginia Venture Partners (VVP) | Virginia Founders Fund (VFF) | Commonwealth Commercialization Fund (CCF) | Smart Communities | Unmanned Systems | Entrepreneurial Ecosystems | Regional Innovation Fund (RIF) | Federal Funding Assistance Program (FFAP) for SBIR & STTR | Virginia Accelerator Network | University Partnerships | Startup Company Mentoring & Engagement. For more information, please visit www.VirginiaIPC.org. Follow VIPC on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

Angela Costello, Vice President of Communications
Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC)
angela.costello@VirginiaIPC.org
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