Key Companies in Hampton Roads

Home to rapidly growing sectors from information technology to logistics to manufacturing, Hampton Roads attracts a diverse array of companies.

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Hampton Coliseum

Hampton Coliseum

Regional Highlights

Hampton Roads attracts and retains world-renowned businesses for many reasons. Comprising 14 diverse communities (the cities of Chesapeake, Franklin, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, and Williamsburg, and the counties of James City, Isle of Wight, Southampton, and York), Hampton Roads has been a commercial and trading center since 1607. The region maintains a superior infrastructure to easily move goods between national and international markets. The Port of Virginia, offering the deepest harbor on the U.S. East Coast, is vital to businesses that depend on Virginia’s ports for worldwide access.

“Virginia is a great state for business, and Amazon is excited to continue its growth and investment with two new, state-of-the-art operations facilities in Chesapeake and Suffolk. The Commonwealth and its incredible workforce have been vital to our ability to serve our incredible customers and provide great selection and super-fast Prime shipping speeds across the state and the region.”

Alicia Boler Davis Amazon’s Vice President of Global Customer Fulfillment

Location

Hampton Roads is a global gateway that offers unparalleled connectivity. The region is home to the two highest capacity (160 terabits/second) transatlantic subsea cables in the world, and the Port of Virginia is one of the Top 6 Most Advanced Ports in the U.S.

Virginia International Gateway, Portsmouth

Virginia International Gateway, Portsmouth

  • Hampton Roads is located within one day's drive of 47% of United States consumers, approximately 128 million individuals. The region is served by I-64, the major east/west highway system connecting the East Coast to the Mississippi River corridor and is less than one hour form I-85 and I-95, the major north/south interstate systems on the East Coast.
  • The two airports in Hampton Roads provide over 65 flights per day to 42 airports of which 24 are major hubs and international gateways.
  • Nearly 46% of residents work in a different city than they live, giving the region a cohesive culture and community.
  • Residents enjoy an average commute time of only 24 minutes, less than state and national averages.
  • The Northeast Regional Amtrak route, which runs between Boston and multiple points in Virginia, connects the Hampton Roads area with both the Mid-Atlantic region and the Northeast corridor. Amtrak offers three daily departures from Norfolk. 

The Physical and Digital Gateway to the East Coast

Hampton Roads is the set of interconnected communities clustered around one of the world’s largest natural harbors at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. Home to 20 percent of Virginia’s population, Hampton Roads is located in a scenic, coastal area in the southeastern corner of the Commonwealth. The coastline, at the intersection of the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, makes Hampton Roads a global gateway for the country and is an anchor for future growth. The region’s cities and counties have a rich history, from the first English settlements in the U.S. to the last battle for the country’s independence. 

Read More About the Hampton Roads Region in Virginia Economic Review

Sandbridge, Virginia Beach

Sandbridge, Virginia Beach

Cape Henry Associates, Hampton Roads

Cape Henry Associates, Virginia Beach

Virginia Values Its Veterans

Home to every branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, over 120,000 active-duty, reserve, and civilian personnel are located in the region. Hampton Roads is known around the world for its distinguished military presence. With a total of 18 installations, including Naval Station Norfolk, the world’s largest naval base, and over 80,000 active-duty military personnel, the region has one of the largest concentrations of armed forces in the United States.

Talent Development in Hampton Roads

For many employers, a capable and talented workforce is the most vital component of their company success. Hampton Roads, with a workforce of approximately 852,000, has a talent pipeline like very few other regions in America. The existing labor force is consistently enhanced by graduates from our region's many colleges and universities as well as military personnel exiting the service and entering the private sector. In fact, more than 15,000 men and women exit the military in Hampton Roads on an annual basis.

The region boasts the second largest concentration of college students in Virginia, with more than 100,000 individuals enrolled across the region’s 33 universities, colleges, and trade schools, and more than 26,000+ degrees conferred annually. These groups supplement an already highly trained workforce that can meet the needs of virtually any employer.

