The military produces entrepreneurs at rates higher than the general population: Veterans are 45 percent more likely to be self-employed than nonveterans, according to Small Business Administration data. What it produces less reliably is the business training and startup capital to turn that entrepreneurial drive into sustainable companies.
Warrior Rising, a nonprofit supported by the SBA, has built a pipeline designed to address both gaps, and the grant funding at the end of that pipeline can reach $20,000.
The VA has been highlighting Warrior Rising’s Warrior University program across its news channels this year as a resource for veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs. Understanding what the program actually is — and what it is not — matters before you invest time in it.
Warrior University: What It Is and How the Grant Works
Warrior University is not a grant application. It is an eight-week virtual business accelerator — the second stage in Warrior Rising’s training pathway — that covers business strategy, business model design, customer discovery, competitive analysis and go-to-market planning. It is offered quarterly, fully online, and runs over two evenings per week. Completing it earns a certificate and, more importantly, eligibility to compete for funding at Warrior Rising’s Business Showers.
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Business Showers are pitch events where Warrior University graduates present their business ideas to panels of evaluators. Selected finalists receive grant awards, with amounts ranging from $2,000 to $20,000 depending on the cohort and funding available. The grants are non-dilutive, meaning they do not require giving up equity in the business. Funding is competitive and not guaranteed to every participant, but the pathway gives veteran founders structured preparation before they compete for it.
The grants are described by some sources as reaching up to $150,000 for exceptional cases at flagship Business Shower events, though the typical range advertised for Warrior University graduates is up to $20,000. Veterans should verify current funding levels directly at warriorrising.org before setting expectations.
The Pathway: Warrior Academy Comes First
Before enrolling in Warrior University, veterans must complete Warrior Academy, the first stage of the Warrior Rising program. Warrior Academy is a self-paced online course designed to help founders turn a business idea into a viable plan. It covers the foundational elements of entrepreneurship adapted for veterans transitioning into business ownership, using the same structured decision-making frameworks the military trains into its personnel.
Enrollment in Warrior Academy runs on a rolling basis. There is no single application window; veterans can begin at any point. Once Warrior Academy is complete, the graduate becomes eligible to enroll in the next available Warrior University cohort. Business Showers are scheduled throughout the year following each cohort’s completion.
The full sequence — Warrior Academy, Warrior University, Business Shower — is the intended path for veterans pursuing grant funding. Attempting to shortcut to the pitch event without completing the training is not an option the program offers.
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Who Is Eligible
The program is open to veterans, military spouses and immediate family members of veterans. Both startups and established businesses are considered, though Warrior University is specifically designed for early-stage founders who have an idea they are developing rather than for established businesses seeking growth capital. The SBA lists Warrior Rising explicitly as a funded resource for veterans injured in the line of duty who are or want to be small business owners, but eligibility is not limited to service-disabled veterans.
There is no stated discharge characterization requirement on Warrior Rising’s own program pages, though individual grant competitions may apply their own criteria. Veterans should review the terms of any specific Business Shower opportunity directly before applying.
Other Veteran Business Grant Programs Worth Knowing
Warrior Rising is one of several veteran business grant programs active in 2026.
- The Hiring Our Heroes Small Business Grant Program, funded in partnership with the FedEx Founder’s Fund, awards five grants per cycle — four at $10,000 each and one at $25,000 — to veteran-owned and military spouse-owned businesses with 51 percent or greater veteran ownership and between three and twenty employees.
- The Second Service Foundation Military Entrepreneur Challenge offers awards from $1,000 to $15,000 through a business pitch competition format.
- The Rice Business Veteran Pitch Battle, open to veteran founders only, awards $30,000 in total grant funding across three finalists:$15,000 for first, $10,000 for second, and $5,000 for third.
- The Stephen L. Tadlock Veteran Grant distributes $1,000 micro-grants to twenty veteran-owned businesses annually, with the full application opening in September 2026 and pre-registration available now.
- The NASE Growth Grants program offers $4,000 quarterly grants to small business owners including veterans, with a 15 percent membership fee discount for veterans.
Beyond grants, veteran-owned businesses certified through the SBA’s VetCert program gain access to federal contracting set-asides: The government aims to award at least three percent of all federal contract dollars to service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, which represents a revenue stream that dwarfs most grant programs for businesses positioned to pursue it.
How to Get Started
Veterans interested in the Warrior Rising pathway can enroll in Warrior Academy at warriorrising.org on a rolling basis. The SBA’s Office of Veteran Business Development at sba.gov/business-guide/grow-your-business/veteran-owned-businesses lists additional programs and resources including free counseling through SCORE mentors, Small Business Development Centers, and Women’s Business Centers — all available to veterans regardless of gender.
Veterans who already have an established business and are looking for certification to access federal contracting set-asides can begin the VetCert process at veterans.certify.sba.gov. Certification is free and makes your business discoverable to federal procurement officers and prime contractors looking to meet small business contracting goals.
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