On June 26 the region’s boldest innovators come together with expert problem solvers from Virginia’s top universities to explore solutions to the challenges facing Virginia’s small businesses
June 4, 2020 (RICHMOND, VA), The Rocket Factory announced a major statewide campaign today to create new energy and inspiration for Virginia’s small business community re-emerging from the recent statewide shutdown. The inaugural effort launches on June 8 with a call for small businesses to submit their operating challenges by video online at sparkjam.gorocketfactory.com. It culminates on June 26 with a live online event beginning at 8:00 am.
SparkJam 2020 will feature an all-star line-up, including Fortune 50 Digital Transformation Executive Rob Roy, as well as the SparkJam Innovation Challenge by entrepreneurship students of Virginia’s state universities. The event will also highlight small business success stories, impact-making early-stage technology founders, and statewide business leaders from the for-profit, non-profit, live arts, and tourism sectors. Registration and up-the-minute event details can be found online at sparkjam.gorocketfactory.com.
SparkJam 2020 is open for all to attend for only $10. Ticket sales and corporate contributions support the non-profit Virginia 30 Day Fund, which was founded just over six weeks ago by entrepreneurs Burson and Pete Snyder. To date, they have funded over 300 struggling small businesses across the Commonwealth and recently announced a $100,000 commitment to those impacted by the damage caused by recent protests. Visit www.va30dayfund.com for more information.
“We want to hear what the biggest challenges are directly from our small business community,” said Dr. Garret Westlake, Executive Director of VCU da Vinci Center for Innovation. “Starting June 8, we’re asking business owners and operators to submit videos online telling us about their biggest operating challenges. These videos will then be evaluated and worked on by entrepreneurship students across our state university system on the day of the event. Our goal is to come away from the event with one or two big ideas that we can help bring to market in the weeks following the event.”
“We’re providing a critical platform to the diverse group of business owners and operators throughout the Commonwealth that has been economically impacted by recent events,” said Todd Feldman, Founder & President of The Rocket Factory. He went on to add, “Through statewide collaboration, we’re bringing the power of our entrepreneurial ecosystem together to tackle technology and innovation challenges facing our Commonwealth’s small business community as we progress through re-open and beyond.”
About SparkJam 2020
Entrepreneurs, tech visionaries, business strategists, and Virginia’s community leaders unite as they collaborate to generate solutions for the business challenges submitted by the Commonwealth’s small businesses— in real-time.
Presented by the Rocket Factory and made possible by Activation Capital, the VCU DaVinci Center for Innovation, Elevation Advertising, and Profit Optics. The day-long event is being held to benefit the Virginia 30 Day Fund and will feature talent from Virginia’s diverse music scene.
About The Rocket Factory, LLC
The Rocket Factory, a Richmond, VA-based strategic marketing firm, was founded to address the unique business challenges of early-stage, mid-stage, and maturing high-growth companies. The Rocket Factory is the creation of marketing and digital transformation veteran Todd Feldman. Feldman has served in global roles in digital businesses, having worked for and advised established brands including America Online, Oracle Consulting, and Circuit City as well as technology start-ups and high-growth companies. Most recently, he served as the Chief Marketing Officer at market-leading Virginia Credit Union, based in Richmond, VA. Along with serving as President at The Rocket Factory, Feldman volunteers as a marketing and digital business mentor with Startup Virginia, an incubator based at the 1717 Innovation Center in Richmond, VA.
