The 12th Annual Gauntlet
VIRGINIA’S LARGEST BUSINESS PROGRAM & COMPETITION
February 3-April 7, 2026
Built for Real Businesses
The GAUNTLET is Virginia’s Largest Business Program and Competition of its kind.
For more than 12 years we have been connecting entrepreneurs to the training, mentorship, and resources needed for success!
As the entrepreneurial landscape across Southwest Virginia continues to evolve, The Advancement Foundation has refined its long-running business competition into two distinct pathways: Gauntlet and Quest.
Gauntlet now focuses on businesses built to serve a local or regional customer base, whether storefront, service-based, mobile, or run from home. Quest supports scalable, tech-enabled, innovation-driven ventures designed to reach cross-regional or national markets.
Program Overview
The Gauntlet is The Advancement Foundation’s 8-week business competition designed to support entrepreneurs building or strengthening Main Street–focused businesses, including retail, service, food & beverage, and other community-facing ventures across Southwest Virginia, with a focus on the Roanoke Valley, Alleghany Highlands, and Rockbridge County.
The program helps entrepreneurs move from ideas to action—building sustainable, functional businesses through steady progress, practical learning, and supported implementation.
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Action-focused, not theoretical
Structured yet flexible to accommodate real life
Designed to reduce decision fatigue and isolation
Supports learning, iteration, and adjustment as part of the process
Emphasizes clarity, follow-through, and sustainability over polish
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Gauntlet is best suited for entrepreneurs with Main Street-type businesses, including service, retail, food and beverage, recreation, and other ventures serving a local market.
Entrepreneurs located in or serving Roanoke City; Roanoke County including Salem and Vinton; Alleghany County including Clifton Forge and Covington; Bedford City and County; Botetourt County including Buchanan, Daleville, and Fincastle; Franklin County, Rockbridge County including Buena Vista and Lexington; and surrounding areas are encouraged to participate. -
Schedule and Cost
The program kicks off on February 3 with a live orientation call and core content continues through April 7.
Live sessions are held on Tuesday evenings from 6:00-7:30 pm.
The program cost is $299.
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Gauntlet is designed for idea-stage and early-stage entrepreneurs building place-based, local-market businesses—including service-based, mobile, home-based, and storefront ventures.
If your primary customers are local or regional and you’re focused on building a sustainable business to serve that market, Gauntlet is likely a strong fit.
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No. Many participants enter with an early-stage idea or a business that’s still taking shape. Gauntlet is designed to help you build clarity, structure, and confidence as you go.
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Participants who actively engage in the program can expect to create:
A clear, functional business strategy designed to grow with their business
Practical systems across operations, marketing, sales, and finance
Increased confidence, clarity, and momentum to continue building beyond the program
Participants also have the opportunity to earn cash prizes and in-kind awards through milestone-based recognition that rewards consistent progress and implementation.
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This year’s Gauntlet is designed around steady progress, not a single high-stakes moment.
Instead of concentrating rewards at the end of the program, Gauntlet now recognizes progress throughout the experience. Participants earn milestone-based awards and completion-based recognition as they move through each section of the program, alongside in-kind prizes and cumulative final cash awards.
This structure is designed to:
Reward consistent effort and follow-through
Reduce pressure around pitching or “performing”
Encourage real implementation, not just planning
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Gauntlet supports entrepreneurs serving a defined local or regional market.
Quest is designed for ventures pursuing scalable, innovation-driven, or technology-enabled growth models intended to reach markets beyond a single region.
If you’re unsure which pathway fits best, the interest form helps our team guide you.
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Your first step is to complete an online interest form. Consider this a pre-application. Our staff will review responses and follow up to confirm whether Gauntlet, Quest, or another program is the best fit for your business. If Gauntlet is the right pathway, you will be invited via email to complete your registration, including paying the program fee of $299.
Applications open through February 1, 2026.
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We will be hosting live Q&A calls throughout January to go over program details. See the Events listings further down the page for details.
You are also welcome to email us at: gauntlet@theadvancementfoundation.org
What Gauntlet Helps You Do
Gauntlet is built for entrepreneurs who are ready to do the work, not just talk about it.
By the end of the program, participants walk away with:
A complete, usable strategic business plan
Clear priorities and next steps
Increased confidence in decision-making
Real momentum that continues beyond the program
Your business plan is developed step by step and designed to function as a living tool—one that grows with your business rather than sitting on a shelf.
How the Program Works
Participants move through five core learning areas:
Business Model
Operations
Marketing
Sales
Finance
Each area combines:
Self-paced foundational content
Live expert-led sessions
Structured work-along time focused on real-time application
The core program takes place online, with optional in-person events and connection opportunities offered throughout the season.
