The Valleys Innovation Council grew out of a simple idea: Why couldn’t the region do more with our assets together to build an innovation-driven economy? After all, we have world-class research institutions and businesses, a population of college graduates seeking employment, and a base of startup businesses that continue to grow and thrive.
We began working in 2016 to create and generate regional support for an organizational structure that would bring focus to the regional innovation economy and strengthen the region through mobilizing resources, advocating for changes, and tracking progress towards identified goals.
In January 2018, the Roanoke-Blacksburg Innovation Network, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. relaunched as Valleys Innovation Council (VIC) with a robust board of regional leaders drawn from successful entrepreneurs, higher education, and other regional leaders in the finance and legal fields.
In July 2020, we announced a strategic alliance with the Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council (RBTC) and the Regional Accelerator and Mentoring Program (RAMP).
Learn more about Valleys Innovation Council in our Frequently Asked Questions.
Mission Statement
The Valleys Innovation Council supports the region by connecting, communicating, and collaborating with stakeholders to grow and strengthen our innovation economy.
Focus Areas
Research Commercialization
From benchtop to market, the research commercialization process requires ecosystem support and resources at each stage of the pipeline for new startups to form and scale: financial capital, talent, and mentors. VIC supports regional programs and is working to develop the regional capital ecosystem.
Tracking the Innovation Economy
VIC is working with local, regional, and state-level stakeholders to evaluate the state of the regional innovation economy and supporting ecosystem and begin benchmarking the region with peer regions around the state and nationally.
Projects & Activities
- 2018-2019–Led the Capital Ecosystem Development Project, including a Capital Landscape Study and Angel Investing Education Seminars resulting in the formation of a new angel investing group, Common Wealth Angels
- 2019–Supported the Regional Entrepreneurship Summit and Star Tank event
- 2019–Created interactive Valleys Innovation Dashboard to report on data relevant to the regional innovation economy
- 2019-2020–Conducted survey of regional IT and software development talent needs in the New River and Roanoke Valleys and released survey report for participating employers
- 2020–Released 2019 Innovation Ecosystem in Review Report
- 2020-2021–Coordinating the Regional Entrepreneurship Initiative for Region 2, funded by GO Virginia (page forthcoming)
- Ongoing research on capital ecosystem and innovation economy
- Facilitating 3 regional entrepreneurial ecosystem coalitions (New River Valley, Roanoke Valley-Alleghany, and Greater Lynchburg) and 1 cross-regional steering group
- Surveying entrepreneurial support organizations across Region 2 on greatest opportunities and needs
- Supporting Access to Capital Committee to continue to drive programming and focus on capital needs in the region
- Grantwriting work to mobilize state and federal resources to support the Regional Accelerator and Mentorship Program and other entrepreneurship efforts in the region
People
Board of Directors
Eddie Amos
Retired from GE Digital
Amy Ankrum
President & CEO, Qualtrax
Barbara Ballard
Vice President Associate CIO, Carilion Clinic
Henry Bass
Owner & President, Automation Creations
Kevin Bloomfield
Managing Partner, Bloomfield Partners
John Capps, PhD
President, Central Virginia Community College
David Catalano
CEO, Ozmo
Kathy Claytor
Vice President & Head of Global HR, Corvesta Companies
Nick Conte
General Counsel, Carilion Clinic
Steve Critchfield
President, MOVA Technologies
Donald Deeds
Financial Controller, Nicus Software
Russ Ellis
President, Common Wealth Growth
Greg Feldmann
President, Skyline Capital Strategies
CEO, Valleys Innovation Council
Ken Ferris
VIC Board Co-Chair
President, Brookewood Management Advisors
William Fralin
CEO, Medical Facilities of America
Michael Friedlander, PhD
Executive Director, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech-Carilion
Vice President for Health Sciences and Technology, Virginia Tech
Cheryl Giggetts
Principle Consultant, CTA Consultants
Pat Huber, PhD
President, New River Community College
Victor Iannello, ScD
CEO, Radiant Physics
Angela Joyner, PhD
Chief Innovation Officer, Radford University
Doug Juanarena
Retired Serial Entrepreneur
Ed Lawhorn
VIC Board Treasurer
Retired from Union Bank and Trust
Frank Lucia
President & CEO, Delta Dental of Virginia
Brett Malone, PhD
President, Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center
Marty Muscatello
VIC Board Co-Chair
Retired from FoxGuard Solutions
Patrick Patterson
Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, FoxGuard Solutions
John Phillips
President, Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council (RBTC)
John Rainone, PhD
President, Dabney S. Lancaster Community College
Robert Sandel, PhD
President, Virginia Western Community College
Beth Sherman
Sales Manager, Cox Communications
Jeff Smith
Managing Partner, Fortify Leadership Group
Brian Soller, PhD
Vice President and General Manager, Lightware Division, Luna Innovations
Bob Stolle
President & CEO, Center for Innovative Technology
Wayne Strickland
Executive Director, Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission
Daniel Sui, PhD
Vice President for Research and Innovation, Virginia Tech
Marjorie Tenzer
Retired from IBM
Beth Waller
VIC Board Secretary
Chair Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Practice, Woods Rogers
Clark Worthy
Partner, Gentry Locke & Moore
Staff
Erin Burcham
Verge President
Stay tuned!
Verge Director of Programs
Lindsey Eversole
Operations and Grants Manager
Latest VIC News
Interested in supporting this work?