When World War II ended, 49 percent of veterans started a business after they were discharged from military service.
By 1996, the percentage of veterans among new entrepreneurs had fallen to 12 percent and by 2011, to just 6 percent.
Bunker Labs aims to change that trend.
Established two years ago in Chicago, the organization has expanded to 11 more cities, including Jacksonville.
Its purpose is to connect veterans who want to start a business with the knowledge, mentorship and other resources they need to succeed, said Derek Distenfield, executive director of Bunker Labs Jacksonville.
A U.S. Army veteran who started a legal-tech business, NextGenJustice, Distenfield understands the challenges involved in getting an idea off the ground.
“Starting my business was hard,” he said. “Having local and national mentors is critical.”
Bunker Labs’ basic concept is to provide training, access to mentors and investors and a peer-to-peer learning environment to allow budding business owners to continue using the skills they gained in the armed forces.
“The lessons learned on the battlefield are what’s needed to be an entrepreneur,” he said.
Expanding access to resources is a critical part of what Bunker Labs does.
“Only 1 percent of the population are veterans and they need contact with the non-veteran community. We feel Bunker Labs can fill that gap,” said Distenfield.
Getting the local Bunker Labs effort underway is being aided by $50,000 of a two-year, $1.5 million grant to the parent organization from JPMorgan Chase & Co.
“It’s a validation,” Distenfield said. “We met their standards and gained the commitment.”
It’s headquartered at PS 27 Ventures, an early-stage business incubator that provides coaching, financial planning and access to capital opportunities to entrepreneurs.
Bunker Labs Jacksonville hosts monthly gatherings of potential entrepreneurs who share ideas and contacts.
“We’re creating a collision point between military veteran entrepreneurs and non-veteran entrepreneurs,” Distenfield said.
Under development is a 14-week training program for veterans who want to get started ASAP building their ideas into a business.
“My hope is to make Jacksonville the hub for veteran entrepreneurs in Florida,” Distenfield said.
The JPMorgan grant also will be used for “Bunker Labs Builds America,” a 10-month, 12-stop tour of cities with local affiliates that showcase local veterans who are entrepreneurs.
The tour began May 6 in Columbus, Ohio and ends March 23 in Los Angeles.
Jacksonville is on the schedule Nov. 17, with an event at Sweet Pete’s in Downtown.
Distenfield is inviting education, industry and political leaders who will share their experiences and insights with local Bunker Labs clients.
Between now and then, he plans to establish a relationship with the city’s Military and Veterans Affairs Department to find ways to work together.
“We do not want to compete with the city. We want to supplement what they are doing,” said Distenfield.
The next Bunker Labs Jacksonville meeting is 6 p.m. July 14 at PS 27 Ventures at 7835 Bayberry Road in South Jacksonville.
To learn more, visit meetup.com and click on “Veterans Building Startups & Businesses.”
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