RISE and RAMP Launch Program to Help Agricultural, Forestry, and Rural Innovators Reach the Marketplace

RISE (Regional Investment in Startups and Entrepreneurs) and RAMP (Regional Accelerator and Mentoring Program) today announced RAMP Up, a new commercialization accelerator program for agricultural, forestry, and rural innovators in Southern Virginia. The program is funded by the Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission and VIPC (Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation), and combines RISE’s regional network, an initiative of the SOVA Innovation Hub, with RAMP’s decade of commercialization experience through the Roanoke Blacksburg Innovation Alliance (RBIA).

The program welcomes startups, existing businesses, researchers, and innovators working in agriculture, forestry, food systems, animal sciences, natural resources, advanced manufacturing, automation, sustainability, rural technology, and related industries.

Over eight weeks, participants will work with experienced entrepreneurs, researchers, and industry experts to validate customer needs, evaluate market opportunities, refine business models, and develop commercialization strategies. There is no cost to participate in RAMP Up.

Each team that successfully completes the program will be eligible for grants up to $10,000 to support commercialization activities such as product development, pilot projects, customer validation, or other approved business growth expenses. These are non-dilutive grants, meaning that the company does not give up any ownership in exchange for this funding.

Graduates will also be connected to additional entrepreneurship and accelerator opportunities through RAMP, RISE, and other regional partners based on their stage of growth.

Program sessions will be hosted on eight consecutive Mondays, 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM, September 21 through November 9, with seven in-person sessions at the SOVA Innovation Hub in South Boston, Virginia and one virtual session.

Applicants must be existing Virginia businesses or committed to establishing business operations in Virginia. To be eligible, businesses must be located in one of the following localities:

• Cities: Covington, Danville, Emporia, Lynchburg, Martinsville, Radford, Roanoke, and Salem
• Counties: Alleghany, Amelia, Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, Botetourt, Brunswick, Buckingham, Campbell, Charlotte, Craig, Cumberland, Dinwiddie, Floyd, Franklin, Giles, Greensville, Halifax, Henry, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Nottoway, Patrick, Pittsylvania, Prince Edward, Pulaski, Roanoke, and Sussex.

Businesses located within incorporated towns in these eligible counties are also welcome to apply.

This partnership will help more innovators move from concept to company while strengthening Southern Virginia’s innovation economy.

“Southern Virginia has a long history of innovation rooted in agriculture, forestry, manufacturing, and rural enterprise,” said Lauren Mathena, Director of Economic Development and Community Engagement for the SOVA Innovation Hub and Program Director for RISE. “Through this partnership with RAMP, we are creating new opportunities for innovators to connect with experts, test ideas, and explore pathways to bring new products and solutions to market. We want to help great ideas become businesses, jobs, and economic opportunities for our region.”

“Many innovations never reach the marketplace because innovators lack access to commercialization support,” said Chip Bobbert, Director of Innovation at the Roanoke Blacksburg Innovation Alliance, the entity that operates RAMP. “RAMP Up is designed to bridge that gap by helping innovators understand customers, markets, partnerships, and commercialization pathways before they enter a full accelerator program.”

RISE and RAMP thank the Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission, VIPC, and regional partners for their continued support of entrepreneurship and innovation across Southern Virginia.

Applications for the inaugural Fall 2026 cohort are open now with a deadline of September 3, 2026.

For more information and to apply, visit the RAMP Up webpage.

About RISE

RISE (Regional Investment in Startups and Entrepreneurs) is a regional entrepreneurship initiative serving Southern Virginia and Franklin County. Managed by the SOVA Innovation Hub in partnership with Longwood’s Small Business Development Center and regional ecosystem partners, RISE helps entrepreneurs connect with resources, training, mentors, and opportunities to start and grow businesses.

About RAMP

RAMP (Regional Accelerator and Mentoring Program), operated by the Roanoke Blacksburg Innovation Alliance (RBIA), helps entrepreneurs launch and grow innovative companies through mentorship, commercialization support, accelerator programming, and connections to customers, investors, and industry partners.