Virginia Economic Review

BWX Technologies, Inc., started out as a boiler manufacturer.

Brent Ward likes challenging projects. As a co-founder of design firm Riggs Ward, his job is to help bring stories to life, through displays of artifacts, graphics, soundscapes, and interactive digital media.

Virginia has a long history as a site where revolutions can take root. In recent decades, that revolutionary spirit has attracted entrepreneurs and startups who see Virginia as a place where new ideas grow into powerful energy disruptors.

It’s not exaggerating to say that Virginia has been part of the internet since day one. The Commonwealth’s proximity to the federal government in Washington, D.C., makes it a natural place to deploy new technology. In Northern Virginia, network connectivity traces its roots to the U.S.

In the months leading up to July 1776, the Second Continental Congress entrusted a Virginian, Thomas Jefferson, to draft the formal document declaring the colonies’ independence from Great Britain. The 13 British colonies in mainland North America had disparate interests and cultures.

As one of the 13 original colonies, Virginia claims many historic firsts among American states. These firsts span numerous fields and industries, from energy generation to food and beverage production to transportation.

The I95-I85 Intersection is anchored by the Tri-Cities of Petersburg (home to Civica Rx’s facility that produces a wide variety of affordable essential medicines), Hopewell, and Colonial Heights.

Best Medical International manufactures a crucial product that helps its users battle devastating cancers. Now, with an assist from VEDP, the company is getting its products into the hands of people who desperately need them.

The Greater Richmond region is in the middle of the greatest population growth in its history.

Careyann Weinberg, Director of Economic Vitality for the Downtown Norfolk Council in Hampton Roads, Virginia, discusses quality of life and talent opportunities in Hampton Roads and Virginia as a whole, including the strong professional network in the area, the opportunities for talent, and her own "Why Virginia" story.

Bonnie Chavez, CEO of Building Beloved Communities in Roanoke, Virginia, discusses quality of life and talent opportunities in Roanoke and Virginia as a whole, including what drew her to the area, the opportunities for talent and her own "Why Virginia" story. Watch the Conversation

When Lydia Ruffin began work as a restaurant server, her goal was to support herself through school. She could not have anticipated how profoundly that entry-level job would shape her career.

When Julia Boas and her husband, Patrick, have an errand to run or a friend to visit in their hometown of Roanoke, they rarely go by car. Instead, they hop on their e-bikes.

Are you a transplant, a boomerang, or a lifelong Virginian? What brought you to the Commonwealth in the first place? I’m a transplant — I was born in Missouri, then lived in Ohio, Georgia, and South Carolina. I attended Clemson University and, after earning my Ph.D.

While most waterproofing products do their job entirely on the outside of a surface, Alchemco, Inc.’s products work from the inside out. The company has used VEDP’s International Trade services to pursue a similar inside-out path for its growth.

Patrick O’Connell is a self-taught chef and visionary behind the Inn at Little Washington, the first and only three-Michelin-starred restaurant in the D.C. region.

Alexandria Troupe, a licensed agent at River Fox Realty in Richmond, discusses the real estate market in Richmond and Virginia as a whole, including the factors that draw homebuyers to Virginia and the Commonwealth’s relative affordability along the Interstate 95 corridor. Watch the Conversation

Virginia’s moderate, four-season climate is a draw for residents of all interests. From the mountains to the beach, Virginians can experience summer heat, winter snow, and everything in between without leaving the Commonwealth.