StartupSoftware & SaaS+ Hardware & Manufacturing+ Defense Tech & Dual-UseCapital

Hivers & Strivers

BLUF: Bottom Line Up Front

· Five-second scan

Total time commitment

60-100 hours (pitch + diligence)

Admittance criteria

Application + Interview

Funding type

Equity Investment

Delivery mode

Hybrid

Academic backing

Light

Best for

Startup

Eligibility

Early-stage startups founded/led by US service academy graduates and post-9/11 vets.

$250k - $1M typical check sizes

Rolling · Rolling

Largest vet-focused angel group.

Verified veteran founders who actually attended.

Nobody has reviewed Hivers & Strivers yet.

Attended this program? Share what actually happened and help the next vet decide.

What we ask reviewers

•Time spent: hours in-person, hours virtual, duration in weeks, required attendance.
•Actual benefit: cash grants received, follow-on capital raised, cost coverage, equity taken.
•Selectivity: cohort size, acceptance rate, percent veteran or military.
•Best parts and worst parts: up to four each, specific facts, no marketing language.
•Truth check: was the program marketing accurate? What did they oversell or leave out?

These share at least one format type with this program and fit the same path.

Early-stage dual-use, defense, and national security startups.

Early-stage startups, often vet-led; broad sector focus.

Vet-led defense tech and dual-use startups.