July 16, 2026

Fueling Innovation: Highlights from Our Most Recent ERC Founders + Friends Gathering

On July 9th, local founders filled the Entrepreneur Resource Center (ERC) at the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center for our latest Founders + Friends gathering. From early-concept creators to CEOs scaling their businesses, the room was packed with entrepreneurs swapping real-world lessons and making key connections.

ERC Founders + Friends Attendees talking

Supporting founders at every stage of their venture is at the core of what we do at the ERC. Here is a look back at the major announcements, grant wins, and takeaways from the night.

Big Wins: Celebrating Our Inaugural GO Virginia Grant Recipients

A huge highlight of the night was taking a stage-wide moment to celebrate five exceptional startups named the inaugural recipients of GO Virginia funding awarded directly through the Entrepreneur Resource Center!

We are incredibly proud to congratulate these founding teams:

Securing this funding is a testament to their vision, hard work, and dedication. This achievement marks an exciting milestone not just for each of these companies, but for the continued growth and success of our entire regional innovation ecosystem.

Meet the Team + Our Entrepreneur in Residence

VTCRC Innovations Team

VTCRC Executive Director Kiyah Duffey opened the event by introducing members of the Innovations Team, who work behind the scenes to keep our programs, spaces, and startup support running seamlessly.

She then introduced Nathan Pienkowski, who serves as our Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR). As a five-time founder with four successful exits, Nathan brings years of real-world venture building, practical strategy, and battle-tested insights to our local ecosystem.

Unveiling The ERC E-Series: Practical Pathways for Founders

Nathan Pienkowski, Entrepreneur in Residence

Nathan took the stage to share a bit of his own entrepreneurial story and break down the inspiration behind our newest flagship offering: The ERC E-Series.

The E-Series is designed to meet founders right where they are. Instead of abstract theory, it delivers hands-on, practical execution skills aimed at helping you validate ideas before committing heavy capital, build rock-solid corporate foundations, and scale with discipline.

The 8-Class Roadmap:

Class 1: Charting Your Venture – Gain clarity and establish your starting baseline.

Class 2: Finding Opportunities – Uncover real market needs worth solving.

Class 3: Evaluating Opportunities – Validate your concept thoroughly before investing major time or money.

Class 4: Commercial Pathways – Explore startup routes, licensing models, and commercial partnerships.

Class 5: IP Protection – Learn the essentials of intellectual property strategy.

Class 6: Planning for Success – Build a clear, actionable execution plan.

Class 7: Legal + Entity Setup – Structure and protect your venture with confidence.

Class 8: Funding Your Startup – Demystify capital paths, investor expectations, and funding options.

While each class delivers immense standalone value, taking the complete eight-part series provides the full framework for venture growth. Applications are officially open—be sure to secure your spot HERE!

Built for You, Driven by You

We believe support systems should never be built on guesswork—they need to be shaped directly by the entrepreneurs who use them.

To wrap up the presentations, we pointed attendees to our interactive whiteboard and posed a simple question: “What would help you most on your entrepreneurial journey right now?”

What would help you most on your entrepreneurial journey right now?

Within minutes, the board was covered in sticky notes packed with candid ideas, specific resource requests, and real-world challenges. Our team is actively using this feedback to build our upcoming workshops, mentor matchups, and programming. (If you couldn’t attend, we still want your input! Reach out anytime to let us know what you need.)

Keep the Momentum Going: Mark Your Calendars!

The rest of the summer is stacked with opportunities to learn, network, and grow at the ERC. Be sure to join us for our upcoming gatherings at 2200 Kraft Dr. Suite 1325 (or online):

Stay in the Loop

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Thank you to everyone who came out and made the evening such a success. We look forward to seeing you at our next event!

This project was funded in part by GO Virginia, a state-funded initiative administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) that strengthens and diversifies Virginia’s economy and fosters the creation of higher wage jobs in strategic industries.