Higher Education

  • Christopher Newport University - Christopher Newport University is a four-year public university which enrolls approximately 4,500 students annually. CNU places a strong focus on developing students through dedicated academic rigor in a traditional college campus experience. Emphasizing leadership and civic engagement, academic programs specialize in natural and behavioral sciences, social sciences, arts and humanities, and real-world experience-driven business through the Luter School of Business.
  • Eastern Virginia Medical School - Eastern Virginia Medical School is recognized for its specializations in pediatrics, geriatrics, diabetes, and cancer research. Nationally, EVMS is most widely known for being the first U.S. institution to produce a viable fetus through in vitro fertilization (IVF). Each year more than 1,300 graduate and first professional students enroll to begin their careers as health professionals by gaining quality education and clinical training.
  • ECPI University - ECPI University offers master’s, bachelor’s, and associate’s degrees, as well as diplomas in technology, health science, nursing, business, and culinary arts. There are three local campuses in Norfolk, Virginia Beach, and Newport News, as well as an online program. With a student population of more than 8,000, they are one of the largest technical schools in the region.
  • Hampton University - Hampton University, a private institution, is one of the country’s oldest historically black colleges; founded in 1868. This historic university has a student population of approximately 3,300 students and offers a total of 97 study programs, with a concentration in liberal arts and education.
  • Norfolk State University - Norfolk State University, a comprehensive urban public institution, is one of the 107 historically black colleges in the United States. Today, NSU is prominent in the fields of psychology and business, offering 31 undergraduate and 17 master’s programs.
  • Old Dominion University - Old Dominion University, a public research institution, holds the largest 4-year university student population in Hampton Roads. Each year, ODU enrolls 20,000+ students across 120 undergraduate and 130 graduate programs. The university boasts eight discipline-specific colleges and 14 research centers with strengths in fields such as coastal resilience, modeling and simulation, bioelectrics, cybersecurity, port logistics, maritime and supply chain, and engineering.
  • The National Institute of Aerospace (NIA) - The NIA is a non-profit research and graduate education institute founded by a consortium of large universities to conduct cutting-edge aerospace and atmospheric research, develop new technologies and train the next generation of scientists and engineers. NIA serves as a strategic partner with NASA Langley Research Center.
  • Regent University - Regent University is a private, Christian institution noted as one of the nation’s leading academic centers for Christian thought and action. Regent offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in more than 135 program areas and supports 10,000+ students annually. The University’s school of law is particularly prominent, as is their growing cybersecurity discipline, anchored by a state-of-the-art “cyber range” which can be used by local companies looking to put their IT security to the test.
  • Virginia Tech Hampton Roads Campus at Tech Center - The Virginia Tech Hampton Roads Centers creates opportunities for long-term economic and individual success via continuing education and professional development. They offer an array of educational services to meet the needs of working professionals in the Hampton Roads region of the Commonwealth. Conveniently located in Newport News (with a second location in Virginia Beach), curriculums include professional development and continuing education opportunities, graduate level courses and customized opportunities for corporations and organizations.
  • Virginia Wesleyan University - Virginia Wesleyan University is the region’s smallest institute, with a student base of around 1,300 people. Right in the heart of Virginia Beach, they offer 35 majors and 12 pre-professional tracks, with a concentration of graduates in business, science, psychology, criminal justice, and communications. Now partnering with Sentara College of Health and Sciences, they also are currently adding nursing to its academic program along with several other programs in the medical field.
  • William & Mary - William & Mary, America’s second oldest university, is among the best public colleges and universities in the country, consistently ranking in the top 50 of lists such as US News and Forbes. Known for liberal arts, they offer a total of 80 graduate and undergraduate degrees with specializations in law, history, english, and teaching. Due to its close proximity to the Chesapeake Bay and other waterways, it also offers a distinguished program in marine science.
  • Paul D. Camp Community College - Paul D. Camp Community College serves the Franklin, Suffolk, and Smithfield area by providing 61 educational and workforce training programs in areas such as health sciences, industrial technology and trades, and computing. They recently opened a new Regional Warehouse and Distribution Facility containing real-life simulators to enhance the learning experience and promote workforce readiness.
  • Tidewater Community College - Tidewater Community College is a network of four physical locations and an online program that serves thousands of students annually. Providing 150+ programs, TCC offers degrees, certifications, and apprenticeship programs that build and support the local workforce. TCC also caters to students in various ways - by awarding over half of their undergraduates grants or scholarships and offering classes in ESL.
  • Virginia Peninsula Community College - Virginia Peninsula Community College located in the northern part of Hampton Roads, has thousands of full and part-time students, catering to the majority of the Virginia Peninsula. It offers a variety of short-term certificates, associate’s degrees, workforce development programs, and college transfer degrees in some of the fastest growing career fields such as healthcare, tourism, and cybersecurity.

K-12

  • New Horizons Regional Education Centers: Operated by the Virginia Peninsula’s school divisions as the Commonwealth’s oldest and largest multi-campus regional education organization. Within the Information Technology Program, students pursue a one- or two-year program in computer programming, CISCO networking & cybersecurity, or cybersecurity systems technology.

Workforce Training

Established by the Hampton Roads Workforce Development Board, the Hampton Roads Workforce Council oversees federally funded workforce development programs for all localities in the Hampton Roads region. The Hampton Roads Workforce Council provides strategic workforce development solutions designed to assist businesses in accessing qualified workers and job seekers in search of suitable job openings and training opportunities to bolster their earning potential. Some of its programming include Virginia Career Works, the Hampton Roads Veterans Employment Center, NextGen, and Campus757. Annually, the HRWC serves more than 60,000 individuals and engages with over 4,000 businesses. 

