Roanoke’s new startup accelerator is calling on the community for financial support for the first time, launching a crowdfunding campaign to furnish RAMP’s Jefferson Street facility.
The campaign launched on Friday and raised $400 toward its $25,000 goal during the opening weekend.
RAMP, which stands for Regional Acceleration and Mentoring Program, will offer a boot-camp-like experience for budding entrepreneurs. It’s not the first of its kind, as many tech giants including Airbnb and Dropbox have sprung from similar – though much larger – programs.
The city of Roanoke, Virginia Western Community College and the Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council are heading up the effort. They hope to boost the local startup ecosystem by giving a group of hand-selected tech companies the resources and training they need to grow — and stay in the area.
