THE MILITARY ENTREPRENEUR CHALLENGE
The Second Service Foundation, formerly the StreetShares Foundation, presents the Military Entrepreneur Challenge in partnership with the Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream program.
The Second Service Foundation is committed to creating access to capital opportunities for military veteran and military spouses entrepreneurs who are looking to start or grow a business venture. This award is designed to boost small business owners who are creating a social impact in their community. We’re here to support you. Help us tell your story. Submit your application today.
- Qualified applicants will submit an application for the Military Entrepreneur Challenge by filling out the form on the application page.
- Applicants will be evaluated based on their online application, and in-person interview by a panel of judges selected by the Second Service Foundation.
- Applicants must attend the Second Service Foundation entrepreneurship coaching event at the Military Influencer Conference in Las Vegas on October, in which they will be interviewed on-site.
- The three applicants selected by the panel of judges will pitch live at the Second Service Foundation entrepreneurship coaching event in Las Vegas. A live audience vote will determine the recipients of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place.
- The non-profit or business entity will also be evaluated on its positive social, community, educational, military-transition, veterans’ employment, health & wellness, or veterans’ mental health/spiritual impact on the American military and veteran community in addition to or in conjunction with the business or nonprofit functions.
Your application will be evaluated on the following:
- Social impact on the military community
- Personal story and business idea/potential
- What customer need are you filling (product/market fit)
- Your team and company history
- How you plan to use the award and the potential impact
AWARDS
1ST PLACE: $15,000
2ND PLACE: $6,000
3RD PLACE: $4,000
Holland & Knight LLP is awarding the 1st place winner an in-kind donation of $50,000 in pro bono legal services and $25,000 in pro bono legal services to the second place winner.
ELIGIBILITY
- Applicant must be a veteran, reserve or transitioning active duty member of any of the United States Armed Forces, a spouse of a military member or the child or immediately family member of a Military Member who died on active duty (i.e., a “Gold Star” family member)
- Applicant must be a U.S. person and at least 21 years old.
- Applicants must own at least 51% of the business entity described in the application. Business entities, as defined in these rules, include sole proprietorships, legally incorporated LLCs, S-Corps or C-Corps (or formal partnerships) created under the laws of any U.S. jurisdiction. If the Entrant is applying in conjunction with a nonprofit organization, the Entrant must be the organization’s senior executive director or equivalent in order to be eligible for the grant.
- The grant funding awarded is approved for veterans and military spouses who are low-income or otherwise lack financial means and have a goal to start or grow an early-stage business or nonprofit venture.
- The non-profit or business entity will also be evaluated on its positive social, community, educational, military-transition, veterans’ employment, health & wellness, or veterans’ mental health/spiritual impact on the American military and veterans community in addition to or in conjunction with the business or nonprofit functions.