Every tree grows from a seed, and every business grows from an idea. Just like a tree, a business needs time, space and attention to grow.
That’s where Vantage Ventures comes in. Think of it as an entrepreneurial greenhouse.
An outreach center in West Virginia University’s John Chambers College of Business and Economics, Vantage inducted its first student-only cohort in fall 2024. Clients received training via a startup accelerator, working space in Reynolds Hall, shared coworking space with Ascend WV at Ascend’s offices in downtown Morgantown, a development associate stipend and opportunities to earn up to $100,000 in additional seed funding.
Geared towards helping early-stage startups with national or international ambitions grow, Vantage prides itself on recruiting the underdogs of the entrepreneur world. In other words, you don’t need to have a product or customers (yet). You just need an idea.
“Our first cohort of startups has been outstanding,” said Dr. Ryan Angus, Vantage Ventures executive director and assistant professor of Entrepreneurship. “They’ve taken the process of rigorously testing assumptions to heart, rolled up their sleeves, dug in and gotten real work done. I’m amazed at how far they’ve managed to push their fledgling businesses in just a short time.”
One of those clients was Brite, which takes a data-centric approach to student assessment and retention. Following multiple wins at IgniteWV, an entrepreneurship competition hosted by the Chambers College, Brite applied to Vantage in hopes of expanding its business.
“Vantage has been a fantastic resource for our team this fall,” said Lukas Thackery, Chambers College alumnus and cofounder of Brite. “Their emphasis on experimentation and hypothesis testing has been extremely helpful as we continue to refine our company’s value proposition.”
Another client was Best Dam Tape, a hockey tape distributor that sold $50,000 of product in 2023 and is now used by major-league hockey teams.
“Vantage Ventures provided invaluable resources and mentorship that helped Best Dam Tape refine its business strategy and expand its market reach,” said Logan Cuvo, Chambers College student and owner of Best Dam Tape. “Through networking opportunities and targeted assumption testing, we gained the insights necessary to scale our operations and increase brand visibility in the competitive sports industry.”
Other members of the fall 2024 cohort include:
- Montani Bio, an mRNA-focused biotechnology startup
- Eva Toor LLC, a manufacturer for stylish equestrian safety gear
- Studia, an app developer with a focus on helping science students succeed
- MixMatch, a platform developer for in-person speed dating events
Future Vantage Ventures cohorts can look forward to additional funding opportunities, too. Thanks to a $700,000 grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, Vantage now offers clients $10,000 in technical assistance funding upon entering the startup accelerator, as well as free coworking space and community-centric programming through WVU’s Brad and Alys Smith Outdoor Economic Development Collaborative.
As the end of the fall cohort approaches, Vantage is opening applications for the spring. Applicants must have at least one cofounder who is either a West Virginia resident or a student at a West Virginia-based university. Remote options are available for startup accelerator participants not located in Morgantown.
Tech and AI-centric concepts are preferred, but not required. If you think you have the next great scalable startup idea and want a chance to earn up to six figures in seed funding, be sure to apply by December 15.
Additionally, Vantage encourages anyone interested in collaborating with the center and its clients to get in touch, whether they’re internal or external to WVU.
“Vantage Ventures is going to establish West Virginia as an entrepreneurship state by identifying, training, mentoring and investing in high-potential startups,” said Angus. “I encourage anyone who wants to help us build a more vibrant and robust entrepreneurial ecosystem in West Virginia to reach out to Vantage Ventures.”
