VENTURE CENTRAL INC

GoVA REI (Regional Entrepreneurship Initiative) for Region 9: Counties of Albemarle, Culpeper, Fauquier, Fluvanna, Louisa, Madison, Nelson and Orange, the city of Charlottesville and the town of Culpeper. The Community Investment Collaborative (CIC), in partnership with Venture Central developed a regional strategy to strengthen and grow the GO Virginia Region 9 entrepreneurial ecosystem. The project engaged a broad range of stakeholders in the region, inventoried available resources and small business funding sources, and developed actionable strategies to increase the rate of new business formation and improve survival rates for early-stage businesses in urban and rural areas. 2023 saw the kickoff of the Go Virginia REI grant. Venture Central and CIC hired a consultant (The Good People Research Company) and a Program Manager to facilitate the grant work. Work completed included planning the project, setting objectives, defining communities, identifying stakeholders, researching best practices, and started community conversations with entrepreneurs, ESOs, Chambers of Commerce, and local government representatives. The REI Report "Thrive In Place" was finalized in October of 2024. Work continues into 2025 to develop an action plan and subsequent implementation project proposal.

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