An innovation lab based in Alexandria will be launched through state grants for the new National Innovation Quarter.
The innovation district, launched in February in the area of Arlington and Alexandria called National Landing, received $3.93 million in Go Virginia grants to start up programming. Nearly $2 million in local matching grants will also support the innovation district.
The state grants include $800,000 to create an innovation lab in Alexandria in partnership with the innovation quarter, Virginia Tech, Inova Health System, the City of Alexandria and Arlington County. The lab will create space for entrepreneurs to develop, test and commercialize new technologies.
“This GO Virginia investment turns the promise of National IQ into the infrastructure, programming and partnerships companies need to build, test and scale in Northern Virginia,” said Marian Marquez, senior vice president at the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership. “For Alexandria, it advances the City’s focus on innovation by pairing Virginia Tech’s presence with an innovation lab where entrepreneurs, industry, and government partners can move emerging technologies from concept to commercialization.”
An Alexandria Economic Development Partnership spokesperson told ALXnow the innovation lab will be based in Potomac Yard, where Virginia Tech is developing its Alexandria campus. Other details of the innovation lab are being developed, including its financial model.
Because the GO Virginia grant requires matching local funds over two years, the city’s latest budget includes $200,000 for the innovation lab. AEDP will request another $200,000 for the lab in next year’s budget.
According to the National Innovation Quarter organization, the innovation district was launched to turn “the region’s outstanding concentration of technical talent, research capacity and federal expertise into more startups, commercialized technologies and scalable companies.”
The GO Virginia grants for National Innovation Quarter will also support building its nonprofit operations capacity to convene industry, academic and government partners. It will also partner with Virginia Tech on workforce development for the National Security Innovation Capstone Initiative and include four business accelerator and startup programs for entrepreneurs. The innovation district and partners launched a 15,000-square-foot hub for entrepreneurs, investors, defense technology leaders and government partners at 1550 Crystal Drive in Crystal City.
Along with AEDP, founding partners of National Innovation Quarter include Arlington Economic Development, Amazon, Northrop Grumman, SAIC, Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation, Virginia Tech, JBG Smith and the National Landing Business Improvement District.