Two men in logistics training, one is using a forklift

Paul D. Camp Community College, Hampton Roads

Building a Supply Chain Workforce in Hampton Roads

Supply chain management (SCM) and logistics have changed dramatically in the last decade. There’s growing demand for deeper visibility into every step of the supply chain. Automation is playing an ever-larger role in the movement of goods. Delivery times are shrinking even as supply chain hurdles become more complex. With each of these changes, the supply chain workforce is forced to adapt and adopt new skill sets. In Virginia, where the movement of freight supports more than $350 billion of the annual gross state product, educational institutions are ensuring a workforce is ready to meet the evolving needs of the supply chain industry.

Huntington Ingalls Industries

Headquartered in Newport News, Virginia, Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE:HII) is America’s largest military shipbuilding company and a provider of professional services to partners in government and industry. Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS), a division of HII, is the nation’s sole designer, builder, and refueler of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers for the U.S. Navy, and is one of only two shipyards capable of building nuclear-powered submarines. For more than a century, HII’s Newport News and Ingalls shipbuilding divisions in Virginia and Mississippi have built more ships in more ship classes than any other U.S. naval shipbuilder.

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Jefferson Lab

Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab) is a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science national laboratory. Scientists worldwide utilize the lab’s unique particle accelerator, known as the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF), to probe the most basic building blocks of matter — helping to better understand these particles and the forces that bind them — and ultimately, the world. In addition, the lab performs advanced computing and applied research with industry and university partners.

DroneUp

DroneUp, a provider of drone delivery and flight services has operated out of Virginia Beach since its founding in 2016. In 2020, the company entered into an agreement with Walmart to deliver COVID-19 test kits, a partnership that was so successful, the retail giant invested in DroneUp to establish permanent last-mile drone delivery for a large portion of its product line. 

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CMA CGM

The CMA CGM Group is a world leader in shipping and logistics and the nation’s top ocean freight carrier. CMA CGM operates in 160 countries, has 155,000 employees worldwide, and operates more than 620 vessels moving product through 80% of the world’s ports. CMA CGM employs more than 650 workers at its U.S. headquarters in Norfolk and is among the top users of The Port of Virginia. CMA CGM handled 22 million twenty-foot equivalent units in 2021 and handles more than 400,000 tons of airfreight and 2.8 million tons of inland freight annually. The company is also a leading provider of logistics services through its subsidiary, CEVA Logistics, and subsidiary American President Lines (APL) operates a fleet of U.S.-flagged vessels and supports U.S. territories and American military stationed around the world.

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Living in Hampton Roads

From its historic beginnings, the Hampton Roads region has grown into a diverse, dynamic and exciting region with more than 1.8 million residents and counting. The water defines the region’s sense of place, with over 3,000 miles of shoreline offering many outdoor activities including swimming, sailing, fishing, surfing, kayaking, boating and more.

Comprised of 14 diverse localities, each community has its own unique identity and culture. From the bustling metropolitan core of Norfolk, to the sunny oceanfront of Virginia Beach, the rolling farms of Suffolk, and the rich history of Yorktown, every lifestyle can be found here. Diverse living options are abundant with housing that averages 3% less than the national average. As a whole, Hampton Roads is known as a lively, hard-working region that radiates southern charm.

Between the New York Times-recognized Chrysler Museum, the ever-changing exhibits at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), two thriving art districts — the Vibe District in Virginia Beach and the NEON District in Norfolk, there is no shortage of cultural opportunities in Hampton Roads. The region is also home to America’s Historic Triangle and boasts three living-history museums: Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown Settlement, and Yorktown Victory Center.

The region also has a growing music scene with festivals, local, and national acts performing across all genres. Every summer, the American Music Festival brings together the largest outdoor music crowd on the East Coast at the Virginia Beach oceanfront while the Neptune Festival celebrates the sand and the surf with a sand sculpture contest in September. Grammy Award-winning artist Pharrell Williams hosts the Something in the Water festival in his hometown of Virginia Beach, welcoming more than 35,000 guests. Other live entertainment venues in the region include the Hampton Coliseum, Ferguson Center for the Arts, Norfolk Scope, Harrison Opera House, Sandler Center, Chartway Arena, Chrysler Hall and Virginia Beach Amphitheater. 

Ferguson Center for the Arts, Christopher Newport University

Ferguson Center for the Arts, Christopher Newport University

Hampton River Waterfront

Hampton River Waterfront

Colonial Williamsburg

Colonial Williamsburg