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By Kelsey Kendall

received $500,000 to support service members preparing for civilian careers in entrepreneurship.

Funding for this new program, called Double-TAP, comes from FY24 Congressionally Directed Spending through the Small Business Administration with the support of Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine. Double-TAP, which stands for transition assistance program, will expand on existing programs and work being done at the University’s institute and within the military.

Hampton Roads is “not a normal region,” said Paul Olsen, executive director of the institute. Its proximity to multiple military commands means there is a high concentration of veterans and service members looking for opportunities after their service. This new initiative builds on existing programs to support military-affiliated students and expand those efforts into to the broader military community.

Double-TAP will connect service members with resources before entering the civilian workforce, like the Department of Defense’s Transition Assistance Program’s mission. It is like a “firehose” of resources within the last year of their time in the military, preparing them for different careers and letting them know what kind of supports are out there for veterans, wherever they go, Olsen said.

“I am proud to have secured funding for ������ϲ�����’s Double-TAP program,” Warner said. “Hampton Roads is home to a significant amount of veterans who have served their country with honor, and we owe it to them to support their transition to a post military life, while making sure they have the tools to succeed in the Hampton Roads community.”

Unlike the already existing TAP, this new program will provide resources specifically for any soon-to-be veteran entrepreneurs in Virginia and the surrounding areas.

“What Double-TAP does is it takes those TAP people with all the job training and the entrepreneur systems that are funded by the government and provides that connective tissue,” Olsen said.

As service members go through TAP, which is already required as they near the end of their military service, Olsen said many in the region will receive business card carriers with just one card in it that reads, “Bring this into the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship for 500 free business cards.” It gets interested veterans through the door so the office can get them the support they need.

“Our servicemembers make countless sacrifices for our country, and they deserve our support when they return to civilian life, including when it comes to starting their next career chapters,” Kaine said. “I was glad to work with ������ϲ����� to secure this funding to better support veterans in Hampton Roads wanting to start or grow their own business and will keep doing all that I can to ensure that our veterans and our economy thrives.”

Kevin Leslie, associate vice president for Innovation and Commercialization, said the institute is not a student-facing organization at its core but a link to the broader Hampton Roads community to support economic development. It is home to like the Veterans Business Outreach Center, Business Development Center and Women’s Business Center.

Local entrepreneurs, whether they are connected to the University or not, can come to the institute to seek out business advice, guidance and other resources to launch a successful business. Double -TAP supports that mission by expanding its reach into the local military community.

“It’s not a new area of work,” Leslie said. “It’s just a big expansion of it…������ϲ����� has been making an impact in the community in this way for a long time and we’re just continuing to do more and more of it.”