Patriot Boot Camp

CFEE proudly hosted the 2nd Annual Patriot Boot Camp, a three-day entrepreneurship and small business workshop for veterans. Together with well-known accelerator TechStars, CFEE welcomed nearly 100 veterans and service members on July 17-19, 2013, at the GW School of Business.

General George Casey speaks in a classroom
Gen. George Casey addresses participants on Day 1.

Notable guests and receptions included (but certainly were not limited to):

  • General George Casey
  • Vice Admiral Melvin Williams
  • Michele Markey, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
  • Steve Blank, serial entrepreneur
  • Representative Jared Polis (Colo.)
  • Senator Tim Kaine (Va.)
  • Peter Levin, former CTO, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs

Patriot Boot Camp consisted of three modules over the course of three days:

Education Day. Entrepreneurs, businessmen and -women, TechStars mentors and alumni, and others gave presentations on how to launch startups, refining and improving their venture idea, and on several other entrepreneurial topics

Mentor Day. Entrepreneurial leaders, scholars, technology industry founders, and others served as mentors during one-on-one sessions with veterans and service members. After the conclusion of the afternoon mentoring session, CFEE and GW will host a reception in the City View room of the Elliott School of International Affairs for the participants.

Demo Day. Veterans and service members were given the opportunity to present their ideas and ventures while also networking and possibly discovering potential partners and co-founders. This demo created a forum for feedback to aid in these veterans’ progression and forward path.

And the events of the conference included:

  • Reception and dinner at Opower
  • Customized, one-on-one mentor sessions
  • Reception and dinner at 1776
  • Demo Fair to showcase participants’ ideas and ventures