Region
Central Virginia
Central Virginia is home to the University of Virginia, committed to developing deep and lasting partnerships with industry and research throughout the area.
UVA's Batten Institute seeks to improve society by creating knowledge about the transformative power of entrepreneurship and innovation and by cultivating principled, entrepreneurial leaders.
The W.L. Lyons Brown III Innovation Laboratory, or i.Lab at UVA supports entrepreneurs and innovators both on and beyond the UVA Grounds. The i.Lab provides programs, funding, workspace, mentors, community, and additional resources to support new entrepreneurs and accelerate new ventures.
Local biotechnology industry leader Nikki Hastings, PhD, has been named the first Executive Director of the CvilleBioHub, a non-profit that connects and supports the Charlottesville-area biotechnology sector. CvilleBioHub will receive strategic planning assistance from Denise Hubbard, program director for UVA’s Office of Economic Development, and Grant Tate, of the Bridge Ltd. consulting firm.
The UVA Licensing & Ventures Group helps discoveries reach their full potential in the marketplace. In 2018 there were 213 invention disclosures filed, 59 U.S. patents issued and 77 transactions with commercial partners.
UVA joined the Rolls-Royce University Technology Center network in 2014, elevating UVA Engineering's research and education programs so that researchers can create new knowledge in sectors that are critical to our society and economy, and students can become the next generation of leaders to advance breakthroughs in these fields.
PsiKick is utilizing revolutionary ultra-low-power technologies from the Universities of Virginia and Michigan to build completely self-powered sensing systems that do not require batteries, can be deployed nearly anywhere, and unlock new data streams that generate significant value in Virginia and beyond. The company also creates jobs in the Charlottesville region.
UVA Professor Shawn Russell helps those with disabilities take on skiing, proving that biomechanics research has real-life applications that can change lives for the better in Virginia and beyond.
UVA, Albemarle County, and the City of Charlottesville pledged support for a program aimed at accelerating the growth of local startups. The proposed Catalyst Accelerator Program would provide a longer form of support for entrepreneurs seeking funding to advance their companies. UVA applied for a grant through GO Virginia, a state-funded initiative encouraging regional collaboration, to launch the program.
A WMRA podcast alludes to UVA's role in the biotechnology industry in Central Virginia. Grounded in UVA research and support from UVA's Licensing and Ventures Group (LVG), companies like Contraline and TearSolutions are making exciting advances and nurturing the biotechnology ecosystem in the region.
Insulin delivery technology developed at UVA and commercialized by TypeZero Technologies, Inc. received initial support from UVA's Licensing and Ventures Group (LVG). Now, LVG has exited from TypeZero following acquisition by DexCom, the leader in continuous glucose monitoring for diabetes. The news highlights UVA's cultivation of research and entrepreneurship that ultimately improves lives and stimulates our economy.
The UVA Licensing & Ventures Group (LVG) has invested in three Charlottesville-based ventures that grew out of University research. TypeZero Technologies Inc., TearSolutions Inc., and Mission Secure Inc. all have the potential to make an impact and to drive the local and regional economy. The LVG Seed Fund offers UVA-affiliated startups capital to advance opportunities often considered too early for investment by traditional sources.
Mission Secure Inc. recently announced the closing of an $8 million Series A financing round led by Energy Innovation Capital and Chevron Technology Ventures. The company spun out of UVA research and intellectual property developed by UVA's Licensing and Ventures Group. Mission Secure Inc. supports jobs in Charlottesville and plans to double their workforce going forward.