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Venture Acceleration Program (VAP)
Build on your traction. Find your next move.
Venture Acceleration Program Overview
Growing a venture can feel isolating. You’re making decisions about customers, pricing, marketing, and growth, often without enough time, evidence, or trusted people to help you think them through.
The Venture Acceleration Program brings a small cohort of regional entrepreneurs together for a focused growth experience. Over four weeks, you’ll step away from the day-to-day demands of your business, work through the questions that matter most, and leave with greater clarity about where to focus next.
This is not a lecture series or a business-plan competition. It’s a practical, action-oriented program for founders who have begun building and are ready to create meaningful momentum.
What You’ll Gain
- Greater clarity about where to focus next.
- Better decisions grounded in customer and market evidence.
- Practical feedback from experienced mentors and peers.
- A stronger story for customers, partners, and funders.
- Clear priorities for the next 90 days.
- Deeper connections across the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Fall 2026 Schedule
| Experience | Date and Time |
|---|---|
| Customer and Market Clarity | Tuesday, October 6 · 6:00–7:30 PM |
| Business Model and Financial Fit | Tuesday, October 13 · 6:00–7:30 PM |
| Building Marketing Momentum | Tuesday, October 20 · 6:00–7:30 PM |
| Storytelling and Pitch Development | Tuesday, October 27 · 6:00–7:30 PM |
| Recorded Pitch Submission | Tuesday, November 3 · Asynchronous |
| Live Rehearsal | Tuesday, November 10 · 6:00–7:00 PM |
| Demo Day | Friday, November 13 · 12:00–3:00 PM |
Who Should Apply?
VAP is designed for founders who:
- Have launched or begun actively testing a venture.
- Have early customer interest, use, or revenue.
- Are working through meaningful growth decisions.
- Are open to feedback and willing to test assumptions.
- Can commit to applying what they learn between sessions.
You do not need a perfect plan. You do need enough traction to learn from and the willingness to act on what you discover.
Program Highlights
- Small, founder-focused cohort.
- Practical working sessions.
- Access to mentors and regional resources.
- Two months of Launchpad membership upon completion - a $270 value.
- Demo Day showcase and networking.
- Up to $6,000 in cash and in-kind awards
Application Details
- Application Fee: $135
- Application Deadline: Rolling admissions until the cohort is filled.
- Cohort Schedule and Timing: October 6 - November 13, 2026 | Tuesdays from 6:00 – 7:30 PM
Ready to build momentum?
You’ve already started. VAP helps you sharpen your direction, make stronger decisions, and move forward with intention.
APPLY to Venture Acceleration Program
Venture Acceleration Awards Process
Founders awarded financial support through VAP receive payments through William & Mary’s procurement system. Award recipients must register as vendors and complete the required documentation before funding can be issued.