Over the past few years, Greater Richmond’s startup community has grown by leaps and bounds. We are becoming a city driven by the ingenuity of its people. The very pages of this magazine are a testimony to the innovative and creative forces shaping our city. We are creating new products, building new technology, offering new services, shaping powerful brands, transforming vital industries, and opening local businesses every day. No matter what type of founder you are-from Main Street bread maker to high-tech web startup-you can succeed in RVA. Startups around the world are always trying to find ways to help their businesses grow, a lot goes on during the first year or so, and fine-tuning things going on is important. Implementing an ip phone systems melbourne service, or a service closer to where the business is, can help a business feel connected and help unify a workforce.

In my case, I work with founders who are passionate about building high growth ventures often fueled by technology. So I will use this space to discuss key elements of RVA’s ecosystem growing up around those founders.

COMMUNITY. Our community is meeting together, celebrating founders, and discussing virtually every startup topic imaginable. Literally hundreds of networking, learning, celebration, and sharing events are available to founders through meetup organizations such as 804RVA Technology Meetups & Coworking, C3 – The Creative Change Center, Gangeplank RVA, Gather RVA Coworking, The RVA Entrepreneurship Connection, and RVA Social Entrepreneurs. You can find many of these on meetup.com or the shared calendar at SyncRVA (syncrva.com). Additionally, organizations such as the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce, RichTech, the Richmond Venture Forum, and TEDxRVA are hosting summits, competitions, special recognition events, and conversations across the city.

SPECIAL SERVICES. Our city boasts new innovative approaches to building new ventures. Lighthouse Labs offers three months of intensive mentorship, access to global startup networks and capital earliest stage startups through mentor-driven acceleration. 80amps is a unique organization that works closely with founders to assess the viability of their idea, build their team, and attract capital.

PLACE. The rise of co-working and progressive shared office space has developed alongside existing small business incubators. Office space acquisition, like that under Thomas Mensendiek, can prove to be a great step for startups and smaller businesses looking to get a leg up in the commercial property market. You no longer have to set up shop in the garage out back or hang at the local coffee shop. New places are providing shared resources, meeting space, and cost-effective options-from open space to dedicated desks to warehouse space. Take a look at these warehouse lease tips to find out more about leasing out the appropriate space for your business. It is all available at facilities such as 804RVA, Advantec/RVA Works, Bizworks (Chesterfield), the Corrugated Box Building (Manchester), the Dominion Innovation Center (Hanover), Gangeplank, and Gather.

CAPITAL. Organized startup capital for your venture is now available locally through groups like New Dominion Angels or the programs of the Center for Innovative Technology (CIT). New growth capital and deep mentorship for our most promising companies is available through New Richmond Ventures. The local office of Harbert Venture Partners is ready to finance later stage growth. And these are just a few sources driving local investment in high potential ventures.

This ecosystem is the foundation on which we are building a city powered by the ingenuity of its people.