2024 SPRING ECOSYSTEM BUILDER SUMMIT

Where: Harrisonburg, Virginia
When: April 30th - May 2nd, 2024

there will be a Pre-Summit welcome event the evening of Monday, April 29

Get your tickets by 11:59pm on Friday, April 19 to secure your seat at our very special Birthday Party!

Hosted By: Shenandoah Community Capital Fund

event info | AGENDA | hosts | TICKETS | TRAVEL & ACCOMMODATIONS

Startup Champions Network Summits

Twice annually, Startup Champion Network members meet in-person to connect, share knowledge/experiences and take a deep, behind-the-scenes dive into the local host ecosystem.  This personal interaction is a critical part of the member value-proposition as well as an important commitment all members make -- to celebrate each other.

These 2.5 day intimate gatherings bring together the nation's top ecosystem builders and national ecosystem support organizations to convene conversations, gain insight from real world case studies, and explore and experience new communities, against the backdrops of some of the nation's top emerging ecosystems. Summits address topics most relevant-to and of interest-to members, such as inclusive entrepreneurship, fostering collaboration, engaging and empowering under-represented populations, and more.

About the Shenandoah Valley

The Shenandoah Valley is known for sweeping mountain ranges, rich history, thriving downtowns, cultural offerings, and over 3,000 farms in the 11 counties that stretch along I-81 from Winchester all the way to Buena Vista. Nestled in the valley of the Blue Ridge Mountains, family farms and independent vineyards dot the scenery and charming downtowns invite visitors to stay, stroll, shop, and dine locally. At the heart of these bustling towns are hundreds of local businesses – the makers, dreamers, doers, and tinkerers that make the Shenandoah Valley unique. In Virginia they say "Virginia is for Lovers", and during this Summit, you'll experience first hand that "Virginia is for Entrepreneurship Lovers."

What started out as the Shenandoah Valley Innovation Coalition (SVIC) in 2012 has grown into the Shenandoah Valley Entrepreneurial Ecosystem. A regional coalition of ecosystem accomplices meets in person twice a year to share what's going on for entrepreneurs throughout the region, to collectively problem-solve and define the focus for their ongoing storytelling efforts. 

In between these convenings, working groups solve challenges for entrepreneurs in the region and collaborate to support sub ecosystems in the Valley. Thanks to Valley Business Compass, monthly blog posts (Field Notes from the Ecosystem), a fortnightly newsletter and many cups of coffee during 1:1 meetings and ecosystem events, entrepreneurs and ecosystem champions stay involved year-round. 

During this SCN Summit, the Shenandoah Valley ecosystem invites attendees to experience their local ecosystem close-up by meeting rural innovators and exploring some of the sub-ecosystems that they've been actively developing (capital, manufacturing, super rural and tech). Summit attendees will have the opportunity to experience the Valley like a local, help us workshop solutions to some of our most pressing ecosystem challenges and to connect with practitioners from around the state to have meaningful conversations about what it takes to build a thriving ecosystem. 

Your Summit Hosts

Shenandoah Community Capital Fund (SCCF) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit entrepreneurial support organization serving the entire Shenandoah Valley. Over the past 15 years the organization has expanded and innovated alongside the region’s entrepreneurs and small business owners to become one of the lead conveners in the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. SCCF’s ability to nimbly move throughout the region gives the organization a unique advantage in serving entrepreneurs and connecting resource providers.

SCN Host Members

Debbie Irwin is the Executive Director of SCCF. She helps set the vision of the organization and creates the culture and environment needed for the SCCF staff to be incredibly successful. When she isn’t supporting staff or engaging with members of the Shenandoah Valley community, she is likely dreaming up another business idea, hanging out with her kids, or building something at home. Read more about her work here.

