Hey SOAR friend,

Last week, our SOAR Innovation team kept the momentum of National Entrepreneurship Month going with a visit to the 2025 Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame.

It was the perfect way to honor the innovators who inspire our work every day, and bring that energy and excitement back to our entrepreneurial community here in Eastern Kentucky.

Our SOAR Innovation team is ready to put this inspiration to work to continue to support startups launch, scale, and thrive in our region. Let's get started!

Taking Flight in Eastern Kentucky: One entrepreneur's success story

We're blown away by Alex Lamb's story of the impact SOAR Innovation had on his startup: MountainView GeoSystems, a company that develops drone systems for agriculture, infrastructure inspection, public safety, and education.

"When I first started, I had a vision — to use drones and geospatial data to bring opportunity and resilience to rural Appalachia. What I didn't have yet was a network or support system.

That changed when I connected with SOAR Innovation..." 

Read the rest of Alex's story

Your can't-miss events list

Nov. 20: Ribbon Cutting & Open House in Whitesburg

Happening tomorrow: A ribbon-cutting and community open house to officially celebrate the launch of our newest SOAR office in Whitesburg! Drop in to meet our team, tour the new space, and learn about how we're working to invest in Letcher County and the entire Eastern Kentucky region.

Get details for tomorrow's celebration

Nov. 20: Scale Strong Bootcamp

Also happening tomorrow: Our Founders Fit Bootcamp Series returns to help you get your startup in shape. Designed for early-stage entrepreneurs, this free webinar will help you "scale strong" with how-tos for automating your operations, recruiting top talent, and creating Standard Operating Procedures. 

Register for this free online session

Dec. 1: Pizza & Pitch Competition

See what's cooking in Eastern Kentucky's entrepreneurial community or serve up your own fresh idea at next month's Pizza & Pitch competition with the University of Pikeville. Expect a high-energy event packed with live pitches, networking, and free pizza... because great ideas deserve great fuel.

Sign-up to pitch your idea (or just eat pizza)

Dec. 8: Social Enterprise Accelerator Demo Day

Join us for our free Social Enterprise Accelerator (SEA) Demo Day to see entrepreneurship in action. You'll hear from SEA Fellows who are working to solve real-life workforce barriers (like childcare, housing, and transportation). And you'll connect with lenders, mentors, business leaders, and entrepreneurial support organizations (ESOs). 

RSVP to join us for Demo Day

Dec. 11: Tech the Town Pikeville

Calling all entrepreneurs: Our Tech the Town hackathon is heading to Pikeville next month! This is your chance to collaborate with fellow founders, developers, designers, and students to tackle business challenges and find innovative, actionable ideas that grow your business. 

Join us in Pikeville on Dec. 11

Build your career + build your community

Passionate about helping entrepreneurs thrive? We're right there with you. Join our SOAR Innovation team and help Eastern Kentucky startups launch, scale, and succeed full-time. Or, browse all of our open roles with SOAR to find the right fit for you. 

View our Business Analyst Job Description

View our Startup Success Specialist Job Description

Join our Facebook Group for EKY Entrepreneurs

Shaping Our Appalachian Region

Connecting talent, opportunity, and community to get 15,000 Eastern Kentuckians to work by 2030.

At Shaping Our Appalachian Region, we believe in the power of community, the value of meaningful work, and the potential of every individual. We're creating pathways to move Eastern Kentucky forward, empowering individuals to achieve economic self-sufficiency while contributing to thriving communities: One person at a time, one family at a time, one community at a time.