Start Co. encourages veterans to be entrepreneurs

An entrepreneurship tour for veterans is on its way to Memphis thanks to Bunker Labs. The goal of the tour is to connect 1,000 military entrepreneurs to resources in their region throughout 2017.

Bunker Labs is a nonprofit founded by veterans that provides educational programming, mentors, events, and thriving local networks to help military veterans start and grow businesses.

“Our MSA is home to a military base with many veterans retiring and entering the workforce from it and other services,” said Start Co. founder and CEO Eric Mathews. “For many of these veterans who have led others around the world building a business is a natural option to enter civilian business life.”

The Memphis tour stop will be on March 25 at Start Co.’s Downtown office building. Veterans are invited to attend for an introduction to entrepreneurship workshop during the day to learn about creating a one-page business model, developing customer messaging and locating each military entrepreneur’s strengths.

The day will conclude with a reception which is open to the public.

“Both and Bunker Labs and Start Co. want to roll up our sleeves and reach veterans in the Mid-South area and start them on the pathway to building a new venture,” Mathews said.

“At Start Co. as the local venture development organization for technology ventures, we were eager to partner with Bunker Labs to identify local veterans from all services and help them get a boost in starting their business.”

Mathews believes this is the first program of its kind to occur in the Memphis area and he hopes that with strong interest from veterans looking to launch businesses and others looking to help, there will be other programs like this occurring in the region.

“We are hopeful this is just the beginning,” Mathews said.

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Read more articles by J. Dylan Sandifer.

J. Dylan Sandifer is a freelance writer living in Memphis since 2008. They have also contributed writing and research for MLK50: Justice Through Journalism, VICE News, and Choose901. 

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