First Flight Venture Center Welcomes New President​​​​​​​

First Flight Venture Center has named Krista Covey as the incubator’s new president, effective May 18. 

Covey is stepping into the First Flight role that was recently vacated by Andrew Schwab who now serves as the CEO of Panaceutics Nutrition in Durham. 

“The board of directors wanted a leader that has a deep commitment to entrepreneurship and to the crucial role incubators serve in fostering early stage development,” wrote Mary Musacchia, First Flight board chair, in a statement. “Someone who understands what it means to be an entrepreneur and has a track record of nurturing new startups.”

The board recognized, during their nationwide search, that Covey has many of the experiences that they sought. She is an entrepreneur who successfully exited her own company, and she has held leadership roles with incubators in Texas and Florida. 

Covey will conclude her work as the vice president of economic development & operations for VelocityTX, a bioscience and life science center of innovation, in San Antonio, Texas, and relocate to the Triangle. 

Prior to her work with VelocityTX, Covey was with SMARTstart Business Incubator serving the Tampa Bay area.

Covey is a certified business incubator manager with the International Business Innovation Association (InBIA) and currently serves as second vice-chair of the InBIA board of directors. 

“I am very passionate about serving life science entrepreneurs through the ups and downs of starting and growing a business,” said Covey in a video statement.

Founded in 1991, First Flight is a science and technology-based business incubator in Research Triangle Park that has launched more than 400 businesses.