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Veterans in Residence is a business incubator that propels military-connected startups forward.
Applications close April 15, 2021. Cohort 2021-B launches Jul 1, 2021.
Veterans in Residence is a six-month startup incubator that provides veteran and military family member entrepreneurs with a community, a national business network, and resources to grow their business.
Veterans in Residence is a partnership of WeWork and Bunker Labs.
Hear from Veterans in Residence alumni as they describe the experience and where their business journeys have taken them.
Who: Military veterans and military family members who have launched a business and are ready to grow
What: A six-month business incubator provided through a partnership of WeWork and Bunker Labs
Where: A local WeWork Veterans in Residence coworking space or virtual space*
When: New cohorts launch in January and July
Why: Gain a community of peers who hold each other accountable, plus a nation-wide business network, access to business resources and mentors, and WeWork membership benefits—all with a laser focus on business growth and success
*If Veterans in Residence is offered in location without a WeWork, a local coworking space will provide the same or fundamentally similar space. Some cohorts are offered entirely virtually to provide access to entrepreneurs without a local cohort.
There are many business incubators in the United States. There are few business incubators created by and for the military-connected entrepreneur community.
When you join Veterans in Residence, you have more than an entrepreneurial endeavor in common—you have a common ethos, shaped by a common experience.
Hit the ground running with a community that never gives up, no matter the challenge.
Month 1
Onboarding and Orientation
Weekly Huddles
Months 2-5
Weekly Huddles
Monthly Masterclasses
Month 6
Pitch Competition
Capstone Event and Entrepreneur Showcase
Veterans in Residence gain access to WeWork’s digital Member Network, a global community of 268,000+ professionals in 77+ cities, plus Bunker Labs’ national network of military veteran and military family member entrepreneurs, small business owners, and supporters.
Veterans in Residence collaborates with local and national leaders to organize monthly professional and social events, bringing together members of local veteran and business communities.
Veterans in Residence cohort members receive exclusive invitations to be featured in certain events and programs, such as pitch competitions and entrepreneurship showcases. Veterans in Residence cohort members are also invited to apply to join additional peer groups, including founder roundtables. While in the program, entrepreneurs are featured in the Veterans in Residence Lookbook and may have their companies featured on Bunker Labs’ platforms.
Throughout the program, cohorts will work through a startup deployment checklist, with segments focusing on customer discovery, sales, marketing, accounting, HR, mentorship, and more. It’s up to the cohort to move through the checklist together and leverage the resources at their disposal, including within the cohort, the Bunker Labs community, the WeWork community, Veterans in Residence alumni, and guest speakers.
One person from each cohort will serve as a squad leader to facilitate the weekly huddles. After the six months are over, alumni may be invited to serve as Alumni Captains to serve as resources for future cohorts. Some alumni have also become Bunker Labs city ambassadors, connecting people in the community and building the local network.
Veterans in Residence are granted access to uniquely designed lounge and meeting spaces for mentorship, networking, and special events. (Access is contingent on public safety guidelines.)
A: Veterans and military family members who have formed a legal business entity (an LLC, S-Corp, C-Corp, or registered nonprofit).
A: Yes, provided they are registered as a legal entity and are growth oriented.
A: No. But we’d love to get to know you, so please do join the community!
A: Cohort participants are required to:
Note: Meetings and masterclasses are currently held virtually due to COVID-19.
A: See a full list here.
A: Yes, there is a virtual cohort that brings together entrepreneurs from across the country who do not have a local cohort.
A: Generally, participation ranges from 8-10 Veterans in Residence per city. Some Virtual cohorts may have up to 12 Veterans
A: Cities that have existing Veterans in Residence programs typically work out of the same physical coworking space, share a Veterans Quarters and meeting spaces, and regularly meet in-person. Due to COVID-19, many of these city-based programs are meeting virtually for the time being. The virtual cohort exists to provide program access to entrepreneurs who do not have a local option available, and always meets virtually.
A: No.
A: No. Bunker Labs and WeWork do not make investments in participating businesses, nor do they facilitate external investments. There may be opportunities to connect with investors, however, through program events.
A: There is a tiered selection process, with the first round of screening conducted blind to help reduce unconscious bias and ensure a diverse cohort of qualified businesses. Entrepreneurs who advance from the first round will be contacted and interviewed. Candidates will be notified if they have or have not been selected for a cohort.
A: No, but at least one founder must be.
A: Yes. Please ensure you meet the qualifications, in particular, that you have formed a legal business entity.
A: We look for:
A: Yes, as long as you still have the capacity to focus on growing your business, the flexibility to attend weekly required meetings, and ability to be an active, engaged cohort participant, such as in virtual forums and group chats. It can be a lot to juggle, but many have done it and succeeded—to the point that they’ve quit their day job halfway through.
A: Refer to local guidelines. Each location has its own protocol based on a combination of city, state, and federal regulations. If your location is open for in-person coworking, we urge you to follow safety protocols at all times. If your location is not open for in-person coworking, meetings will be held virtually or outdoors, local weather permitting.
Atlanta
Austin
Bay Area
Boston
Charlotte
Chicago
Columbus
Dallas
Denver
Detroit
Houston
Las Vegas
Los Angeles
Nashville
Philadelphia
NYC
Phoenix
Raleigh
Rapid City
San Diego
Seattle
Tampa
D.C.
Virtual
of veteran owned businesses reported that Veterans in Residence accelerated their business growth.
of veteran owned businesses increased their run-rate revenue
of veteran owned businesses raised funding between Months 1 and 6
Bunker Labs is a national not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization.
Bunker Labs 125 S. Clark St., WeWork -17th Floor, Chicago, IL 60603 info@bunkerlabs.org
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