FirstWave, Bunker Labs, and Capitol Post bring veteran-owned start-ups and investors to The Forge at Fluet.
Fluet hosted more than one hundred veteran entrepreneurs and investors at the Fluet Forge for the FirstWave Pitch Competition on Sept.15. The event was run by Bunker Labs and Capitol Post and sponsored by FirstWave.
The event included business pitches from five veteran-owned start-up companies: True Made Foods, Armaments Research Company, re:3D, Tokken, and ORCA. Outside judges included David Jones, Bull City Ventures; Ben Britt, Route 66 Ventures; Steven Witt, DataTribe; Scott Campbell; Wes Blackwell, Angel Investor; Doug Doan, Hivers & Strivers; and Kay Parry, Square 1 Bank.
Winning first place and a prize of $10,000 was Samantha Snabes, cofounder of re:3D Inc., which is a company that aims to provide large-format 3D printing at an affordable price.
FirstWave is comprised of service academy graduates who are also executives and professionals with a superior track record of career progression and good citizenship. Each year, FirstWave members gather for a leadership weekend to provide education and inspiration on three leadership themes of business, community, and military service. The weekend also leverages FirstWave member networks, resources, and energies to help a non-profit organization that supports military members or their families. For 2017, FirstWave chose to work with Bunker Labs and Capitol Post.
Fluet is proud to have hosted FirstWave, Bunker Labs, and Capitol Post and join them in supporting veteran entrepreneurs.
See the Fluet FirstWave Pitch Competition album for pictures of the event.
