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EDA staff reports biotech outreach, energy workforce work and Ravenna Futures site-readiness progress
Summary
Economic development staff reported recent outreach to biotech and defense-related firms, a launched business climate questionnaire, energy workforce coordination with PVCC, and progress on the Ravenna Futures site-readiness funding and related grant applications.
Economic development staff provided several program updates: biotech and defense-sector outreach, a new business climate questionnaire for business retention and expansion (BRE), energy workforce coordination, the Commonwealth Bio Accelerator ribbon cutting and progress on the Ravenna Futures site-readiness funding.
"We have been... focusing on biotech and med devices," said a staff member summarizing recent BRE outreach to multiple biotech companies and contacts in national security. Staff said a business climate questionnaire was launched earlier this month and has been circulated through social media and partner networks to collect feedback about common barriers firms face.
Staff described energy-sector outreach including an 'energy day' held at Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC) that brought industry and education partners together to plan training and pipeline strategies. PVCC and school-district partners are coordinating career-center and internship pathways tied to local employer needs.
Staff also reported the Ravenna Futures project received Go Virginia support and that the EDA’s Go Virginia application for that project was successful; staff said the project secured a state award to fund site design and readiness work, and that the team completed a virtual site visit for the Virginia Business Ready Sites program and intends to pursue VDOT's Economic Development Access Program (EDAP) as a referral through the Virginia Economic Development Partnership to fund road extensions. Staff said the Ravenna Futures funding notification and subsequent steps target design and site-construction readiness and that the BDRSP/VDOT award timeline anticipates announcements in June.
Staff also highlighted that the Commonwealth Bio Accelerator launched at North Fork Discovery Park is fully subscribed for its first cohort and that staff continues to coordinate with regional and state partners on target-industry engagement.
