{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2017/12/gov-mcauliffe-and-sen-warner-launch-va4e-virginia-is-for-entrepreneurs-initiative", "Gov. Mcauliffe and Sen. Warner Launch VA4E Virginia is for Entrepreneurs Initiative", "2017-12-11", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Mark Warner", "W000805", "www.warner.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "ALEXANDRIA \u2013 Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe and U.S. Sen. Mark Warner today announced the launch of the Virginia is for Entrepreneurs (VA4E) initiative, an effort to better match entrepreneurs with potential investors across regions, backgrounds and industries. VA4E\u2019s first initiative will feature a standardized\u00a0online application\u00a0to better link entrepreneurs with more than 50 equity firms and potential funders to help launch or grow their Virginia-based businesses.\u00a0\r\n\u00a0Partners in the network include universities ranging from Virginia Tech to the University of Virginia\u2019s College at Wise, angel investment groups such as 757 Angels and Shenandoah Valley Angel Investors, venture funds including Revolution and Village Capital, and statewide organizations including the Center for Innovative Technology.\r\n\u201cThe Commonwealth has long been home to innovators and entrepreneurs who make up the backbone of our new Virginia economy,\u201d\u00a0said Governor McAuliffe.\u00a0\u201cThat\u2019s why it\u2019s so important that we continue to expand our support for promising new ventures. The\u00a0Virginia is for Entrepreneurs\u00a0initiative will open new doors for local start-ups by increasing access to the capital they need to thrive and create good-paying jobs.\u201d\r\n\u201cWhile Virginia boasts a number of innovative communities and ecosystems across the Commonwealth, a consistent problem has been connecting promising entrepreneurs with capital available to support their vision,\u201d\u00a0Sen. Warner\u00a0said.\u00a0\u201cAs part of a broader effort to strengthen the connective tissue between Virginia\u2019s startup communities, this tool will help founders evaluate their product fit and maturity, and connect them with venture and angel investors across the Commonwealth.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\r\n\u201cWhether you're\u00a0an agriculture entrepreneur in Abingdon or a cyber-security entrepreneur in Arlington, if you've got a great idea and work hard, you should be able to succeed,\"\u00a0said Ross Baird, the founder of venture firm Village Capital and one of the organizers of the VA4E initiative.\u00a0\u201cToday, too often the best ideas don't even get the opportunity to start because of who they are or where they come from.\u00a0Virginia is for Entrepreneurs\u00a0is testing ideas statewide to fix that.\u201d\u00a0\r\nThe pilot initiative announced today, the online application, was successfully tested by more than 200 entrepreneurs and investors statewide at the TomTom Festival in Charlottesville and by the Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council.\u00a0\u00a0\r\nThe initiative will help build strategic sectors in Virginia. For example, one of the initial areas of focus for the investment portfolio will be a state-led pilot program to promote the growth of early stage unmanned aerial systems companies, which has been identified as a cornerstone industry for Virginia\u2019s 21st\u00a0Century economy.\r\nFor more information, please contact Ross Baird,\u00a0ross@vilcap.com; Paul Hirschbiel,\u00a0phirschbiel@edencapital.net;\u00a0or visit\u00a0va4e.org.\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2017/12/gov-mcauliffe-and-sen-warner-launch-va4e-virginia-is-for-entrepreneurs-initiative"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7407760713249445, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}