CCF grants support startups, critical early technology testing and market validation efforts

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, UNITED STATES, December 15, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation’s (VIPC), Commonwealth Commercialization Fund (CCF) today announced that Dot Drives has been awarded a CFF grant of $75,000. VIPC has distributed more than $43 million to Virginia startups, entrepreneurs and university-based inventors since 2012.

Dot Drives, based in Lynchburg, Va., has developed a software platform for nonprofit organizations that simplifies the donor management process, and improves donation results. This CCF grant will be used to help create and build a simple and collaborative nonprofit Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool, along with a Donor Pipeline for Fundraisers by Fundraisers.

“We are thrilled to receive a CCF grant from VIPC,” said Sal Ferlise, CEO at Dot Drives. “This funding will help us build a tool to simplify software for nonprofits and we are excited to increase efficiency and effectiveness for these organizations.”

“We are pleased to award a CCF grant to Dot Drives,” said Sean Mallon, VIPC’s VP for Commercialization. “VIPC’s CCF grant program plays an important role in getting funding to Virginia-based pre-seed and seed-stage startups when they need it most. Our goal is to help Virginia companies grow and lead the nation in innovation, opportunity, and job creation, and we believe Dot Drives is providing an innovative and scalable solution for small and medium-sized nonprofits that are supported by both large and small donors.”

CCF accepts applications and awards funding on a rolling basis to Virginia’s small business and academic community. This competitive program seeks to fund high-potential, Virginia-based, for-profit technology companies at the pre-seed stage of commercialization and provides grants up to $75,000. The grants support early technology and market validation efforts such as customer discovery, market research, business model validation, development of prototypes or a minimum viable product (MVP), customer pilots, intellectual property protection, team development, and more. For more information on funding opportunities and eligibility requirements, or to apply visit: www.virginiaipc.org/ccf-funding-opportunities

About the Commonwealth Commercialization Fund (CCF)
The Commonwealth Commercialization Fund (CCF) was launched on July 1, 2020 to foster innovative and collaborative efforts in Virginia. Combining two legacy state programs, the Commonwealth Research Commercialization Fund (CRCF) and the Virginia Research Innovation Fund (VRIF), CCF seeks technologies with a high potential for economic development and job creation and that position the Commonwealth as a national leader in science- and technology-based research, development, and commercialization.

About Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC)
VIPC: Connecting innovators with opportunities As the nonprofit operations arm of the Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority (VIPA), VIPC is the commercialization and seed stage economic development driver in the Commonwealth that leads funding, infrastructure, and policy initiatives to support Virginia's innovators, entrepreneurs, startups, and market development strategies. VIPC collaborates with local, regional, state, and federal partners to support the expansion and diversification of Virginia’s economy.

Programs include: Virginia Venture Partners (VVP) | VVP Fund of Funds (SSBCI) | Virginia Founders Fund (VFF) |Commonwealth Commercialization Fund (CCF) | Petersburg Founders Fund (PFF) | Smart Communities | The Virginia Smart Community Testbed | The Virginia Unmanned Systems Center | Virginia Advanced Air Mobility Alliance (VAAMA) | The Public Safety Innovation Center |Entrepreneurial Ecosystems | Regional Innovation Fund (RIF) | Federal Funding Assistance Program (FFAP) for SBIR & STTR | University Partnerships | Startup Company Mentoring & Engagement. For more information, please visit www.VirginiaIPC.org. Follow VIPC on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Angela Costello, Vice President of Communications
Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC)
angela.costello@VirginiaIPC.org

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