FoodDive
Products with missions behind them are the top trend that can be successful with the mainstream consumer, according to the analysis. These products stand out in the marketplace by standing for something.
ExitEvent
Not many VC firms can claim companies with multi-million dollar valuations as portfolio companies. Even fewer can claim half their investments go to female or minority-led companies. Achieving these results starts with a strong and shared commitment to improving diversity, understanding biases and working to dismantle institutional barriers.
Food Business News
Health Warrior is ready to spotlight another superfood ingredient, but isn't quite ready to reveal it. Health Warrior marketing VP Julia Wing-Larson discusses rebranding, new flavors, and the company's big picture.
Scott Ukrop
"Led by Director of Investments, Laura Markley, and Director of Platform, Liz Doerr, NRV recently hosted "The Women in Private Investing" luncheon at The Steward School Bryan Innovation Lab in Richmond. The event celebrated women in private investing as well as the how’s and why’s angel, venture and private equity in the Commonwealth can be a smart, viable vehicle for wealth management and growth. "
Sena Hill
"In black and white, the term sheet stated: “Series A investor shall have right to appoint two Directors to the Board.” My initial knee-jerk reaction was not very accepting. What Board of Directors (BOD)? Who and why do we need outsiders dictating how we run our company? Ultimately, my partner and I held our noses and signed the deal. Fortunately, our BOD proved itself a valuable asset not only to our business, but also to us individually as entrepreneurs and executives." Kyle Zasky of Sena Hill discusses the mix of talents, skills, and experience that go into building a high-performance board.
Richmond Times-Dispatch
Rockin' Baby's Kathryn Wiley, her husband, and their six children are embarking on a cross-country family road trip that is doubling as a marketing blitz for the children's wear company. The family will promote Rockin' Baby and their mission through random acts of giving.
Forbes
Serial entrepreneur and Silicon Valley resident Jenny Lefcourt discusses verbiage in the start-up world and voices her concerns that, in this funding environment, entrepreneurs who are not familiar with "VC speak" may struggle to find capital without engaged, motivated investors by their side. Lefcourt offers resources and tips that help entrepreneurs give VCs the information they are after.
Style Weekly
"Entrepreneurism seems to to be a favorite Richmond sport, with 10 more Richmond names on this year's Inc. 5000 list, ranking the fastest-growing companies." NRV Founder and Managing Director Jim Ukrop was recognized as an investor and businessman with an enormous impact on Richmond culture. Evatran's Co-Founder and CEO Rebecca Hough also received recognition for embodying the young, entrepreneurial energy that defines Richmond's personality.
USCIS
"U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is proposing a new rule, which would allow certain international entrepreneurs to be considered for temporary permission to be in the US so that they may start or scale their businesses here. This proposed rule, when finalized, will help our economy grow by expanding immigration options for foreign entrepreneurs who meet certain criteria for creating jobs, attracting investment and generating revenue in the U.S."
New York Times
"Five years ago Google became focused on building the perfect team, guided by the belief that studying workers can transform productivity. In the last decade, Google's People Operations department has scrutinized everything from how people eat together, to traits the best managers share - all with the goal of determining why some teams flourish where others fail."
Wall Street Journal
"Fintech (Financial Technology) firms hold the promise of disrupting traditional lending by, among other things, slashing costs and using big data to assess risks. Now regulators are figuring out how to create rules for this new sector without squashing innovation. Comptroller of the Currency Thomas J. Curry believes the solution lies with 'responsible innovation.'"
TechCrunch
"The food industry is going through an interesting shift in the U.S., moving away from an era of processed food and microwave meals, to one where people are increasingly concerned about the kinds of foods their eating, their freshness, sustainability, and other factors."
Next Juggernaut
"On Demand Services offer the customer an exciting new world of lifestyle convenience, but is often explained as "the uberification" of services, only describing one of the many models emerging now. While product designers focus on the characteristics buyers will value, service designers focus on the experiences customers want to have again and again"
Richmond Times-Dispatch
"Governor Terry McAuliffe announced July 25th appointments for gubernatorial boards and commissions, naming NRV Co-founder and Managing Director J. Robert "Bob" Mooney as Virginia Biotech Research Park Authority."
Richmond Times-Dispatch
"Zhejiang VIE Science and Technology Co., a Chinese tier 1 manufacturer of automotive parts, invested $2.3 million in Evatran this week and signed a joint venture agreement. This tees up Evatran to be a leading solution for direct automotive manufacturing production, as well as direct after-market sales for EV wireless charging."
NGA.org
"Governor Terry McAuliffe unveiled on July 16th his 2016-2017 chair's initiative, Meet the Threat: States Confront the Cyber Challenge, which places states at the center of finding solutions to the increasingly sophisticated cyber threats facing the nation. On Thursday 7/21, NRV hosted one of the first Cyber Roundtables, bringing together policy leaders, entrepreneurs, private sector experts, and federal partners from across the state to begin discussion state-driven solutions that can be replicated nationwide."
Medium
"Adeo Ressi of the Founder Institute digs into data spanning over 110 cities and six continents, highlighting the unique entrepreneurial strengths of each region, and encourages early-stage founders to look outside of Silicon Valley and build great companies right where they are."
Wall Street Journal
"Driven by faster internet connections, ubiquitous smartphones and changing insurance standards, more health providers are turning to electronic communications to better deliver health care, collaborate with peers and help patients better monitor vital signs and symptoms."
First Round
"If your start-up is still building its early sales function or tallying its first deals, it must approach sales differently. According to The Sales Method creator Whitney Sales, early stage companies need to place more emphasis on their founding narrative, customize their customer stories and integrate both seamlessly into a structured prospect pitch."
Food Dive
"Kellog CEO John Bryant outlines three disruptive trends causing manufacturers to re-think strategies and look to the future of the consumer: the growth of e-commerce, how consumers consume media and marketing messages, and changing consumer views on food and the definition of health and wellness."