Innovators Row to Showcase Local Entrepreneurs at Awards Gala – Applications Due April 15  

The Charlottesville Business Innovation Council (CBIC) has issued a call to Central Virginia startups to participate in the annual CBIC Awards Gala. Now in its third year at the Gala, Innovators Row has become a popular feature where established tech community veterans can meet the young disruptors literally circling the entrance to the ceremony.

What’s the climate for entrepreneurs in Charlottesville, and how could it improve? Check out the latest article in C-BIZ to see what CBIC's Executive Director, Tracey Greene, and other local luminaries in Charlottesville's startup world think. The article combines entrepreneurial success stories with enough facts and figures to excite even the most skeptical capitalist. What's even better, keep reading deep into the article and you'll strike gold -- a solid list of the area's top startup resources curated from our own Tech Resources page.  

On Wednesday October 17, 2018, the Charlottesville Business Innovation Council (“CBIC”), along with co-host Presidential Precinct, held the Tech Night Takeover (“TNT”) series event titled: “Social Good Means Good Business”.

For those unfamiliar, CBIC holds periodic TNT events throughout the year covering emerging and pressing issues affecting its member base, including various issues concerning investment, founders, IT, software, biotechnology, life sciences and more.  New CBIC board member, PJ Harris, moderated the subject TNT, styled as a fireside chat with subject matter experts in the for-profit “social impact” space.  The experts consisted of (i) Aneesh Dhawan, Founder and CEO at PurPics, (ii) Beth Johnson, Program Director at Blue Morning, (iii) Peter McFarren, President & CEO at Global eHealth Solutions LLC and (iv) Brynne Potter, CEO & Co-Founder at Maternity Neighborhood. 

Addressing our most pressing issues is often associated with the work of nonprofits. Yet the philanthropic sector is so small, even the most effective programs in the world wouldn’t solve our global challenges across sectors such as food, water, health, and education. More and more, we’re seeing how business can serve as a tool for achieving social and environmental objectives. A common myth in the business world is that integrating a social or environmental mission is a burden on the bottom line. On the contrary, aligning mission and model presents significant market opportunities for both new businesses and established enterprises alike.

On August 23, 2018, Moonlighting LLC became the first Charlottesville based company (to my knowledge) to offer investments via Title III crowdfunding, on the crowdfunding portal Republic.  

Intrigued by the offering, I met with CEO Jeff Tennery & COO Roy Slater for lunch.  Both Jeff & Roy updated me as to the status of prior and current financing offerings.  In case you were not aware, much has changed with Moonlighting since the Daily Progress’ June 17, 2018 article related to the company’s initial coin offering announcement of “Moonbit”.  

From the Daily Progress Business Hall of Fame, Tracey Greene is featured in an article describing the past, present, and future of startups in Charlottesville.

Among the many great parts of this article: "In 2017, securities filings showed area companies pulled in more than $39 million in venture funding in the first half of the year, according to Daily Progress news partner Charlottesville Tomorrow. And in the first quarter of this year, Virginia had the 12th-most venture capital activity in the nation, according to NVCA."

Read more

.

Learn more about The CBIC Awards Gala