Latest news
An Ohio-based company is protecting first responders around the world
With support from JPMorganChase, Fire-Dex is providing protective equipment to firefighters in 100 countries and all 50 states.
Learn moreLatest news
Veteran’s Unconventional Path to Landing her Dream Job in Tech
U.S. Army Veteran Ashley Wigfall transitioned to a civilian role and charted her path to technologist through mentorship and skills training at the JPMorgan Chase tech hub in Plano, Texas.
Learn morePress Releases
$1.5 million grant supports national expansion of nonprofit supporting active-duty military and Veteran entrepreneurs
Columbus, OH
May 05, 2016
In conjunction with National Small Business Week and Columbus Startup Week, JPMorgan Chase & Co. today announced a two-year, $1.5 million commitment to Bunker Labs, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports early phase Veteran-owned startups. The new grant enables the launch of the Bunker Builds America Tour, a 10-month series of events to be held across the country showcasing local Veteran entrepreneurs and heralding new chapters of Bunker Labs.
Veterans interested in starting or growing small businesses in or near Bunker Builds cities will gain access to resources, programs and curriculum designed to translate military experience into starting sustainable and scalable businesses.
The military prepares service members to lead through uncertainty, make tough decisions, and persevere – all qualities that lead to success in small business. Bolstering that success is part of our mission at JPMorgan Chase. That is why we are proud to support the Bunker Builds America Tour, which will serve Veteran entrepreneurs across the country as they start and grow businesses in their communities.
Jennifer Piepszak
CEO, Chase Business Banking
Following World War II, roughly 50 percent of returning Veterans started a business. Today approximately 25 percent of post-9/11 Veterans state they want to start a business, yet less than 10 percent of small businesses are actually owned by Veterans.
Bunker Labs is working to present entrepreneurship as a viable post-service opportunity. Launched in 2014 by Navy Veteran Todd Connor, Bunker Labs helps meet the unique needs of Veteran entrepreneurs by providing training, workspace, access to investors and mentors, and a peer-to-peer learning environment.
Since launch, we’ve been able to help our member businesses raise more than $16 million in early funding, create nearly 140 jobs, and generate nearly $6 million in revenue. We know we have a model that works, and now we’re ready to do more. Together with JPMorgan Chase, we are packing up and hitting the road to catalyze that next greatest generation of military-trained entrepreneurs.
Todd Connor
CEO, Bunker Labs
Launch of Bunker Labs Columbus
Piepszak joined Connor for a morning event at Columbus Startup Week to announce the launch of the tour, meaningful in part because Columbus will be home to a new Bunker Labs chapter in 2016. Bunker Labs Columbus will be headquartered in the Rev1 Ventures complex.
Rev1 shares central Ohio's commitment to supporting all entrepreneurs by providing diverse resources necessary to build successful companies. By offering tools tailored to assist our region’s Veteran entrepreneurs, Bunker Labs is a critical part of the Rev1 mission to deliver a more inclusive startup ecosystem.
Tom Walker
CEO, Rev1 Ventures
Programming will launch in late 2016, but local veteran entrepreneurs will have access to Rev1’s monthly founder programming and First Connect network to connect with resources in legal, HR, accounting, marketing and more.
| Bunker Builds City | Date |
|---|---|
| Columbus, Ohio* | 5/05/2016May 05, 2016 |
| Chicago | 5/12/2016May 12, 2016 |
| Nashville, Tenn. | 6/28/2016June 28, 2016 |
| Kansas City, Miss. | 9/21/2016September 21, 2016 |
| Raleigh-Durham, N.C. | 9/22/2016September 22, 2016 |
| Madison, Wis. | 9/30/2016September 30, 2016 |
| Austin, Texas | 10/08/2016October 08, 2016 |
| Jacksonville, Fla. | 11/05/2016November 05, 2016 |
| Philadelphia | 11/11/2016November 11, 2016 |
| Washington | 12/08/2016December 08, 2016 |
| Seattle* | 2/23/2017February 23, 2017 |
| Los Angeles* | 3/23/2017March 23, 2017 |
About Bunker Labs
Bunker Labs is a national not-for-profit organization built by military Veteran entrepreneurs to empower other military Veterans as leaders in innovation. Through local chapters organized in 8 different cities, Bunker Labs provides educational programming, mentors, events, and thriving local networks to help military Veterans start and grow businesses. Bunker Labs works to inspire, educate, and connect Veterans with the right people and the right resources to be successful as entrepreneurs and as innovators. Our online platform, Bunker in a Box, gives active duty and Veterans worldwide access to entrepreneurship education, complete with dozens of interviews with military Veterans who have successfully started a diverse array of businesses. For more information, please visit BunkerLabs.org, follow us on Twitter @TheBunkerLabs, or like us on Facebook.
About JPMorgan Chase
JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) is a leading global financial services Firm with assets of $3.2 trillion and operations worldwide. The Firm is a leader in investment banking, financial services for consumers and small businesses, commercial banking, financial transaction processing, and asset management. A component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, JPMorgan Chase & Co. serves millions of customers in the United States and many of the world’s most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients under its J.P. Morgan and Chase brands.
Kim Morton, JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Tel. +1 212.207.8288
Kim.Morton@JPMorgan.com
