CAPCO Programs

EnviRelation will be expanding its business with the $100,000 investment it was awarded from winning the DC Business Plan Competition:

EnviRelation, a District-based environmentally sustainable food composter and winner of the 2010 Washington, DC Business Plan Competition, today secured an investment of $50,000 from Advantage Capital Partners and $50,000 from Enhanced Capital Partners via the District’s CAPCO Program. These funds will be used to expand this young business and position it for future growth.

“We appreciate the recognition and support that this investment brings to our innovative company. This exciting opportunity to grow our business would not have occurred but for the Washington, DC Business Plan Competition and the District’s small business investment tax credit program, known as CAPCO,” said Walker Lunn, Founder and CEO of EnviRelation. Lunn continued, “Working capital from commercial banks is not readily accessible for small but fast-growing companies like ours, and the District is fortunate to have a CAPCO program that it is specifically designed to provide access to capital to District-based businesses in need of funds to grow.”

Read more »

EnviRelation was this year’s winner of the Business Plan Competition:

A $100,000 Prize and an inspiring keynote address headlined the 3rd Annual Small Business Awards today sponsored by the Washington, DC Economic Partnership (WDCEP).

Andrew Florance, Founder, Director, President & CEO of CoStar Group, Inc , the soon to be District-based real estate information leader, delivered the program’s stirring keynote address before an audience of 170 business and political leaders.  Florance spoke about the importance of this city as both a place to foster small business and leverage the federal nexus. Florance was introduced by Deputy Mayor Valerie Santos who praised his commitment to DC.

The presenting of the $100,000 Business Plan Competition Prize was the capstone of the morning program as EnviRelation, a local food waste recycling company, took the stage as this year’s winner.  In addition to being eligible for a $100,000 CAPCO investment, EnviRelation will receive $10,000 in pro-bono legal advice from Venable, LLP.  EnviRelation follows in the footsteps of the 2009 Business Plan Competition winner, Affinity Lab, who used the investment to open a second shared work space venture.

Read more »

Wisconsin’s CAPCO program has been one of the many ideas for economic growth within the state:

The Wisconsin Technology Council will publish a new set of white papers this month including bold ideas to stimulate venture capital investment in the state.

Inevitably, some may question Wisconsin’s ability to afford these proposed programs. But the better question is whether we can afford not to pursue new ideas as we try to transform the economy.

We have no shortage of innovations. We have one of the world’s greatest research universities, one that became increasingly entrepreneurial in the 1990s. The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation began accepting equity in lieu of upfront fees for University of Wisconsin-Madison spinoffs at that time and began investing directly near the end of the decade. Initiatives such as the Burrill Business Plan Competition helped to create a more entrepreneurial culture.

Read more »

On April 6th, Advantage Capital Partners and Enhanced Capital Partners hosted the Business Plan Competition kick-off event in DC:

The Office of the Deputy Mayor and the Washington, DC Economic Partnership (WDCEP) in collaboration with Advantage Capital Partners and Enhanced Capital Partners will kick off its $100,000 Business Plan Competition on April 6 from 6:00-8:00pm at the Washington, DC Economic Partnership’s office located at 1495 F Street, NW.

In its second year, this competition will award $100,000 of investment capital through the District’s Certified Capital Companies (“CAPCO”) Programto one winner.  In addition to the investment capital, the winner will also receive $10,000 worth of legal consultation from Venable LLP. 

Read more »

The 2010 Business Plan Competition was announced today.  Here are details on last year’s winner:

Adams Morgan based Affinity Lab, a business cowork venture, took first place yesterday in a business plan competition qualifying for $100,000 in investment in a tight four-way competition staged at the Washington, DC Economic Partnership (WDCEP).

“We saw four great presentations yesterday,” says Steve Moore, President and CEO of the WDCEP. “These business concepts were very exciting, but Affinity Lab stood out as the new thing. They capture what is happening now in the incubation of small businesses. Without fail, when they are done telling you what they do, people say ‘I want to be a part of that.'”

Read more »