How One EBV Graduate’s Mission Led To Entrepreneurship - Online

One of the most powerful tools for an entrepreneur is being connected to the right resources when they are needed most.

Major strides have been made to train and support Veteran entrepreneurs over the last two decades, but these founders continue to face challenges including:

• Identifying successful mentors
• Accessing appropriate financial capital
• Obtaining and utilizing business and management skills.

As Veteran and entrepreneurship service organizations continue to evolve, business owners are encouraged to revisit how they are navigating information and utilizing available resources to ensure they are maximizing opportunities.

Join us for a fireside chat with Nicholas Martinelli, Program Manager of CCEI’s Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans (EBV) and Jonathan Norton, 2018 EBV Graduate and founder of RopeSafe, USA. This session will follow one Veteran’s path to success and the resources he capitalized on along the way.

About the Speakers:

• Nicholas Martinelli served in the Army for 22 years before retiring in June of 2022. One of the highlights of his military career was working on counter rocket, artillery and mortar (C-RAM) missions both in Iraq and Afghanistan. His unit was the first to use land-based defense systems against enemy attacks in Iraq. While serving, Nicholas also earned master’s degrees in both education and business administration. His experience aligns closely with EBV’s mission to provide focused, practical training in the tools and skills of new venture creation and the establishment of a support structure for graduates of the program.
• Jonathan Norton is a Combat Veteran and Army Ranger. He the founder of RopeSafe, USA, and the developer of a CE Certified edge protector and anchor strap designed to protect military and first responders during rope rescue operations. He holds two patents and was awarded a USAF Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II contract to develop a variation of the product specific to USAF Special Operations units. Following delivery to the USAF customer, Jonathan joined ZeroEyes, Inc. and currently leads their Commercial Sales Team. He earned a BA from UConn, is married with 3 children and lives with his family in Connecticut.