What Will You Learn at Venture Hive?
The Venture Hive Veterans Business Accelerator series is a part-time program to take your business to the next level.
Applications are currently closed.
Here's What Our Participants Have to Say
What It Takes
Plan on an investment of 10-15 hours per week in yourself and your team when applying for either of these programs. Week one will include a 4-hour time commitment for orientation and expect 2-3 hours per week of scheduled mentoring or group sessions. We’ll end with our “Swarm” demo day in week 12, where you’ll pitch to a room full of investors and potential partners.
We can ensure complete confidentiality to those participants who are currently employed and are seeking to assess an opportunity before making the leap!
We do not take any equity — so you can retain complete control as you grow your business!
What We Offer
- 12-week mini-MBA focused on your business using our proven curriculum for entrepreneurs
- Weekly one-on-one mentoring sessions that provide accountability, goal setting, and suggestions from someone who’s been there—this is where the magic happens
- Weekly stand-up meetings with other startups
- Free consultation with lawyers, accountants, and other specialists
- Plug into our growing network of talented entrepreneurs, mentors, and investors
- Speakers with real-world experience who are experts at what they do and can help you get where you’re going
- We’ll help you refine your business model
- We’ll get your pitch deck to sing
- Our “Swarm” demo day will put you in front of influencers in the business community
About Venture Hive
The City of Fort Walton Beach and Venture Hive have partnered to bring a unique training program for U.S. military veteran entrepreneurs (including veterans, military spouses and dependents, DoD employees), connecting them to the resources and support they need to grow and scale their businesses. The new Venture Hive Fort Walton Beach programs focus on retail, the travel & hospitality sector and the veterans population through 12-week structured offerings providing selected companies access to a dedicated group of business coaches, highly customized training and a relevant network to scale their ventures, driving the economic growth of the region.
Come join us – support the Emerald Coast’s business community and the greater Venture Hive network while being a part of shaping the future for some of the top startups in the world.
Weekly Schedule
Weekly mentoring session: We’ll use your first mentoring session to map out your OKRs (objectives and key results) for the next three months. These cover your goals and the metrics you’ll use to measure your progress.
Each week’s curriculum will focus on a particular aspect of your business. Here’s an outline we’ve used in the past:
- Week 1: Orientation
- Week 2: Finance
- Week 3:Product and Pricing
- Week 4: Sales and Strategic Partnerships
- Week 5: Key Performance Indicators
- Week 6: Digital Marketing
- Week 7: Legal & Intellectual Property
- Week 8: Culture & Human Resources
- Week 9: Marketing
- Week 10: Executive Development
- Week 11: Public Relations
- Week 12: Funding Strategy
Bi-weekly pitch practice Sessions (six times throughout the program)
Bi-weekly office hours with attorneys and accountants
There will be various speakers and presentations during the program
Details and Logistics
All applications for the Veterans Business Accelerator Series are currently closed.
Virtual Program
Learn remotely using our library of world-class online content. If you’re in the Fort Walton Beach Area area you’re welcome to join us at our offices for weekly mentoring sessions and stand-up meetings.
What Will You Learn at Venture Hive?
The Venture Hive Accelerator is a part-time program to take your concept or business to the next level.
Dr. Susan Amat
A serial entrepreneur, Dr. Amat built businesses in the entertainment industry for over a decade, including the first CD-ROM magazine and a national television show. After completing her MBA, Dr. Amat developed pediatric health monitoring products and earned a Ph.D. in Strategic Entrepreneurship (coursework in industrial engineering, business, and education).
While teaching at the University of Miami, she founded The Launch Pad, which was considered the top model in entrepreneurship education. Her program and platform was replicated throughout the United States as Blackstone LaunchPads.
Dr. Amat served as the founding Chair of the STEM Board for Miami-Dade County Public Schools and actively speaks about entrepreneurship education internationally. She has consulted with the US State Department, The Kauffman Foudation, and the World Bank on ecosystem development. In 2012, Dr. Amat was honored as a 'Champion of Change' at the White House.