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Accelerating Appalachia

Accelerating Appalachia is a nature-based business accelerator, connecting innovative businesses, investors and mentors aligned with people, place and prosperity.


Appalachian Sustainable Development

Appalachian Sustainable Development is working to make a difference in Central Appalachia. They focus on giving Appalachians the tools they need to fight poverty, revitalize their communities and protect their natural resources.


Artisans of Virginia


Blue Ridge Crossroads Economic Development Authority (BRCEDA)

In 2004, the Virginia General Assembly designated Carroll County, the City of Galax, and Grayson County as “Virginia’s Entrepreneurial Region.”

To promote this distinction, these localities formed the Blue Ridge Crossroads Economic Development Authority (BRCEDA). BRCEDA has taken the lead in devoting considerable resources to fostering entrepreneurship as an integral part of their comprehensive economic development plan.


Business One Stop

The Virginia Department of Business Assistance works with existing businesses to foster growth and prosperity and assisting entrepreneurs in forming a lucrative business. They host a variety of educational events throughout the Commonwealth weekly. Topics range from selling to the state, social media, mobile marketing & eCommerce, iPad for business, accessing capital, and other business resources.


Census


Coworking Spaces

  • UVA Wise Oxbow Center – Opened in 2019 in downtown St. Paul, Virginia, the UVA Wise Oxbow Center offers a designated coworking space, private offices, ultra-high-speed broadband, and a 10-person conference room with audio-visual equipment.

    The Oxbow Center is also home to the Clinch River Ecological Education Center (CREEC), offering overnight accommodations for students and researchers studying the Clinch River.


Hatch Business Accelerator

Hatch Business Accelerator, located in the Oxbow Center in St. Paul, Virginia, exists to remove barriers to growth for entrepreneurs in the region with robust and innovative programming. The accelerator seeks to improve regional economic growth through ecosystem-building, community-building, and investing in founders and starters.


Incubators

  • Pioneer Centers for Business Opportunity – Located in the City of Norton and Duffield, the Pioneer Centers are the only business incubators serving the LENOWISCO Planning District (including Lee, Wise, and Scott Counties and the City of Norton).  The purpose of an incubator facility is to provide a sheltered environment conducive to the growth and development of small businesses.
  • Virginia Highlands Small Business Incubator – If you are starting or expanding a business, the Virginia Highlands Small Business Incubator (VHSBI) offers support, services, and education to help make your business succeed. Located in Abingdon, the VHSBI provides business planning assistance, free business classes, co-working spaces, and access to business development partners.

People Inc.

People Incorporated of Virginia, one of the Commonwealth of Virginia’s largest and most successful Community Action Agencies. People Incorporated offers over 32 programs designed to, “give people a hand up, not a hand out.” People Incorporated Financial Services offers loans, development services and financial products to small and emerging businesses. People Incorporated Financial Services works to strengthen local economies in 22-jurisdiction service areas including the counties of Bland, Buchanan, Carroll, Dickenson, Floyd, Grayson, Lee, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise, and Wythe and the cities of Bristol, Galax and Norton in Southwest Virginia and the counties of Clarke, Frederick, Page, Shenandoah, and Warren in the Northern Shenandoah Valley.


‘Round the Mountain

‘Round the Mountain: Southwest Virginia’s Artisan Network has been working since 2005 to promote the craft and culture of Southwest Virginia. We are a membership organization made up of artisans, craft venues, and agritourism business and serve the 19 counties and four cities of Southwest Virginia. In addition to providing marketing and educational opportunities for our members, we have developed the Artisan Trails of Southwest Virginia and the opportunity for our members to have their crafts for sale at Heartwood: Southwest Virginia’s Artisan Gateway.


SCORE

Score is a nonprofit association dedicated to helping small businesses get off the ground, grow and achieve their goals through education and mentorship. We have been doing this for nearly fifty years.


Small Business Development Center (SBDC)

The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) provides free and confidential one-on-one counseling as well as business education opportunities and resources to help entrepreneurs, small business owners and managers improve their business. Many of the Virginia Small Business Development Centers are located at colleges across the commonwealth. Each site has trained counselors to assist entrepreneurs in starting and managing a business. Services available consist of management training, research data, business plan, financial analysis and etc. The mission of the SBDC is to foster small business success and grow Southwest Virginia’s economy.


Small Business & Supplier Diversity

The Virginia Department of Business Assistance works with existing businesses to foster growth and prosperity and assisting entrepreneurs in forming a lucrative business. They host a variety of educational events throughout the Commonwealth weekly. Topics range from selling to the state, social media, mobile marketing & eCommerce, iPad for business, accessing capital, and other business resources.


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Virginia Community Capital

Virginia Community Capital (VCC) is a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) with a mission to create jobs, energize places, and promote an enhanced quality of life for Virginians. With offices in Christiansburg, Richmond, and Norfolk, we offer innovative and flexible financing tools throughout the state. In addition, we provide professional advisory services to individuals and organizations in low-to-moderate income and underserved communities.


Virginia Tourism Corporation

Virginia Tourism Corporation Partnership Alliance Marketing is focused on increasing visitor spending in Virginia through uniting Virginia’s tourism community of small businesses, attractions, corporations, associations and agencies. They focus on the extra-ordinary, never being satisfied with mediocrity when it comes to serving Virginia communities and representing the Commonwealth of Virginia.


VT KnowledgeWorks

VT KnowledgeWorks encourages and enables creative entrepreneurship worldwide, through innovative curriculum, local business resource centers, and a global network of cooperating regions, all focused on three essential contributors to success: clear understanding of fundamental business principles; access to timely, relevant information; and meaningful personal and corporate relationships. It is a subsidiary of the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center, supported by the continuing confidence and enthusiasm of its clients, sponsors and friends, both corporate and individual. Its world headquarters is in Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.