Anika Horn is the Director of Ecosystem Building. She works to build a strong coalition of entrepreneurial support organizations across the Valley, to ensure that the makers, doers, and visionaries in the region know what talent, information, opportunities, and resources are available to them. Outside the office, you may see her zipping through Staunton on her bike or in a local coffee shop drafting the next episode of her podcast Ecosystems for Change. Read more about her work here.

Purchase Tickets

On Day 2 of the Summit, we’re planning a special Birthday Party with a seated dinner. For this reason, we are asking people to register by Friday, April 19 in order to have an exact number for the caterer. Registrations after that date will not be guaranteed a seat at the dinner on Wednesday evening.

*Please note that you must purchase each ticket individually, so we can properly collect all attendee data per ticket.

Super Early Bird tickets (Close December 31)

Super Early Bird Member: $199

Super Early Bird Non-Member: $299

Early Bird tickets (January 1 - February 12)

Early Bird Member: $249

Early Bird Non-Member: $349

Regular Tickets (February 13 -April 30)

Member: $299

Non-Member: $399

Travel & Accommodations

Getting to the Shenandoah Valley: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles!

The Shenandoah Valley - in all its beauty - is not as easy as flying into an airport and Ubering to your hotel. For folks coming from further away, travel is going to be a little different than other Summits. The Summit team is working to ensure getting to Harrisonburg is as easy and stress-free as possible. In addition to the travel options below, we are working to arrange some options for carpooling from major airports and are happy to offer advice with any attendee who needs it. 

During the registration process, there are some travel specific questions, and the option to ask for help. Checking that "I need help" box sends the bat signal and we will reach out to offer support. 

Lodging

Our hub for the majority of the Summit will be in at Liberty Street Loft in Harrisonburg.

We have secured a hotel block at Hotel Madison. To make reservations within the group block, use the link provided below or call the hotel reservations department directly at 540-564-0200. If calling directly, please identify yourself as a participant of Startup Champions Network room block to ensure your room is booked in the block at the special group rate. The group's cutoff date is Friday, March 29.

Reservation Link

There are also Airbnbs in the area if you’re looking to share lodging with a few people.

Flying in

There are several airport options to choose from.

Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport (SHD) - a teeny tiny airport located in Weyers Cave, Virginia that is about 25 minutes from Harrisonburg, Virginia.  

• Rideshare is available and is around $32 

• Coordinate with locals coming in from ShenVal via the Rides & Rooms spreadsheet

Charlottesville Airport (CHO) - About an hour from Harrisonburg. 

· Rent a car from there 

· Take a taxi 

· Use rideshare (about $74 on Lyft)

Dulles International Airport - (IAD) - About 1hr 45 minutes from Harrisonburg.

· Take the Virginia Breeze Shuttle into Harrisonburg

· Rent a car

· Take a taxi 

· Use rideshare (about $144 on Lyft)

· Coordinate with DC/Maryland folks driving down via the Rides & Rooms spreadsheet 

Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport (ROA) - About 1hr 40 minutes from Harrisonburg.

· Take the Virginia Breeze Shuttle into Harrisonburg

· Rent a car

· Take a taxi 

· Use rideshare 

· Coordinate with Virginia Accelerator Network from Roanoke via the Rides & Rooms spreadsheet 

Richmond International Airport (RIC) - About 2hrs 10 minutes from Harrisonburg.

· Rent a car

· Coordinate with Richmond SCN Members via the Rides & Rooms spreadsheet. 

Rides & Rooms Spreadsheet

Every Summit, we create a spreadsheet for attendees to coordinate rides and room sharing. If you're looking to share a hotel room or airbnb with a large group, this is a great place to start. If you want to carpool from the airport or hope some kind soul will give you a ride, this is the place to do it! While we don't link this spreadsheet to the public website, it is sent via email upon summit registration. For this Summit, the Rides & Rooms spreadsheet is going to be VERY important! We encourage all to take advantage of it - both folks coming form out of town and folks who live in key cities who are willing to pick people up and take them with you. 

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