Program pathway
Warrior Rising programs: the full pathway
Warrior Rising is a nonprofit serving veteran founders through five connected programs. Not every vet needs all five. Here is which one fits your stage and how the pathway connects if you want the full runway.
The short version
- Just deciding if entrepreneurship fits? Start with LaunchPoint (SDVET). 4 hours, free.
- Have an idea, need structured programming? Warrior Academy is 40 self-paced modules using the 5-Paragraph OPORD framework.
- Past Academy, ready for live coaching? Warrior University is live expert-led instruction.
- Ready to pitch for capital? Business Showers awards non-dilutive grants from $2K to $150K.
- Building venture-scale, need pre-seed acceleration? Activate is the 8-week Virginia Tech-partnered accelerator.
The pathway, program by program
Each program has a specific role. You do not need to go through all five. Pick where you actually are, do the work, then decide if the next one fits.
Warrior Rising LaunchPoint (SDVET)
Service-disabled veterans and their families in the ideation stage of a new business or launching a new product/service within an existing business.
Warrior Rising Warrior Academy
U.S. military veterans, military spouses, and immediate family members ready to start or grow a business without formal business training.
Best for: Early-stage vet founders who want free structured programming, cohort peer support, and mentorship. Low bar to enter.
Not worth it if: You already have a strong founder network and clear next steps. Warrior Rising is highest value when you are isolated and unsure.
What to prepare: Business idea, honest self-assessment of what you do not know yet, and 4-6 hours per week for the cohort.
Warrior Rising Warrior University
Veterans, military spouses, and immediate family members with an early-stage startup who have completed Warrior Academy (or equivalent) and are ready for advanced training.
Warrior Rising Business Showers
Warrior University graduates only. Invitation-only for the most competitive veteran and military spouse founders.
Warrior Rising Activate (Virginia Tech Boeing Center)
Veteran and military spouse founders building technology, SaaS, and dual-use solutions. Pre-seed, execution stage.
What Warrior Rising is not
Warrior Rising is a nonprofit veteran-founder education and grant organization. It is not a venture capital firm, not a federal contracting resource, and not a franchise network. If you need SDVOSB certification help, look at the SBA Vet Cert path. If you want federal contracting programs, look at VBOC and IVMF. If you want defense-tech acceleration specifically, Warrior Rising Activate at Virginia Tech is the right entry point.
Common questions
Is Warrior Rising free?
Yes. All five programs are free to eligible veterans. Warrior Rising is a 501(c)(3) funded by corporate partners, individual donors, and grants.
Do you have to complete LaunchPoint first?
No, but it helps. LaunchPoint is 4 hours and gives you the framing for the rest of the pathway. If you already know entrepreneurship is right for you, you can skip straight to Warrior Academy.
What are Business Showers grants really worth?
Historically $2,000 to $150,000, non-dilutive, plus paid travel to the event and pitch coaching. The top prize is competitive but the mid-tier awards are more accessible than most vet founders realize.
Who runs Warrior Rising?
Founded by veterans, run by veterans. Based in Colorado with a distributed team. Full leadership and board information is on the official Warrior Rising site.
Program cards for browsing
Click any card for full program details, editor take, and application URL.
Warrior Rising (501c3) + U.S. Small Business Administration
Service-disabled veterans and their families in the ideation stage of a new business or launching a new product/service within an existing business.
Warrior Rising (501c3)
U.S. military veterans, military spouses, and immediate family members ready to start or grow a business without formal business training.
Warrior Rising (501c3) + flagship educational institution partners
Veterans, military spouses, and immediate family members with an early-stage startup who have completed Warrior Academy (or equivalent) and are ready for advanced training.
Warrior Rising (501c3)
Warrior University graduates only. Invitation-only for the most competitive veteran and military spouse founders.
Warrior Rising (501c3) + Virginia Tech
Veteran and military spouse founders building technology, SaaS, and dual-use solutions. Pre-seed, execution stage.
Monday Deadlines
Warrior Rising cohort openings, Business Showers deadlines, and other vet founder programs. Every Monday at 6am ET. Free.
Related comparisons and guides
- Warrior Rising Academy vs University — decide which one you actually need
- Complete list of veteran startup accelerators
- V-WISE vs Boots to Business — different program family, similar decision
- The Small Business path — where most Warrior Rising founders end up