New Foundation Aims To Strengthen Business Startups In W.Va. 

The Country Roads Angel Network (CRAN) announced Wednesday it is launching the Country Roads Angel Foundation (CRAF) – an effort to provide educational support to middle school, high school and college students statewide, and to strengthen the skills needed to start and run a successful business. 

“Over the past six years, CRAN has demonstrated that there is real opportunity here—great founders, innovative ideas, and investors willing to step up,” Scott Widmeyer, the new foundation president, said. “The Foundation allows us to go further by supporting entrepreneurs earlier, strengthening the pipeline, and ensuring more West Virginia companies are positioned for success.” 

Since 2020, CRAN members have fine-tuned business models, assisted with marketing strategies and connected business owners to investors who have provided roughly $2 million in direct capital. That, in turn, has helped businesses leverage tens of millions of dollars in additional funds according to a CRAN press release. 

Now the network is launching the Country Roads Angel Foundation to strengthen entrepreneurial skills through middle and high schools and universities statewide. 

“The foundation represents the next chapter in our mission to grow West Virginia’s startup economy, and it represents where we believe we can go in helping people from all walks of life get engaged in businesses in their communities,” Widmeyer said. “We want to start with young people.” 

The network also announced new investments in three new West Virginia-based enterprises including JarHead Kitchen, a canning and packing facility in Alderson; Plug-In Promotions, a Hurricane firm that makes digital table tents; and “Small Town Universe,” a documentary about life near the Green Bank Observatory.