A home for innovation.
Venture Winston Grants is a public-private partnership program within Agile City Winston-Salem aimed at bringing future-focused disrupters to Winston-Salem.
Our team utilizes a wealth of experience in order to support, mentor, and catalyze early-stage startups. Every year, we will select a cohort and provide them with the opportunities and resources needed to build a MVP and watch them succeed.
The Competition
Our inaugural cohort will consist of 10-20 future-focused, early-stage startups in the Nutrition & Agriculture Technology, Aviation & Aerospace, and Health & Well-Being fields. Venture Winston Grants will provide startups with a $50K grant, acceleration and incubation services as well as investor connections.
Applications are open until June 30, 2021. After the application process, grant recipients will be announced in November 2021 for a January 31, 2022 start date.
Meet Our Team
Karen Barnes
Co-founder, Venture Winston Grants
Karen Barnes
Co-founder, Venture Winston Grants
Karen Barnes is a mega-connector, visionary, ecosystem builder and Founding CEO of her sixth startup, Agile City Winston-Salem — a nonprofit innovation consultancy focused on designing and building entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystems through a suite of offerings.
Prior to founding Agile City, Barnes served for three years as the Founding Executive Director of Venture Cafe Winston-Salem, where she and her team convened the ecosystem weekly, launched a Minority and Women’s Business Center, and created a public-private partnership to launch a startup recruiting initiative. Previously, she was a founding partner for an applied artificial intelligence startup; Vice President of Insights for a research and advertising agency completely focused on sustainability; the founder of her own marketing and communications consulting firm; and strategic lead for several advertising agencies working with Fortune 100 clients, including Boeing, ConAgra Foods, MillerCoors, Johnson & Johnson, Steelcase, Georgia-Pacific, Toshiba, Hanes, General Mills and Lowe’s Home Improvement.
Barnes has a master’s degree in journalism and public affairs from The American University, and a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Hollins University. She’s a devoted partner to her artist wife, doting dog mom to a spoiled rotten Golden Retriever and a pretty decent golfer.
Kasem Rodriguez Mohsen
Manager, Venture Winston Grants
Kasem Rodriguez Mohsen
Manager, Venture Winston Grants
Kasem is a 3x-exited entrepreneur, ethical disruptor and impact investor. Teams he’s worked with have reduced medical and clinical error in over 100 countries, decreased the water and carbon footprint in agriculture, streamlined and rationalized the training provided to mission-critical soldiers and sailors in two continents, and advanced the fight against HIV/AIDS and associated comorbidities in Africa.
He is now dedicated to building equitable funding and support systems for underestimated entrepreneurs, especially those focused on improving the metrics of health, happiness and empowerment. Kasem oversees and manages the Venture Winston Grants program, working with partners and clients to ensure that each cohort has the greatest chance of success and growth.
In addition to entrepreneurship, Kasem has a passion for trail running and hiking, rock climbing, and making noise on multiple musical instruments. He lives in Winston-Salem, NC with his life partner and feline roommates.
Mary Stuart Gray
Marketing Communications Manager, Venture Winston Grants
Mary Stuart Gray
Marketing Communications Manager, Venture Winston Grants
Mary Stuart Gray is a creative enthusiast with an eye for visual and graphic design. She graduated from UNC Chapel Hill, where she majored in Advertising through the Hussman School of Journalism and Media, and minored in Entrepreneurship.
Since joining our team in January, Mary Stuart has put her experience in social media management, web development, graphic design and digital marketing strategy to the test. She’s excited to continue building on these skills and honing new ones as a creative communications lead with Agile City Winston-Salem, where she’ll be in charge of brand development, marketing and storytelling in a variety of digital formats.
When she’s not in the office, you can find her searching for the best reading spots in Winston-Salem, or binge watching her latest Netflix obsession.
Why Winston?
Ranked best state business climate (link)
Ranked most affordable downtown (link)
Ranked best cities to start a small business (link)
A quick drive to renowned sandy beaches or stunning mountain views
Home to 6 higher education institutions
A ROBUST, approachable ENTREPRENEURIAL ecosystem
Winston-Salem, NC is the City of Arts and Innovation. Recently named one of the South’s ten best “cities on the rise” by Southern Living magazine, Winston-Salem is a place where creativity shines and entrepreneurial spirits are rewarded.
With an affordable cost of living and friendly business climate, Winston-Salem is the perfect place for early-stage businesses to extend their runway and reduce expenses while gaining access to a rich pipeline of talent through one of our six local universities (including two HBCUs).
We believe in the power of community, and Winston’s small business and startup network ensures that you will have a whole community dedicated to your success. It’s an exciting time to be in this growing city!
FAQ
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How does the application process work?
The VWG application window is open from May 1, 2021 – June 30, 2021. Applicants must complete their application in full and submit it by the deadline. All applications will be submitted through the VWG F6S platform. Click here to apply.
Once the application window closes, our team of startup and industry experts will complete a detailed review process to determine a list of finalists. We expect to announce our finalist group on or around September 1, 2021.
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Who is eligible for a Venture Winston Grant?
Companies that are building the future of healthcare, agriculture, food, aviation and unmanned flight (drones) are eligible to apply. If your company is at a stage where a $50,000 non-dilutive grant is meaningful to your business, we urge you to apply to the program.
Companies must be incorporated in the United States to be eligible. All winners must agree to relocate 51% of their team, including at least one cofounder, to Winston-Salem, NC for a 1-year residency program.
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What happens if I’m named a Finalist?
Finalists will be informed of their status in late August 2021 and will receive an invitation to our Welcome Night and Pitch Day events to be scheduled in early October 2021 (dates and venue to be decided). Pitch Day will be an in-person event located in Winston-Salem, NC.
At this event, finalists will pitch live to a panel of industry experts and investors and get the opportunity to meet and greet local leaders, economic development groups and relocation experts. This event will also be live streamed through our network of global innovation partners.
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When will you select the winners?
After Pitch Day, our Selection Committees will meet to select the grant winners. Winners will be notified in mid-to-late October 2021 and will sign contracts and agreements to accept the award.
We expect to publicly announce winners November 2021.
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Does my company have to relocate to Winston-Salem, NC?
All recipients of a Venture Winston Grant must relocate 51% of their team, including one founder, to Winston-Salem, NC for a 1-year residency program by January 31, 2022.
During this year-long program, entrepreneurs will receive personal mentoring from experts from our partners within their respective industry to guide them throughout the program, as well as access to accelerators, incubators, coworking spaces, and follow-on investment opportunities.
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What happens after the 1-year residency?
The support doesn’t end at the end of the program! Grant winners will continue to have access to mentorship, networking and investment opportunities through Winston-Salem’s ecosystem and our marketing channels that have national reach.
We’ll also help you leverage your connections and contacts within our exclusive industry partner network to supercharge business development and near-term revenue generation opportunities. You will continue to have VIP access to events and the continued support of our partners at Winston Starts, Flywheel and other partners.