Veterans came to UCCS in August for a return to bootcamp – though this version looks a little different than basic training.
Implementing a program founded by Syracuse University, the Center for Entrepreneurship and the College of Business partnered with the El Pomar Institute for Innovation and Commercialization (EPIIC), which is funded by a generous endowment from the El Pomar Foundation, to host an Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans (EBV) at UCCS. All expenses are covered for the veterans.
The weeklong bootcamp was the second phase of a three-phase program that “opens the door to economic opportunity for veterans by developing their competencies in the many steps and activities associated with creating and sustaining an entrepreneurial venture.” Phase I of the program takes place online for three weeks, with participants learning about startup best practices and instructor-led fundamentals.
Phase II, the EBV, is an intensive, nine-day residency. The veterans get nearly eighty hours of classroom time focused on experiential training in entrepreneurship and small business management. In the UCCS EBV, there were a variety of small businesses including cybersecurity, food service, information technology and mental health counseling. This phase also includes free licenses for a year with certain databases and programs, like BoodleBox and Perplexity, which are AI tools, and Sparktoro, used for audience research.
“The 2025 UCCS EBV program truly fit the idea of the ‘bootcamp’ experience its name alludes to,” said Luke Doster, EPIIC Program & Outreach Manager. “Just like the traditional military bootcamp, these vets came in and were pushed to their mental limits. By the end of the program, everyone was exhausted, but they walked away as stronger and better entrepreneurs, ready to keep pushing their business forward.”
Beyond the classroom curriculum, the EBV visitors were able to visit local spots and enjoy some of the areas that make Colorado Springs unique. When first arriving at the Colorado Springs airport, they were greeted with a brief welcoming ceremony before attending a bootcamp orientation at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum. Additionally, there was a networking event at The Pinery at the Hill, which featured a keynote address from retired Air Force Brigadier General Kristen Goodwin, and a celebratory closing dinner at Penrose House, the conference center for the El Pomar Foundation, with keynote speaker Scott Lewis from Spartan Investments out of Golden, Colorado. Lewis is an Army vet whose company specializes in self-storage properties and has been on the Vet 100 list for the last several years.
Following the EBV is Phase III of the program, which is led entirely by Syracuse University and offers the veteran participants a full year of further resources and support. They receive mentorship, access to specific programs like Veteran Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship (V-WISE) and conferences such as Veteran EDGE and more.
“Some of the most satisfying teaching I’ve done over the years is through the EBV program,” said Larry Plummer, El Pomar Chair of Business & Entrepreneurship. ”It is a joy to be able to give back to veterans. As one of the EBV vets said, ‘We are now helping to build what we once served to defend.’ This really encapsulates the spirit of EBV.”
Along with the dedication and efforts from EPIIC, the Center for Entrepreneurship and the College of Business to host the EBV, several donors helped make the bootcamp completely expense-free for the participating veterans. Jim Waldrop, who is a local Air Force veteran, UCCS alumnus and entrepreneur, generously donated a majority of the bootcamp funding, and Southwest Airlines covered all of the flying expenses for the veterans. Air Academy Credit Union sponsored the keynote address from Air Force Brigadier General Kristen Goodwin, and Colorado Computer Support, a local IT company owned by Army veteran Blake Schwank, and Colorado Media Group also provided provided generous support.