Vision Infrastructure Solutions has introduced ELEVATE, a new initiative aimed at supporting founders in critical infrastructure trades as they scale their businesses and navigate growth challenges.
The program targets entrepreneurs in sectors such as fire suppression, material handling, and vertical transportation—areas facing persistent labor shortages and increasing demand due to aging infrastructure and expanding development needs.
ELEVATE is structured as a hands-on, nine-month partnership designed to provide selected participants with mentorship, strategic guidance, and access to industry networks. Each year, up to four founders will be chosen to participate as ELEVATE Partners.
Structured Support to Scale and Strengthen Businesses
Through the initiative, participants will gain direct access to Vision’s leadership team and a network of experienced professionals across operations, business development, communications, and executive leadership. The program also connects founders with trusted advisors in legal, accounting, branding, and public relations.
“As a founder-led company, we understand the challenges and investment that come with building a business from the ground up,” said Joseph Scaretta, Co-Founder of Vision Infrastructure Solutions. "Many skilled trades entrepreneurs reach a point where growth requires new systems, stronger leadership structures, and trusted strategic guidance. We launched ELEVATE because founders should not have to build alone. We prefer to build boldly, together.”
The initiative is designed to help businesses expand into new markets, strengthen internal leadership, and build sustainable operational models—key factors for long-term success in the trades.
Addressing the Skilled Trades Gap Through Founder Investment
Vision emphasized that the program is part of a broader effort to address the industry’s workforce challenges by empowering business owners who can create jobs and expand capacity within their sectors.
“We believe the future of the skilled trades depends on how well we support the founders building within it,” Scaretta said. “ELEVATE is our commitment to helping close the skilled trades gap. We encourage others across the industry to adopt ELEVATE or build similar programs that invest in founders. If more organizations step forward in this way, we can accelerate growth, strengthen the workforce, and create lasting impact across the infrastructure ecosystem.”
Applications for the inaugural cohort opened March 25, 2026, with finalists expected to be selected by June 30. The first group of ELEVATE Partners will be announced in August, with the program running from September 2026 through June 2027.
Additional Insights: A New Model for Workforce Development
The launch of ELEVATE reflects a growing recognition that solving the skilled trades shortage requires more than workforce training—it also demands investment in the businesses that employ and develop that workforce.
By focusing on founders already operating in the field, Vision’s approach aims to accelerate growth from within the industry. Supporting established businesses with proven revenue and operational foundations can create a multiplier effect, enabling them to hire more workers, take on larger projects, and expand into underserved markets.
As infrastructure demands rise across the U.S., initiatives like ELEVATE could play a critical role in strengthening the trades ecosystem—bridging gaps in leadership, resources, and scalability while fostering long-term resilience in essential industries.
Originally reported by VISION INFRASTRUCTURE SOLUTIONS in Construction Dive.
