The PenFed Foundation for Military Heroes Announces Veteran Entrepreneur Program May 2025 Cohort
TYSONS, Va., May 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The PenFed Foundation for Military Heroes , a national nonprofit organization that supports veterans in their transition from service to success, is proud to continue supporting veteran-owned businesses with the announcement of the Veteran Entrepreneur Program May 2025 cohort. Building on the success of the March 2025 cohort, the accelerator program for veteran-owned businesses begins with a three-day in-person seminar in Tysons, Virginia, followed by a six-week virtual program.
The program brings veteran-owned companies from across the country together to participate in networking events, roundtables and mentorship opportunities. Seminars with prominent business leaders cover topics ranging from business development, marketing and branding, legal considerations, communications, strategic planning and pitching investors.
"As the May 2025 cohort gets underway, The PenFed Foundation for Military Heroes remains dedicated to elevating the achievements of companies led by veterans," said The PenFed Foundation for Military Heroes Director of Veteran Entrepreneur Program and retired U.S. Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Terry Williams. "With a natural alignment between military training and entrepreneurial demands, we remain committed to fostering the success of this community with another cohort in August 2025."
The accelerator program is free of charge to military founders and The PenFed Foundation for Military Heroes does not take equity in the businesses. Veteran and military-spouse-owned and led companies that are interested in upcoming cohorts are encouraged to apply here.
This cohort brings together military veteran entrepreneurs from a variety of industries.
The May 2025 cohort includes:
TyrSight IntelligenceFounded by U.S. Army veteran Ian Yee (CEO and Co-Founder) and U.S. Air Force veteran Jon Andresen (COO and Co-Founder). TyrSight is a technology-driven Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) partner that combines AI intelligence gathering tools and battle-tested analysis to help organizations quickly identify and respond to threats. Their flagship product, TyrBrief, provides tailored analysis for rapid consumption to aid leaders in critical decision-making. TyrSight has recently partnered with REAKT, ALCON Intelligence, HM Intelligence, and Gluck AI to enhance its brand, expand internationally, and address the SMB market.
Career PCSCo-founded by U.S. Navy veteran Kathy Borkoski (Co-Founder) and U.S. Army veteran Andrew Towers (Co-Founder and Product Lead). Career PCS revolutionizes military-to-civilian career transitions by transforming how companies build and manage their DoD SkillBridge programs. Their platform offers a two-sided marketplace that saves companies $45,000-$80,000 per hire while providing service members clearer pathways to civilian careers. They recently added "SkillBridge as a Service" (SBaaS) and launched a Candidate Database to connect transitioning service members with hiring companies.
CrewdogsFounded by U.S. Air Force veteran Adam Hill (CEO and Co-Founder). Crewdogs is an online community marketplace specializing in short and mid-term stays for both vacation and Official Government Travel, helping veterans, service members, and other military community members find accommodations through a mobile app and website. The platform prioritizes trust and transparency with ID.me military verification for guests and offers an average 7% military discount. In March 2025, Crewdogs saw over 2,000% growth in gross booking volume with zero marketing spend and released a new mobile app to enable direct integrations with property management software companies.
Castlelock CorporationCo-founded by U.S. Air National Guard veteran Shaun Tanaka (CEO and Founder) and U.S. Army veteran Matt Phillips (COO and Co-Founder). Castlelock Corporation is on a mission to save lives by reinventing firearm safety in America, with a team composed of military service members. They are the inventors of the original biometric chamber lock, developing firearm safety solutions that enhance safety without compromising performance. Castlelock has gained significant recognition, including on NPR, for its innovative technology and is in the final stages of closing an investment round to bring its innovation to market.
VetScoreCo-founded by U.S. Air Force veterans Nelson Rouleau (CEO and Co-Founder) and Rob Smith (Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder). VetScore is the first AI-powered platform designed to revolutionize how veterans prepare for their VA disability claims. The platform uses generative AI to analyze service treatment records, identify documentation gaps, and auto-generate pre-filled VA forms and personalized claim roadmaps, aiming to provide clarity, confidence, and control over veterans' benefits journeys. VetScore has launched its MVP, onboarded its first paid users, and boasts a 100% success rate with MVP clients.
PalmFounded by U.S. Air Force veteran David Brown-Dawson (Founder and CEO). Palm is a career intelligence platform that helps professionals track their performance, gain personalized insights, and take control of their career growth, also serving as a lightweight performance management solution for organizations. The platform is live and onboarding high-performing professionals and transitioning veterans, and is piloting with mid-level managers at a consulting firm.
SciencellaCo-founded by U.S. Army veteran Tom Coyle (Co-Founder and Co-CEO) and military spouse Isabel Otero (Co-Founder). Sciencella is a mission-driven healthtech company dedicated to reducing the risk of cancer and other diet-related diseases through diet by leveraging cutting-edge technology. At its core is an AI Nutritional Assistant that integrates with patient and provider applications for real-time dietary monitoring and compliance. Sciencella has expanded its application to assisted-living communities, partnered with BoodleAI to develop an AI chatbot assistant, and Inova Schar Cancer Institute has agreed to host a trial using the application.
TacetFounded by U.S. Navy veteran Peter Sobotta (Founder and CEO). Tacet is designed to help direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands unify their first-party data and unlock predictive customer equity insights, ultimately reducing customer acquisition costs while boosting long-term profitability. It integrates with platforms like Shopify, GA4, Klaviyo, and Facebook Ads, providing marketing teams with a unified, real-time view of performance. Tacet has completed its core prototype with AI-driven attribution and a customer equity dashboard, and five mid-market DTC brands have signed up for pilot engagements
Since 2018, the Veteran Entrepreneur Program has accelerated over 120 military founders. Through The PenFed Foundation for Military Heroes and its investor partnerships, alumni founders have accessed several million dollars in startup capital, grown a network of key stakeholders, and received invaluable mentorship from industry experts.
About The PenFed Foundation for Military HeroesFounded in 2001, The PenFed Foundation for Military Heroes is a national nonprofit organization that supports veterans in their transition from service to success in civilian life. Affiliated with PenFed Credit Union, the Foundation has provided more than $55 million in financial support to veterans, active-duty service members and military families. PenFed Credit Union covers the salaries and administrative costs of The PenFed Foundation for Military Heroes, so more of your donation goes right to our programs. To learn more, please visit www.penfedfoundation.org.
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