Senior Vice President of Economic Development for the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce Clark Duncan welcomed attendees to the fifth annual Venture 15 and Venture Asheville Honors to celebrate this year’s 15 fastest growing startup businesses and the people and organizations that support them.

As the event sponsors introduced themselves, statements from each individual and organization included that they were thrilled to be a part of the Asheville community, happy to support entrepreneurs and business leaders while watching them give back to the community, and they enjoy working with people in business like those present at “the best Chamber event” in town.

Venture Asheville Director, proclaimed ‘Startup Daddy’, and flashy event emcee Jeff Kaplan explained the process to determine the top 15 startups recognized by the Venture 15. DMJPS PLLC, a local tax, assurance, and business advisory firm, collected data to determine the compound annual growth rate or CAGR for each company. 

The Venture 15 are ranked accordingly, with the number one company having the highest annual growth rate for the year. Each of the top 15 companies receives an award, with number one awarded the Venture 15 Champion Belt, previously held for two years in a row by Nomadic Software. 

The Venture 15 2022 list includes:

15. Fuel Your Phenomenal Productions - Curated subscription boxes for athletes
Founders: Laura Jorgensen, Courteney Lowe
CAGR: 48.10%

14. Legally Addictive Foods - Cookie manufacturer
Founders: Laura Shafferman, Seth Eisman
CAGR: 48.43%

13. Devils Foot Beverage - Craft soda manufacturer
Founders: Benjamin Colvin, Jacob Baumann, Vashti Colvin, Aaron Wilson, Carly Reese
CAGR: 53.21%

12. LOLO - Curated local business gift subscription service
Founders: Clark Harris, Matthew Simpson
CAGR: 55.64%

11. Ecobot - Environmental consulting and enterprise software development company
Founders: Lee Lance, Jeremy Schewe, Emmet McGovern
CAGR: 63.10%

10. Range Urgent Care, PLLC - Membership-based health clinic
Founders: Mathew Trowbridge, Stephanie Trowbridge
CAGR: 72.57%

9. Sauna House - Modern bathhouse
Founders: Andrew Nehlig, Jen Richter
CAGR: 73.81%

8. Asheville Adventure Company - Adventure tours and rentals
Founders: Devin DeHoll, Ryan Lansche, Jared Shirley
CAGR: 74.91%

7. Asheville Tea Company - Farm-to-cup tea business
Founder: Jessie Dean
CAGR: 81.68%

6. Lantern Health - Membership-based healthcare
Founder: Ben Aiken
CAGR: 81.93%

5. Pirani Life - Insulated tumbler cup manufacturer
Founders: Daniel Del Sordo, Brandegee Pierce
CAGR: 107.04%

4. Nomadic Software - Digital marketing and custom software agency
Founders: Nathan Silsbee, Brian Hennessy, Michael Burgin
CAGR: 110.44%

3. SDV Office Systems - Interior design and project management for veterans
Founders: Dan Whisnant, Tyler Whisnant
CAGR: 128.85%

2. Rx Redefined - Medical supply distributor
Founders: Brandon Boots, Erik Smith
CAGR: 154.76%

1. Grind - Coffee shop
Founders: J Hackett, Bruce Waller, Masica Jordan, Carlton Dugger
CAGR: 194.31%

Nomadic Software CEO and Co-founder Nathan Silsby officially surrendered the belt, saying that the company “had gotten to love and adore that belt.”

“We are not the type of people that win belts in wrestling. We are winning belts with our brains,” Silsby said.

As winners were announced and walked onto the stage to accept their award, some shared stories of their success, and mentioned community supporters that helped them along their business growth journey. 

The Pisgah Fund, Venture Asheville, and Mountain BizWorks were some of the supporting organizations mentioned.

Sauna House Founder and CEO Andrew Nehlig and Vice President of Operations Jen Richter said they took a risk and started preselling annual memberships with only two by fours on the inside of the building. 

The Asheville Adventure Company said that they grew from a team of four to hiring 47 employees this year. 

Daniel Del Sordo & Brandegee Pierce of Priani Life said life can be crazy and it can be hard to believe in yourself, and they attribute their success to being a part of such a supportive community.

The number one position of the Venture 15 and the winner of the Venture 15 Champion Belt for 2022 is Grind AVL, an award-winning coffee shop in Asheville. Hackett, Bruce Waller, Masica Jordan, and Carlton Dugger joined onstage and shared a heartfelt account of their business journey. Their goal, they said, is simply to do good work. “Bravery is the fear of giving up, but we just can’t quit. Most entrepreneurs have that same feel — they just can’t quit. We ain’t trying to show out; we just can’t quit!”

In addition to the Venture 15, the awards ceremony also highlighted people and organizations that have shown more than excellence in their positions, but have also gone above and beyond expectations and have shown positive impacts among the community.

Venture Honors Awards included:

Entrepreneur of the Year - Highwire Brewing Owner and Operator Adam Charnack

Mentor of the Year - Patrick Szewczyk

Investor of the Year - JACS Capital

Ecosystem Support Organization of the Year - AVL Digital Nomads

Shining Rock Award - Fuel Your Phenomenal Productions CEO Laura Jorgensen and COO Courtney Lowe

Best Startup to Work For - Ecobots (Award includes $5,000 grant from Pratt & Whitney.)

Venture Asheville Vanguard Award - Developer and Distiller Charlie Ball 

Kaplan said Charlie Ball was a behind-the-scenes supporter of all regional entrepreneur activity. “He knows ecosystems need density to survive, “Kaplan said. “He had this vision and bought a 40,000 square foot building that needs to be the home of entrepreneurship in Asheville.”