What it is

The Regional Accelerator and Mentoring Program (RAMP) is a startup accelerator in downtown Roanoke, Virginia, focused on technology and health and life science companies. It was founded in 2017 with funding from GO Virginia, the City of Roanoke and Virginia Western Community College, and in 2020 received a $1M grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration. RAMP is now part of the Roanoke Blacksburg Innovation Alliance, alongside the Roanoke Blacksburg Technology Council (RBTC). Its offices are at 709 S Jefferson St. in Roanoke.

What it offers founders

RAMP runs a ladder of programs that follow a company from idea to post-accelerator growth:

  • On RAMP: a 4-week virtual pre-accelerator with two 90-minute sessions per week covering problem discovery, market analysis and business case formation. Incorporation is not required.
  • RAMP In Residence: a 12-week in-person cohort in Roanoke with 1:1 expert mentoring, free office space in the Gill Building, investor access, fundraising preparation and a live Demo Day. RAMP lists $10,000 in non-dilutive funding per company for the Spring 2026 cohort.
  • Exit RAMP: post-cohort support for In Residence alumni, including workshops on marketing, funding and hiring, a coach matched to each company, and an Investment Pitch Series where a small group of alumni practice pitches with venture capitalists and other investors.
  • RAMP Up: an 8-week commercialization accelerator run with RISE at the SOVA Innovation Hub in South Boston, VA, for ventures in fields such as agriculture, forestry, food systems, advanced materials and rural technology, with up to $10,000 in non-dilutive support for eligible companies that complete it.

In Residence alumni also receive two years of RBTC membership, three years of Shenandoah Club membership, one year of Virginia BIO membership for eligible health and life science companies, and discounted office space after the program.

Who it is for

RAMP serves founders whose company is located and operating in Virginia. In Residence requires an incorporated business, a technologically differentiated, scalable and defensible solution, and initial evidence of market need and problem-solution fit. The program is technology and industry agnostic within tech and health and life sciences. On RAMP suits earlier founders who have a problem and solution hypothesis but no company yet. RAMP Up is limited to businesses in eligible Virginia localities listed on its page.

How to engage or apply

Applications are submitted through RAMP's online accelerator portal; check the Join the Next Cohort page for current deadlines. Expect about 60 hours of full-time, in-person instruction in Roanoke over 12 weeks plus roughly 10 hours per week of customer discovery. Founders who are not yet ready can start with On RAMP. RAMP also offers office hours on request; reach the team through the contact page or at 540.595.7315. Demo Day at the end of each cohort is free to attend.

Why it matters in the DMV ecosystem

RAMP is one of the main structured accelerators in Southwest Virginia and connects founders directly to the Roanoke-Blacksburg tech community through its RBTC partnership. For Virginia founders outside Northern Virginia, it offers non-dilutive funding, free workspace and investor exposure without relocating to the DC area.