Singling out U.S. cities with a strong foundation to create your next startup, Small Business Trends ranked Asheville alongside startup hubs NYC, Boulder and Austin. Why AVL you ask? It may seem unlikely at first glance, but Asheville is becoming a nationally recognized name in terms of innovation and startups.

2015 was an exciting year for new venture creation in Asheville. Here are the startup launches that Venture Asheville followed and who’s behind ’em.

By 2020, Venture Asheville aims to facilitate 50 new high-growth companies in Asheville and connect ventures to $10 million in new equity investment. Attracting and growing Inc. 5000 companies, cultivating innovation and talent, Asheville Fiber, and Venture Asheville...

Looking back over the past year or so, we’ve identified some of the top performers in Asheville’s emerging startup scene:

1. FLS Energy – Two-time Inc. 500 company and an industry leader in megawatt solar farms, explosive growth from $8M revenue in 2009 to $150 Million last year
2. DoctorDirectory.com – WNC’s largest tech deal in history, acquired for $65 Million by Everyday Health
3. Theraworx – Life science startup that raised over $7M in funding at a company valuation of $122 Million; grew revenue by over 450% last year, and has expanded into national and international markets

See the full list of AVL startups killing it.

We’re thrilled to announce the launch of Venture Asheville Elevate, our entrepreneurship program designed to help founders of high-growth startups simultaneously navigate the practical day-to-day challenges of building great companies and develop their personal skills as leaders and CEOs.

Pitching its wearable tech security wristband to protect young women from sexual assault on college campuses across the nation, PRO(TECH)T was named winner of the regional InnovateHER Challenge held today in Asheville. The winner is nominated to compete in SBA’s national pitch competition in D.C. next spring for tens of thousands of dollars in cash prizes.

AVL’s own GoWorx is one of 15 promising startups chosen from nearly 400 nationwide to participate as semifinalists in the Kauffman Foundation’s first-ever One in a Million competition. What’s it take to win the ultimate 1MC pitch-off?

If you somehow missed it (everyone reads the Journal, right?), Asheville was prominently featured in a two-page spread this past weekend. Yeah, there were long-winded references to Henry James and Edith Wharton, but once they got to the good stuff, it was a killer lifestyle piece. The best quote came from the Mayor…

Startup founders know they need a great team and a big market in order to tap VC funding. But when Suzanne King, partner at venture capital powerhouse NEA (portfolio includes Uber, Houzz and BuzzFeed) spoke at Venture Asheville’s breakfast forum two weeks ago, she emphasized that startups must also possess an “unfair” competitive advantage to attract VC’s.

If Dig Local is a sign of the caliber of startups coming out of the bi-annual Asheville Startup Weekend, then AVL’s startup community is trending well. The 2013 winner, in just under two years, now claims 200 local member businesses along with 1.5 million website views…

The NC State Treasurer Janet Cowell is coming to town and bringing some high-profile VCs with her. Join us for breakfast on Oct. 29 as Cowell discusses the NC Innovation Fund and emerging opportunities for both growth stage and early stage ventures. Suzanne King, partner at renowned VC firm New Enterprise Associates will discuss the state of venture capital…

The winner of a local InnovateHER Challenge on November 10 will have the chance to compete in the SBA's national pitch competition in D.C. next spring for tens of thousands of dollars in cash prizes. The Western Women's Business Center at The Support Center, Mountain...