Bunker Labs,a 501(c)(3) non-profit, is a national network of veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs dedicated to helping the military-connected community start their own business. We are committed to seeing that every entrepreneur in the military-connected community has the network, tools, and resources they need to start their own business.
Twenty-five percent of transitioning service members want to start a business and they need places inside their community where they can connect with the people, resources, and support they need to start and grow their businesses.
Inspire: An important mantra at Bunker Labs is “you’ll be what you see.” One of the many reasons why more veterans are not becoming entrepreneurs is that they don’t see all of the options available to them. After World War II and Vietnam, veterans returned home and built businesses from shoe companies (Nike) to shipping companies (FedEx) and everything companies (Walmart). Veterans today are just as ambitious and innovative in entrepreneurship but their stories aren’t being told. We want to find and tell those stories.
Equip: Bunker Labs was started by veterans who left the military and started their own business. As such, we understand the unique challenges associated with navigating the transition process combined with the difficulty of starting a business. We have compiled and curated the best entrepreneurial training from the brightest minds in the field into three distinct phases of entrepreneurship: Our Launch Lab Online course for aspiring entrepreneurs is open to anyone in the veteran community anywhere in the world. The Veterans in Residence program offers six months of free co-working space to 10 veteran companies in 17 cities (as of early 2020) and our CEOcircle program offers the next stage of programs for veteran executives looking to grow.
Connect: Whether exploring a new career path after active duty service, starting a business or growing your business, building a network is critical. Bunker Labs invites the military-connected community, business leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, and subject matter experts to plug into their local entrepreneurial ecosystem through our monthly Bunker Brews meetups in each of our chapter cities. Currently, in over 30 cities around the country, Bunker Labs also offers the veteran entrepreneur community access to a national community as well!
Our Impact:
$135,481,474 in revenue generated by participating startups*
$99,460,003 in capital raised by participating startups*
2,873+ jobs created by participating startups
886+ jobs created for military veterans & spouses
3,648 new business connections made through Bunker Labs
1,012 startups which have completed Bunker Labs programs to date