Designed for Steady Progress
Gauntlet is intentionally structured around consistent forward movement, not perfection or high-stakes pitching.
Progress is recognized throughout the program through:
Milestone-based prizes
Completion-based recognition
In-kind awards for standout work
Cumulative final cash awards
Each learning section includes 1st and 2nd place awards, alongside rewards available to all participants who complete required action steps. Final cash prizes are awarded at the conclusion of the program based on participation, completed assignments, and demonstrated strategic clarity.
Schedule and Time Commitment
Program Dates: February 3 – April 7, 2026
Time Commitment: Approximately 3–5 hours per week
Live Sessions: Tuesdays, 6:00–7:30 pm (online)
Live participation is strongly encouraged, and session recordings are available for those who need flexibility.
Gauntlet doesn’t end when the final session wraps.
Participants may be invited into additional opportunities for:
Connection and peer support
Networking, visibility, and showcasing
Continued application of their work
Past Gauntlet participants are welcome to return to refine, strengthen, or expand their business using the updated structure.
Beyond the 8 Weeks
Your first step is to apply by completing the online interest form.
Applications are open through February 1, and invitations to register will begin going out on January 15. Invitations are sent on a rolling basis as applications are reviewed.
Our team will review your responses and follow up to confirm whether Gauntlet, Quest, or another TAF program is the best fit for your business. If Gauntlet is the right pathway, you’ll receive an email invitation with next steps to complete your registration.
Ready to Get Started?
Upcoming Events
Program Q&A
Curious whether The Gauntlet is the right fit for you? Join us for a live, online Q&A session to learn more about the program structure, expectations, and what participants can gain from the 2026 cohort.
These sessions offer an opportunity to hear a brief overview of The Gauntlet, ask practical questions, and better understand how the program supports entrepreneurs at different stages. Whether you’re actively considering applying or simply exploring your options, these calls are designed to help you make an informed decision before the program begins. Sessions will be January 20th and January 27th at 6:00 pm.
Regional Innovation Networking Series
Looking for more than small talk? These events bring together entrepreneurs, business owners, mentors, and community partners for connection that leads to action.
Each event features a live challenge session, where an entrepreneur from the region shares a real business challenge and invites the group into collaborative brainstorming, problem-solving, and resource connection. Participants contribute insights, ask clarifying questions, and help surface practical next steps, making every gathering both interactive and immediately useful.
These events also offer a low-pressure way to learn more about The Advancement Foundation’s broader entrepreneurial programs, including The Quest and The Gauntlet, and how they support businesses at different stages. Whether you come to share experience, explore collaboration, or simply listen and learn, you’ll leave with new connections and ideas you can put to work.
January 20
Online Q&A
6:00-7:00 pm
January 22
Regional Innovation Networking
RND Coffee in Vinton
January 27
Online Q&A
6:00-7:00 pm
February 3
Gauntlet Begins!
Welcome & Orientation Session
Real Support. Real Impact.
1, 200+ entrepreneurs served
Hundreds of mentors and partners engaged
Programs active across multiple Virginia regions
Millions leveraged in economic activity and resources
Our work is made possible by a community of gifted and generous business leaders, mentors, and philanthropists sharing their skills, experience, and resources.
We’d love to have you join us in supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs in our region.
Why the Gauntlet?
Over more than a decade, The Advancement Foundation has supported 1,200+ entrepreneurs through business education, mentorship, access to capital, and strategic guidance. During that time, TAF has awarded more than $1 million in cumulative cash prizes and in-kind support to entrepreneurs building and growing their businesses.
The Gauntlet brings this experience into a focused, eight-week program designed to help founders clarify their business strategy and strengthen the fundamentals that support sustainable growth.
Participants receive structured training, access to experienced mentors and subject-matter experts, and the opportunity to earn cash prizes and in-kind awards valued at thousands of dollars. This is a working program—entrepreneurs are expected to apply what they learn, make real decisions, and build momentum week by week, resulting in clearer direction, stronger systems, and a business better positioned for what comes next.
Check out the video to hear Gauntlet alumni share their experiences!
Our Sponsors & Partners Fund and Donate Your GAUNTLET Competition Awards!
Please help us extend heartfelt appreciation for 12 years of support and dedication to The Advancement Foundation and your small business dreams.
State Farm is the LEAD SPONSOR for The GAUNTLET Business Program and Competition
VIPC is the LEAD PARTNER for The Advancement Foundation
