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Innovation Accelerator Ready for Veteran Entrepreneurs

Monday, January 5, 2026|By Carmelyn Daley-Hinkens
Dog tags on a chain are suspended in front of a blurred background of the American flag

Fox Valley Technical College has been awarded a state grant designed to help guide veterans interested in launching their own business.

The Wisconsin Department of Veteran Affairs (WDVA) has announced that FVTC will receive $60,486 for the Innovation Accelerator for Veterans program for 16 veteran-owned businesses.

The two-phase program provides entrepreneurial training and technical support, networking opportunities, one-on-one mentoring and startup/growth expenses for veteran-owned businesses, whether it’s to create a source of full-time employment or more of a side business.

FVTC is proud to be the first college or university in Wisconsin to offer this type of training. The first grant was awarded in 2017. Since then, 133 veterans have completed the training. Of those, 97 businesses were launched and 27 existing veteran-owned businesses were expanded. The FVTC Foundation and FVTC Venture Center work together to administer this program.

The next opportunity begins in February 2026. Interested veterans can find more details and sign up to participate by going to the Innovation Accelerator for Veterans registration webpage.

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