Virginia’s higher education system, consistently ranked as one of the best in the country, is well established as an elite talent incubator. But the Commonwealth’s universities, both public and private, also serve as a launching pad for startup companies.

Paul's Fan Company in Buchanan County was founded in 1958 as a small machine shop servicing the coal mining industry. It evolved over the years to expand its focus and, thanks to strong growth in the early 2000s, eventually purchased the Jeffrey Fans line from construction equipment giant Caterpillar. 

Tom Walker, founder and CEO of DroneUp, a provider of drone delivery and flight services discusses DroneUp’s history and growth in Virginia, and the company’s work to grow the unmanned industry in Virginia through a unique educational partnership.

From fourth-generation oyster farms to award-winning distilleries, Virginia’s food and beverage trails offer a bounty for hungry travelers. Here’s how some of those businesses have benefited from being on these trails.

Dr. René Rodgers, head curator at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Bristol, spoke about Virginia’s role in the popularization of what’s now known as country music.

As U.S. Route 58 winds west along the southern border of Virginia into the Blue Ridge Mountains, the road takes on another name — The Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail is a 330-mile driving route through Southwest Virginia.

Virginia Offers Challenge and Respite as Midpoint for Thru-Hikers

Author Philip D’Anieri spoke about the history of the Appalachian Trail inside and outside Virginia, why he chose to cover the trail’s history through a human lens, and the inseparability of urban planning from the natural environment.

Educational institutions across Virginia are finding innovative ways to work with businesses to provide a pipeline of potential employees while also creating better employment outcomes for the students they serve.