Natural disasters. Healthcare inequity. Disability accessibility. These are some of the pressing and universal issues being tackled by veterans who come through DAV Patriot Boot Camp, an entrepreneurship program for the military and veteran community.
Founded in 2012, DAV Patriot Boot Camp connects transitioning service members, veterans and military spouses with resources to scale and grow their businesses, world-class mentorship and a supportive community to help them succeed as founders and job creators.
Applications for the next DAV Patriot Boot Camp, to be held Feb. 5–7 at DAV National Headquarters in Erlanger, can be found at patriotbootcamp.org/patriot-boot-camp. The program is offered at no cost. There are limited number of seats, so those interested should apply early.
Over the course of three days, vetrepreneurs will experience presentations by experts covering an array of topics, including funding and capitalizing a business, avoiding common legal startup mistakes; deploying marketing and sales strategies; storytelling; and pitching. Additionally, dozens of mentors will be on hand to provide participants invaluable insight and one-on-one guidance. The event will culminate in a live pitch competition among selected entrepreneurs. Three chosen finalists will later compete to win thousands in non-dilutive capital during a live, virtual Patriots Pitch competition.
DAV Patriot Boot Camp alumni — many of whom return as mentors and presenters — have said the skills and connections they built through the program helped them secure financing, navigate opportunities and rapidly grow their businesses.
For example, former Army combat medic and DAV Patriot Boot Camp alum Yusuf Henriques said his experience and connections from the program prepared him to respond to an unexpected merger and acquisition offer. Henriques is the founder and CEO of IndyGeneUS AI, a genomics company on a mission to improve health equity by increasing representation of women and racial minorities in clinical trials.
“And we ended up walking away from the opportunity because I had the counsel and advice of seasoned people in mergers and acquisitions,” Henriques said.
You can read more about Henriques and other alums by visiting www.dav.org.
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