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These 13 Veteran-Founded Companies Are in Bunker Labs’s 2018 Launch Lab Class

Here's what Philly vets are cooking up.


Photo courtesy of Bunker Labs.

Bunker Labs Philadelphia is at it again. The organization just announced its latest class of veteran founders who will participate in its Launch Lab accelerator.

This time around, thirteen companies in the Philadelphia region will participate in the 16-week program. They’ll get the space to validate their startups and the chance to generate revenue with an eye toward sustainability.

Of the 20 companies that have completed the Launch Labs programs before, over 150 employees have been hired. The companies also generated more than $8 million in revenue in 2017, according to Bunker Labs.

“There are thousands of military veterans and spouses here in the Philadelphia region who can take a problem and in turn do something great, with just a little guidance and encouragement,” said Joe Witte, executive director of Bunker Labs PHL and a former captain in the U.S. army.

Here are the companies in Bunker Labs’s 2018 Philadelphia cohort:

  • Horn and Hardart Coffee: Founded by All Mazzone (Army), an online retail store selling coffee from the legendary brand that revolutionized the coffee business more than one hundred years ago. Customers can choose from purchasing in real-time or signing up for a subscription delivery service.
  • EnteGrit: Founded by Will Woldenberg (Army, US Army Reserve), a comprehensive management consulting & professional staffing veteran-owned small business (VOSB) & benefit corporation (B-Corp).
  • NativX: Founded by Brenden Coleman (Air Force), an application that creates automated insights on a user’s personality by leveraging IBM Watson and their social media accounts. This allows users to receive hyper-personalized suggestions on restaurants, activities and hotels based on your personality, values and needs.
  • Frag Out Clothing Company: Founded by Nicholas Franz (Air Force), a veteran-owned and operated apparel company producing the most comfortable branded and custom patriotic apparel with a mission of hiring veterans and assisting them in their transition into the civilian workforce.
  • TravStrat: Founded by Kieran Carroll (Navy), partners highly-qualified veterans with schools and businesses to provide solutions that enable and enhance safe international travel for millennial and college-aged travelers and study abroad programs.
  • Alcove Media: Founded by David Arena (Air Force), a residential and commercial real estate media company providing photos, videos and digital marketing material to real estate agents, home sellers, and business owners in throughout the Northeast.
  • At Attention Dog Training: Founded by David Shade (Army), offers in-home dog training and pet services using positive reinforcement-based methods which will promote learning for dogs with long lasting effects.
  • Precision Rifle Superstore: Founded by Robert Forney (US Marine Corps), an ecommerce superstore focused on long-distance shooting, carrying a wide-range of optics and accessories, including cases, mounts and tools.
  • POWTI: Co-Founded by Thomas Cavett (Army), an advanced technology company designing solutions to revolutionize emergency healthcare and safety equipment.
  • Foxhole: Founded by Faith Leibman (Navy), Inventing devices to resolve difficult medical issues for women, men and physically disabled, specifically the Patent Pending ORCHID, which is used for more efficient and hygienic urine collection.
  • Marie’s Café: Founded by Felicia Bitner (Air Force) and Kevin Danley (Air Force), a place for diners to enjoy healthy options for breakfast and lunch with the purpose to encourage and empower individuals to seek the best version of themselves through wholesome food, self-enrichment, and altruistic insight.
  • Crash Spot: Founded by Chantelle Bateman (US Marine Corps), a concept for people traveling, or in-between business to come rest and recharge. They are individual rest pods strategically placed in areas of high travel volume in the most concentrated cities.
  • NYA Body Butter: Founded by Lola Freeman (Air Force), Fairytale moments created by NYA Body Butter to help people discover their beauty, passion and purpose in order to take on opportunities they would otherwise pass up. Body Butter is all-natural skin cream.