The Virginia Tech Boeing Center for Veteran Transition and Military Families is partnering with Warrior Rising to launch Activate, a new execution-driven pre-seed accelerator program for veteran and military spouse founders building technology, Software as a Service (SaaS) delivery service, and dual-use solutions.

The eight-week program supports entrepreneurs who are still building the foundation of their ventures. Activate emphasizes real customer engagement and measurable progress over pitch development. Participants work through structured milestones designed to move their ideas from assumption to evidence and advance toward a functional minimum viable product.

“Activate leverages Warrior Rising's knowledge about military and veteran entrepreneurship, their deep roots in the military community, and it builds on their existing entrepreneurship programs. This new program specifically focuses on technology and connects founders to Virginia Tech's expertise in early-stage technology and innovation,” said Debbie Bradbard, director of the Boeing Center for Veteran Transition and Military Families. “This partnership truly leverages the strengths of both organizations.”

Activate, to be delivered virtually and offered quarterly, is built around demonstrated proof of work. Participants leave with a validated customer problem, a working product, and early traction, along with a Virginia Tech certificate.

“I’m thrilled to partner with Virginia Tech to work with military-connected tech and SaaS founders,” said Reggie Ordoñez, director of programs at Warrior Rising, in a recent news release. “I often hear founders say, ‘We wish we had known this earlier, it would have saved us time and money.’ That's why we created a pre-accelerator focused on building the foundations founders can rely on for the rest of their entrepreneurial journey, from raising their first round to competing for selection into the nation's most competitive accelerators.”

The Boeing Center for Veteran Transition and Military Families is a partnership between Boeing, the Virginia Department of Veteran Services, and Virginia Tech. The center harnesses the resources of its partners to deliver opportunities that expose veterans and military families to workforce focused education, upskilling, and entrepreneurship training that builds on their military experience and prepares them to thrive in the innovation economy.

Founded in 2015, Warrior Rising is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization built by veterans, for veterans. Warrior Rising empowers U.S. military veterans and their families to build sustainable businesses through education, mentorship, funding opportunities, and strategic partnerships. Through programs including Warrior Academy, Warrior University, Business Showers, and Activate, Warrior Rising helps veterans turn experience into enterprise.

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