Bunker Labs Hosts 325 Entrepreneurs in Live Veteran Showcase Event the Week of May 22nd
May 16, 2023
Nationwide showcase to feature emerging veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs
CHICAGO, Illinois, May 22-26, 2023/Bunker Labs—Beginning May 22nd, Bunker Labs is hosting its biannual Veterans in Residence Showcase. The event celebrates 325 veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs launching startups or growing their businesses across 27 cities and 6 virtual cohorts. Each entrepreneur has spent the past six months working hard on their venture as they participated in Bunker Labs’ six-month Veterans in Residence program.
Bunker Labs is a nonprofit organization that provides community, programs, and resources to help veterans and military spouses launch and grow businesses. Since 2014, Bunker Labs startups have generated more than $1.793 billion in revenue and created over 6,300 jobs. Specifically, the last cohort of Veterans in Residence accomplished the following:
- 35% saw increase in monthly revenue, of those, 58% saw increases higher than 25%
- 86% learned about topics to help grow their business
- 59% made connections to potential advisors/mentors
- 37% made connections to potential customers
- 18% made connections to potential employees/contractors/partners
- 16% made connections to potential investors
- 19% saw an increase in employees
- 40% increased company runway
“Showcase is about local business communities coming together to welcome veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs to the ecosystem. It’s about rallying around these first-time entrepreneurs and connecting dots for them, giving them meaningful connections that help address their needs and close the capital access gap,” said Blake Hogan, CEO of Bunker Labs.
Showcase events will happen across the country throughout the week of Monday May 22nd through Friday the 26th in partnership with WeWork. The public is encouraged to attend their local showcase event in person, or choose from two virtual options. Location details, tickets, and links to the live and virtual events are available here.
About Bunker Labs: Bunker Labs is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and a national network of veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs dedicated to helping members start their own businesses. Bunker Labs is committed to seeing that every entrepreneur and small business owner in the military and military spouse community has the network, tools, and resources they need to start their own business.
About Veterans in Residence: One of Bunker Labs’ flagship programs, Veterans in Residence is a business incubator providing Veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs and business owners with co-working space, a local community, a national business network, and targeted support to grow their business. The current program is made up of 34 local cohorts in cities across the United States, augmented by 2 regional virtual cohorts.
About WeWork:
WeWork was founded in 2010 with the vision to create environments where people and companies come together and do their best work. Since opening our first location in New York City, we’ve grown into a global flexible space provider committed to delivering technology-driven flexible solutions, inspiring spaces, and community experiences. Today, we’re constantly reimagining how the workplace can help everyone, from freelancers to Fortune 500s, be more motivated, productive, and connected. For more information about WeWork, please visit us at wework.com.
Bunker Labs is Now Part of IVMF
As of January 2024, Bunker Labs is now a part of Syracuse University’s D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF). In addition to ongoing Bunker Labs programming, we’d encourage you to browse IVMF’s deep wealth of entrepreneurship programming, much of it available virtually or at locations across the country. Find the program to help your business take the next step today!