Helping to lift up your Startup

RVA Works Enterprise Support, Inc is a tax exempt organization

Small business owner feeling lost

Our Mission:

  • Eliminating barriers to business ownership
  • Providing educational and financial services…
  • Assisting those in most need...


Entrepreneural Resource




Describe Your Business:





Find Resources:

Networking Events
Classroom Instruction
Startup Finance
Physical Spaces & Equipment
Market Research & Data
Mentorship
Other Support Services

Connect Now

Our Impact

  • 124

    Founders have entered the accelerator

  • 2/3

    of graduates start their businesss

  • 38%

    The average annual income increase for graduates who launched their business

  • 97%

    women-owned or ethnic minority-owned

  • 333

    Free, public meetups for business owners

  • 104

    Startup founders in our accelerator


1 Million Cups Sponsorship

We are pleased to sponsor 1 Million Cups, a national entrepreneur program of the Kauffman Foundation. Our local community began in 2014, and includes founders, investors and startup community builders. Together we hold hybrid events, and reach an online audience of over 15,000 people. For more details, please see our event listing on Meetup.com.

Our Governance

Our strategy, policies, budget and programs are mission-aligned…
So we optimize our impact.

Board of Directors & Officers

Chief Executive Officer

Advisory Council

Volunteer Staff

Our Governance

Our strategy, policies, budget and programs are mission-aligned…
So we optimize our impact.

Board of Directors
& Officers

David Barrett, Board Chair

Board experience, Chairman Emeritus, or Trustee at the Virginia Council of CEOs, Better Business Bureau, Fork Union Military Academy.

Rick Wildes, Treasurer

Financial & Special Projects, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, VMFA Foundation, and Independent CPA.

Charletta Darville, Secretary

Board Secretary, RVA Works Alumna, and Founder of Community Aid, LLC.

Charolette Davis, Alumni Committee Officer

Board Member, Chair of the Alumni Committee, and Founder of Lyfestyle Mobile, LLC.

Chief Executive Officer

Dale Fickett, CEO

Board President (voting officer), RVA Works CEO, and Instructor of Entrepreneurship at the University of Richmond.

Advisory
Council

John Marin

Co-Founder of Laborem Edge, a digital marketing agency and proprietary marketing software. Marketing and software advisor.

Gopa Nair

Innovation Adoption lead with the Center of Excellence at U.S. GSA. Shares expertise via entrepreneurial training through RVAWorks.

Sid Tanu

Small Business Loan Underwriter, Startup Mentor, TechStars accelerator Graduate, and RVA Works Advisor on Credit Counseling and Loan Fund Formation.

Swati Sachan

Professor of Finance & Accounting, Lecturer in Financial Technology, with a research interest in explainable AI and machine learning models. AI advisor.

Daniel Lantz

Software Engineering Manager with Trovata, and technology mentor for the development team at RVA Works.

Michael Kahwajy-Hyland

Owner and Designer at Turning Point Pen Company, Founder of the Turning Point Resilience Campaign. Audience Building & Consumer Product Advisor.

Volunteer Staff

Oheneba Berko

Scholar at the University of Richmond. User Experience Designer & Webmaster.

Alex Anderson

Holds responsibility for software & front-end web development.

Darcy Le

Holds responsibility for leading marketing efforts, including metrics, awarness building, community development and conversion.

Ian Young

Holds responsibility for coordinating 1 Million Cups events, in-room technology, and hospitality.

Angelina Makretsova

Scholar at the University of Richmond. Digital Marketing Intern.

Daryus Maschino

Holds responsibility for software development & software project management.

Sofia Mikadze

Scholar at the University of Richmond. Digital Marketing Intern.

Simi Jung

Virtual Assistant & Social Media Manager. 1 Million Cups Community Organizer.

Learn More:

Getting information

1. Strategic Plan

Learn about our work to cultivate small business growth most beneficial to society.

Communicating

2. Impact Report

Dive into the peer reviewed research, and quantitative analyses we’ve used to demonstrate the difference our business owners are making.

Financing

3. Operating Budget

Review our funding sources, our allocations to direct program services, and the financial strength of our organization.

Want to Help?


Donate to RVA Works Volunteer at RVA Works

Want to Help?

As Featured In

Featured on Wall Street Journal, Richmond Times-Dispatch, ESPN Radio, and CBS News

Backed By

Backed by Capital One, Kauffman Foundation, Maxx Potential, and others

Where Small Businesses Go To Grow