Texas A&M University hosts Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities
Last Saturday, twenty-one disabled veterans began learning the basics of business ownership through an Enterprepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities (EBV) hosted by the Mays Business School at Texas A&M University. EBV is a program to help post-911 veterans with disabilities related to their military service develop the skills and tools they need to develop and maintain successful businesses. The program aimed to expand upon traits that the veterans learned while in the military, including focus, leadership, and resilience.
The event was hosted as part of a partnership between Mays Business School and the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University (IVMF).
The results of the national EBV program are quite impressive. 1,130 graduates of the national EBV program have become entrepreneurs. EBV graduate businesses have generated $196 million in revenue, and 1 out of every 4 EBV graduate businesses grosses over $100,000 a year. The average EBV graduate employs 72 people, and EBV graduate businesses currently employ 1,886 people. 68% of graduates go on to start their own business, and 92% of those graduates are still in business at present.
The EBV begins with a three-week online instructor-led course. Students learn business language during the online phase and begin to work on their business plans. After completing the online program, participants attend an intensive nine-day residency at Mays Business School, where accomplished educators and entrepreneurs teach them the basics of business ownership. At the end of the residency, EBV graduates participate in the EBV Technical Assistance Program, a year-long support and mentorship program.
“This program fits exceptionally well at Texas A&M, where we have a rich military history and have been recognized for being one of the top military friendly schools,” said Richard Lester, director of the Texas A&M EBV. “It is a great way to give back to our veterans by utilizing our network of experts.”
