FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Brenell Thomas, President
Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce
276.632.6401
MARTINSVILLE, VA (December 7, 2023) - The Chamber's Partnership for Economic Growth (C-PEG) is launching its application process for the Spring 2024 round of Startup and Grow Martinsville-Henry County. Startup Martinsville-Henry County is an entrepreneurial mentoring program with an intensive eight-week entrepreneurial boot-camp program for startups. Grow Martinsville-Henry County is a four-week boot-camp for growing companies who have been in business for 2 years or longer. The application process is competitive, and applicants must comply with the program guidelines. Applications for both programs are due by noon on Friday, January 5, 2024.
Partners include C-PEG, City of Martinsville, Henry County, the Campbell Family Group and the George W. Lester, II fund through the Community Foundation Serving Western Virginia. Additionally, Appalachian Power is a sponsor of Startup and Grow Martinsville-Henry County, and American National Bank is the small business sponsor for Chamber and C-PEG events.
Since 2015, when the initiative originally began as Startup Martinsville in the Uptown Martinsville area with a Community Business Launch grant from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, the geographic area has grown to include the entire footprint in the City of Martinsville and Henry County thanks to support from both locales and private sector funding. C-PEG received additional grant funding from the Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission which awards a dollar-for-dollar match to businesses from the targeted sectors including agribusiness, technology, small-scale production, manufacturing, and health care businesses.
To date, the initiative has successfully graduated 314 individuals from its training programs, awarded 74 businesses with over $571,724 in cash and in-kind funding. These businesses have created over $5 million in new capital investment and created over 270 new jobs.
C-PEG partners with Patrick & Henry Community College to deliver the entrepreneurial boot camp sessions as well as Longwood’s Small Business Development Center, and a host of staff from the City and County, local entrepreneurs and business experts.
“Small business is a vital component of our economy! It’s rewarding to see the participants put in the work to bring their new business concepts to our community! I can’t wait to see the brilliant ideas and creativity in the next round of applications,” stated Brenell Thomas, C-PEG Executive Director.
All interested participants are encouraged to complete the application located at the link labeled Boot Camp Application by the deadline of January 5, 2024. Applications are being accepted for both StartUp and Grow MHC boot camps. However, the Grow MHC program will begin in February 2024 while StartUp is planned for March 2024. More details can be found in Guidelines for Start Up MHC and Grow MHC link below.
Please contact the Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce with any questions at 276.632.6401 or mhccoc@mhcchamber.com.
Martinsville-Henry County Chamber's Partnership for Economic Growth (C-PEG) is an independent, yet closely aligned, charitable affiliate of the Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce. C-PEG is charged with funding and supporting the area's efforts to improve economic growth.
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Special thanks to our Startup sponsors.
