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Bunker Labs and JPMorgan Chase Empower Veteran Entrepreneurs with Bunker Builds America Tour

$1.5 million grant supports national expansion of nonprofit supporting active-duty military and Veteran entrepreneurs

May 05, 2016

In conjunction with National Small Business Week and Columbus Startup Week, JPMorgan Chase & Co. today announced a two-year, $1.5 million commitment to Bunker Labs, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports early phase Veteran-owned startups. The new grant enables the launch of the Bunker Builds America Tour, a 10-month series of events to be held across the country showcasing local Veteran entrepreneurs and heralding new chapters of Bunker Labs.

Veterans interested in starting or growing small businesses in or near Bunker Builds cities will gain access to resources, programs and curriculum designed to translate military experience into starting sustainable and scalable businesses.

The military prepares service members to lead through uncertainty, make tough decisions, and persevere – all qualities that lead to success in small business. Bolstering that success is part of our mission at JPMorgan Chase. That is why we are proud to support the Bunker Builds America Tour, which will serve Veteran entrepreneurs across the country as they start and grow businesses in their communities.

Jennifer Piepszak, CEO, Chase Business Banking

Following World War II, roughly 50 percent of returning Veterans started a business. Today approximately 25 percent of post-9/11 Veterans state they want to start a business, yet less than 10 percent of small businesses are actually owned by Veterans.

Bunker Labs is working to present entrepreneurship as a viable post-service opportunity. Launched in 2014 by Navy Veteran Todd Connor, Bunker Labs helps meet the unique needs of Veteran entrepreneurs by providing training, workspace, access to investors and mentors, and a peer-to-peer learning environment.

Since launch, we’ve been able to help our member businesses raise more than $16 million in early funding, create nearly 140 jobs, and generate nearly $6 million in revenue. We know we have a model that works, and now we’re ready to do more. Together with JPMorgan Chase, we are packing up and hitting the road to catalyze that next greatest generation of military-trained entrepreneurs.

Todd Connor, CEO, Bunker Labs

Launch of Bunker Labs Columbus

Piepszak joined Connor for a morning event at Columbus Startup Week to announce the launch of the tour, meaningful in part because Columbus will be home to a new Bunker Labs chapter in 2016. Bunker Labs Columbus will be headquartered in the Rev1 Ventures complex.

Rev1 shares central Ohio's commitment to supporting all entrepreneurs by providing diverse resources necessary to build successful companies. By offering tools tailored to assist our region’s Veteran entrepreneurs, Bunker Labs is a critical part of the Rev1 mission to deliver a more inclusive startup ecosystem.

Tom Walker, CEO, Rev1 Ventures

Programming will launch in late 2016, but local veteran entrepreneurs will have access to Rev1’s monthly founder programming and First Connect network to connect with resources in legal, HR, accounting, marketing and more.

Bunker Builds America Tour Schedule

Bunker Builds City Date
Columbus, Ohio* 5/05/2016May 05, 2016
Chicago 5/12/2016May 12, 2016
Nashville, Tenn. 6/28/2016June 28, 2016
Kansas City, Miss. 9/21/2016September 21, 2016
Raleigh-Durham, N.C. 9/22/2016September 22, 2016
Madison, Wis. 9/30/2016September 30, 2016
Austin, Texas 10/08/2016October 08, 2016
Jacksonville, Fla. 11/05/2016November 05, 2016
Philadelphia 11/11/2016November 11, 2016
Washington 12/08/2016December 08, 2016
Seattle* 2/23/2017February 23, 2017
Los Angeles* 3/23/2017March 23, 2017

*indicates new Bunker Labs location

 

About Bunker Labs
Bunker Labs is a national not-for-profit organization built by military Veteran entrepreneurs to empower other military Veterans as leaders in innovation. Through local chapters organized in 8 different cities, Bunker Labs provides educational programming, mentors, events, and thriving local networks to help military Veterans start and grow businesses. Bunker Labs works to inspire, educate, and connect Veterans with the right people and the right resources to be successful as entrepreneurs and as innovators. Our online platform, Bunker in a Box, gives active duty and Veterans worldwide access to entrepreneurship education, complete with dozens of interviews with military Veterans who have successfully started a diverse array of businesses. For more information, please visit BunkerLabs.org, follow us on Twitter @TheBunkerLabs, or like us on Facebook.

 

About JPMorgan Chase

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) is a leading global financial services Firm with assets of $3.2 trillion and operations worldwide. The Firm is a leader in investment banking, financial services for consumers and small businesses, commercial banking, financial transaction processing, and asset management. A component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, JPMorgan Chase & Co. serves millions of customers in the United States and many of the world’s most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients under its J.P. Morgan and Chase brands.

Kim Morton, JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Tel. +1 212.207.8288
Kim.Morton@JPMorgan.com

 

Military and Vets