Non-dilutive capital in Virginia
VIPC's Commonwealth Commercialization Fund, GO Virginia regional grants, SBIR matching, and the lesser-known programs that founders routinely miss.
Commonwealth Commercialization Fund
Operated by VIPC. Pre-seed grants for technology-driven Virginia companies. Two tracks — research and commercialization. The bar is a defensible technology and a credible commercialization plan, not revenue. Apply twice a year.
Virginia Venture Partners
VIPC's evergreen direct-investment vehicle. Co-invests alongside qualified institutional rounds. Not a substitute for a lead — designed to extend rounds and keep more equity in-state.
GO Virginia
Regional grants administered through nine councils. Most useful for cluster-scale programs and shared infrastructure rather than individual startups, but founders running cohort programs or workforce initiatives should know it exists.
SBIR / STTR + state match
Federal Small Business Innovation Research awards remain the single largest source of non-dilutive capital for technical founders. Virginia offers a state matching program for Phase I awardees through VIPC.