Startups

The Virginia Small Business Finance Authority is pushing the use of a fund designed to provide a partial return for those who help provide equity for small businesses.

The sound of a dropped cell phone hitting the pavement or splashing into a toilet is music to the ears of a recently launched local startup.

With a new name and website, a Richmond-based startup intends to capture new business both inside and outside the metro Richmond area.

The players pivoted to a mobile marketing platform for small businesses, to send notifications to followers and build loyalty programs.

Dubbed the “AirBnb of stuff,” the startup will allow people to rent out their non-real estate items – from lawnmowers to stereo speakers – all for a small daily or hourly fee.

PartyRVA, an 18-month-old online party planning platform, has raised enough capital to fund its next phase of growth – going national.

Dozens of entrepreneurs pinged their Uber apps to meet with funders and angel investors in a 15-minute vehicle ride around the metro as part of the ride-sharing company’s UberPitch service at the Richmond Technology Council’s (RichTech) all-day event at the 17th Street Farmers’ Market in Shockoe Bottom.

Where some services charge listeners a monthly membership fee, the streaming service allows listeners – as well as artists – to use it for free, and uses a tipping system to compensate artists directly.