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Verge rebrands to Roanoke Blacksburg Innovation Alliance
Verge, a collective of organizations dedicated to tech-based economic development in the Roanoke and New River valleys, announced a rebrand Tuesday, an effort that includes a new website, logo and a new name — the Roanoke Blacksburg Innovation Alliance (RBIA). Previously, Verge, which has roots dating back to 2013, used “Roanoke Blacksburg Innovation Alliance” as […]
JLARC: GO Virginia’s economic impact positive but undefined
The state’s GO Virginia economic development initiative is likely improving regional collaboration and having positive economic impacts, but those can’t be reliably determined, according to a Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission report presented Monday. In 2022, JLARC directed staff to review GO Virginia, which the state government created in 2016. GO Virginia provides economi[...]
John ‘Dubby’ Wynne dies at 78
John O. “Dubby” Wynne only had one setting: giving 110%. He didn’t know how to do any less than that, even after years as a successful media executive who helped launch The Weather Channel, the 24-hour cable weather news channel. Instead of slowing down after his retirement as president and CEO after 27 years working […]
Nurse training partnership to help with instructor shortages
Shenandoah University, Valley Health and the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association have teamed up to tackle the Shenandoah Valley region’s nursing shortage by creating a program that can be replicated statewide. Called NextGen Nurses, the program will use semi-retired and retiring nurses as preceptors — experienced licensed clinicians who serve as teachers and coaches — [&hellip[...]
Va. launching semiconductor workforce initiative
The commonwealth is launching a Virginia Alliance for Semiconductor Technology to foster a semiconductor industry workforce, funding its establishment with a $3.3 million Growth and Opportunity for Virginia (GO Virginia) grant. Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced the initiative Friday. In March, GO Virginia announced the $3.3 million grant to the program, then called the Virginia Nanotechnology [&hellip[...]
Youngkin announces $8.1M in GO Virginia grants
A variety of projects around the state intended to spur economic and workforce development will get a boost from $8.1 million in state GO Virginia grants, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Friday. The 17 projects are expected to add hundreds of jobs. Nearly $4.8 million will fund two Virginia Tech projects, including one expected to build […]
Farmville SEED hub seeks to grow innovation
Luther Cifers launched fishing equipment company YakAttack LLC in 2009 out of his friend’s basement, and he moved to the garage to create prototypes of its gear. Now, he is putting in work so future entrepreneurs will have a dedicated space for their projects. The Farmville SEED Innovation Hub, slated to open in late fall, […]
Four Va. businesses to receive flood solutions funding
Four Virginia-based small businesses focused on coastal resiliency and flooding will receive funding to develop their products, Norfolk-based nonprofit RISE Resilience Innovations announced Thursday. Divided between rural and urban projects, there were eight winning projects, with the other four based in North Carolina. More than 70 projects were submitted. The urban winners will receive up [&hell[...]
SWVA initiative seeks to attract remote workers
Project Fuse, a regional cooperative initiative to make Southwest Virginia the location of choice for remote employment, launched Friday with the release of a playbook to attract businesses. “The global business community seeks options for both attracting the employees they want and managing their operating costs,” Will Payne, managing partner of Coalfield Strategies LLC and […]
Startup Virginia to host Idea Factory workshop
Richmond-based nonprofit business incubator Startup Virginia is hosting its fifth Idea Factory — a six-week, largely virtual program to help aspiring entrepreneurs test, improve and validate their business ideas — from Feb. 28 to April 4. The program focuses on technology-driven or manufacturing-based business ideas and starts with an onboarding meeting before moving into five […]
Southwest Va. project will help manufacturers enter wind energy supply chain
Public-private campaign InvestSWVA announced Tuesday the launch of an economic development initiative designed to help Southwest Virginia manufacturers find entry points in the supply chain for wind energy equipment components. The initiative, called Project Veer, will connect Southwest Virginia manufacturers with industry experts, public sector partners, the Hampton Roads Alliance, Dominion Energ[...]
GO Virginia funds two NoVa tech projects
GO Virginia Region 7 is allocating $2.2 million to two projects in Northern Virginia focused on developing the area’s technology industry, the Northern Virginia arm of the state’s GO Virginia economic development initiative announced Wednesday. “The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically increased the demand for high-tech jobs, giving our region a unique opportunity to make workforce [&he[...]
