vir·tue:

n. /ˈvərCHo͞o/ moral excellence; effective force, power or potency...

we power ingenuity that propels industry, institutions
and investment to solve the world's greatest challenges

Let's get virtuous

We are virtuous

Award winning, serial entrepreneur & humanitarian Shelton Mercer III, Hon. Michael A. Nutter and media and entertainment maven Peter Cherukuri have joined forces through Virtuous Innovation™ — the leading company driving scalable, equitable innovation outcomes by convening business, policy, higher education, philanthropic and media sectors to solve global challenges. With a leadership team of industry pioneers, policy champions and thought leaders, Virtuous Innovation delivers strategic services and turn-key solutions that drive transformation and impact.We thrive at the intersection of innovation x impact. We are radically committed to equitable access, opportunity and investment across the globe and shifting the future for the next generation.Get Virtuous with us — we are always expanding our global ecosystem of innovation through outcomes-focused partnerships.

we are innovators

our innovation places + spaces

We’ve advised and launched innovation districts, hubs, studios and labs with Ivy League and Tier 1 universities, corporations, public-private initiatives and real estate developers. While we geek out about award-winning place-making and space designs, we're most proud of the intentional communities and ecosystems and future-focused outcomes that we power with our partners.
Selections from our portfolio:

our impact

We are obsessed with impact that can be felt and outcomes that can be measured. From empowering innovators to raise billions in venture capital, create thousands of companies & jobs and generate hundreds of millions in revenue, to planning and powering millions of sq. ft across hundreds of acres of innovation places and spaces, to curating connections and collaborations between business, higher-ed, government, capital and media sectors.
We are the intersection of Innovation and Impact!

We are Leaders

iBCU™

iBCU™ — Innovation with Black Collegians and Universities is our audacious initiative to equip and empower the next generation of Black innovators and entrepreneurs and establish/enhance transformative innovation places, platforms and programs at Historically Black College and University (HBCU) campuses nationwide.

iBCU™ will propel and promote Black students at higher-ed institutions of all types — Ivy League, HBCUs, PWIs community colleges — as innovation leaders and connect them to our robust network of corporations, venture capital and government agencies.

our founder — shelton mercer iii

Click images for bios

our board

mayor michael nutter
peter cherukuri
lowell thomas, esq

our clients & collaborators

Contact Us

WE HAVE SEVERAL SLOTS LEFT FOR 2024 PARTNERS & COLLABORATORS!
Let's get virtuous! Whether you're an innovator, business or social impact leader, policy maker or just want to join us at the intersection of innovation x impact — Submit the form below and we’ll be in touch!

Shelton Mercer III

FOUNDER | INNOVATION PIONEER | ADVISOR | HUMANITARIANAward winning, Fortune 100-bred entrepreneur, innovation pioneer, humanitarian and speaker Shelton Mercer has founded, led and exited venture-backed companies in tech, media, impact, sports and entertainment. In addition to Virtuous Innovation™ — Shelton is Founder and Chairman of The Mercer Advisory Group and Mercer Innovation and creator of miOS™ — Mercer Innovation Outcomes System, which merges invention, incubation, collaboration and commercialization. miOS has propelled entrepreneurial x enterprise ecosystems to new heights by co-creating/powering multiple innovation districts, hubs and ecosystems worldwide. These include multi award-winning Pennovation Works & Center — the 23-acre innovation hub of the University of Pennsylvania and 16 Tech Innovation District — a 50-acre live/work/play campus in Indianapolis, IN.Shelton is CoFounder and former President of Blockchain-integrated media and entertainment technology company Audigent (Inc 5000) and CoFounder & former CEO of Mashable Award winner, celebrity social impact engine TwitCHANGE.Mercer is a sought after director and advisor in the corporate and startup sectors. His companies have conceived, led and advised global initiatives and generated billions in revenue with dozens of Fortune 500 corporations, brands, governments, institutions and organizations including Disney, Amazon, GE, Comcast NBCUniversal, eBay, Microsoft, Conde Nast, Warner and Universal Music Groups, Roc Nation, KPMG, J&J, Salesforce, Lilly, Hersheys, UN Foundation and United Way.Shelton's passion for people and the planet has compelled him to mobilize millions to raise hundreds of millions of dollars for crisis relief (Indian Ocean Tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, Haiti earthquake, Japan Tsunami) and causes (poverty, hunger, clean water and housing, education, employment/wealth gaps). He serves on multiple philanthropic boards, has led aid missions worldwide and impacted 50+ countries and dozens of U.S. cities.