Veterans Fast Launch

SCORE’s "Veteran Fast Launch" Program Answers the Call to Support Our Veterans

SCORE supports the First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden’s Joining Forces Initiative through creation of the Veterans Fast Launch program, designed to provide mentoring and training for our service members and their families. As part of this program, SCORE volunteers will reach out to provide mentoring, tools, and training to military personnel and their families who want to use their special skills and knowledge to start or grow their own small business.

"The premise is simple," says U.S. Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra. "With the right support tools, including mentorship, scholarships, and a package of free software resources, we can improve the success rate of veterans’ and their families’ ability to succeed as small business owners."

“SCORE is thrilled to take part in this White House initiative and to work together toward a common goal of providing support and resources to our service members and their families,” says SCORE CEO Ken Yancey. “This new program gives SCORE, and its partners, the opportunity to offer free business advice and tools to aid in the successful transition of our nation’s veterans and their families to small business ownership.”

The new Veterans Fast Launch program, with the support of a $500,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation, will offer veterans and their families a combined package of services, free business software, and scholarships to attend SCORE's Simple Steps for Starting Your Business workshops at 360 SCORE chapters across the nation.

The first year’s target for this program is to provide assistance to 16,000 military veterans and their families and help launch 3,000 new businesses. To register for Veterans Fast Launch, or for more information, go to http://vetsfastlaunch.org.

More Information

Find out more about the Joining Forces Initiative and Veterans Fast Launch:

SCORE in the News

The Wallstreet Journal
April 14, 2011
Helping Veterans Launch Businesses

The White House
April 12, 2011
Tech Community SCOREs with Vet Entrepreneurs

Start Up America Partnership
April 12, 2011
Veterans: Access Free Small Business Start-Up Tools