WV Secretary of State Kris Warner announced recently that West Virginia will join the nation in celebrating National Entrepreneurship Week from February 15-22, 2025, with an open-house reception at the newly updated WV One Stop Business Center.
National Entrepreneurship Week takes place annually the third week of February. Originally chartered by Congress in 2006, and relaunched in 2017 by West Virginia natives and co-chairs, Amber Ravenscroft and Joe Kapp, the initiative celebrates America’s Entrepreneurship Ecosystem.
“We’re proud to support National Entrepreneurship Week and its mission to foster and promote entrepreneurship across our nation. Entrepreneurship is the foundation of our economy, and I am proud that West Virginia is taking a lead role in this year’s initiative. Our state continues to be a place where businesses can start, grow and thrive,” said Secretary of State Kris Warner.
As part of the week-long celebration the Secretary of State’s Office will host an open-house reception Wednesday, February 19, at the WV One Stop Business Center located at 13 Kanawha Boulevard West in Charleston (2nd Floor).
The reception will also commemorate the eighth year since the WV One Stop Business Center opened as the first four-agency, single-location business center in the nation. Since opening, the One Stop has been instrumental in helping customers register new businesses, file Annual Reports and connect with useful resources available for businesses both small and large.
“This week is an opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of entrepreneurs who have achieved so much, while also engaging the next generation of entrepreneurs with the resources and support they need for long-term success,” said Secretary Warner. “And we’re excited to showcase the completion of our One Stop office upgrades that help foster a professional, productive environment for our customers and staff.”
The WV One Stop Business Center also operates two Business Hubs – regional offices that are strategically located to provide customers an in-person office location within two hours of any county in the state. The North Central Business Hub is located in Clarksburg at 153 West Main Street, and the Eastern Panhandle Business Hub can be found at 229 East Martin Street in Martinsburg. All office locations are open weekdays, 8:30am to 5:00pm, with no appointment necessary.
Entrepreneurs in West Virginia can now enjoy 24/7 access to most business services through the WV One Stop Business Portal. Our virtual assistant, SOLO (short for Single Online Location), uses artificial intelligence to help business owners and entrepreneurs navigate the portal. The SOLO chat icon can be found at the bottom-right corner of any WV Secretary of State webpage.
Business owners and entrepreneurs are also encouraged to learn more about programs the Secretary of State’s Office offers to help offset the cost of starting a business. For example, the Boots to Business program is specifically for veterans and military spouses, and the Young Entrepreneur Fee Waiver Program, for entrepreneurs under the age of 30, offers up to $250 in waived registration and filing fees for those who qualify.
“In 2018, the WV One Stop Business Center was the first-of-its kind in the nation. This was an initiative of the West Virginia legislature,” Secretary Warner said.
“The WV One Stop Business Center has been a vital resource to those seeking to create, register and expand their businesses anywhere in our state. We are proud that WV One Stop Business Center is the model for other states,” he added.
Secretary Warner also previewed the fourth annual Bridging Innovation Entrepreneur’s Conference April 28 – May 2, 2025. The conference, which is the state’s premier entrepreneurship event, will feature information about acquisitions, building businesses, entrepreneurship education and more. The conference is open to the public and will be held this year at Shepherd University.
