Think like a startup. This is your moment to challenge conventional wisdom, RVA.

In recent years, Richmond has become more and more focused on what could be, rather than what is. This mindset, brimming with courage to create something that never existed, powers its way through RVA the way the James River cuts its path through the center of the city.

Richmond embraces the unknown, and along with it—the risk. We now focus on possibility and aren’t afraid to stick our thumb in the eye of the status quo here in the River City. These are the prime ingredients for creativity, and with it an outgrowth of RVA-based startups.

For our annual Startup issue of Greater Richmond Grid, we’ve flipped the script and asked local startup owners to write their own stories as opposed to us writing about them. We’ve asked the founders behind some of the area’s most fascinating startups to give us a glimpse into the way they think and to inspire us to see the region a bit differently.

We chose to feature Craig Dodson of Richmond Cycling Corps on the cover of our Startup issue because at first glance his nonprofit seems an unlikely fit for our entrepreneurial theme. While startups are traditionally for-profit enterprises, we think the startup mindset can be applied to everyone in RVA—from nonprofits to big businesses to public servants. Dodson is a good example of a Richmonder who focuses on growth and impact no matter the sector he operates. And he doesn’t just ask for money, he earns it.

In addition to Richmond Cycling Corps, our annual Startup issue tells the story of homegrown businesses in a variety of sectors ranging from technology to craft

beer. Along the way you’ll find stories by the founders of Ardent Craft Ales, ARTisan Café, C3 Nexus, Lumiary, Nectar, and more. Also included in this entrepreneurial roundup are the organizations and events supporting local startups and startup thinkers in recent months, such as i.e.* Startup Competition, Richmond Ad Show, and RVA Creativity Awards.

We hope the local startup stories in this issue, told from the perspective of their founders, will cause you to ask—why, what if, and why not. We hope they will inspire you to make, create, and do something new.