information technology

Block.one Unveils New Social Media Network

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Recently, at an event in Washington, D.C., block.one CEO Brendan Blumer announced a new social media network built on blockchain technology.

Block.one was established two years ago by Virginia Tech alum Dan Larimer, who leads the company’s Blacksburg office, and Blumer, who is based out of Hong Kong. The company focuses on creating blockchain software, which stores information across a large network to prevent hacking and increase transparency. Their new social media network, Voice, is built around the removal of secret algorithms that the company says fault traditional platforms. The blockchain technology will prevent fake users from invading the network.

information technology

Voice begins its protection and transparency from the start by actually verifying your account creation, a step many current platforms skip. The platform will allow users to receive tokens for likes and participation on the content they post, whether to their page or their engagement with other accounts. Users can then “spend” their tokens to increase the visibility of their post or “voice it”. With this strategy, the best content, as deemed by the people and not dictated by companies, will be seen. The platform has not officially launched, however users can sign up on the website for a pre-release beta platform.

To learn more about blockchain and the launch of Voice (18:30), check out the video of the announcement.

information technology

If you are looking to join this innovative company in Virginia’s New River Valley, block.one is currently hiring for 27 positions at their Blacksburg location.

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Virginia’s New River Valley: Virginia’s New River Valley is an eclectic mix of interconnected small towns that each offer their own unique vibe and appeal. The region provides an abundance of cultural and social offerings due to the presence of three world-class universities, while retaining the charm and benefits of small town living. The NRV is home to a diverse and innovative business community with companies that range from high-tech startups to foreign-based corporations to specialty agribusiness. These organizations benefit from the collaborative spirit of our region and a loyal, highly-skilled, and educated workforce. The scenic beauty of the region also fosters a deep connection to nature, which is deepened by access to outdoor recreation and the preservation of our natural environment. It’s clear why Virginia’s New River Valley is “A Natural Fit.”

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment, and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

ozmo new jobs

Ozmo to Add 40 Jobs in Montgomery County

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RICHMOND—Governor Ralph Northam today announced that Ozmo, a technology company that builds software products for mobile operations and their customers, will invest over $200,000 to expand its existing operation in Montgomery County. The project will position the company to meet increasing demand for its products from top mobile operations and device manufacturers from around the world, creating 40 new jobs. “Since its arrival in Montgomery County just three years ago, Ozmo has grown from a small startup to a thriving company,” said Governor Northam. “The New River Valley’s impressive cluster of technology businesses continues to grow thanks to the region’s renowned educational institutions that will supply a tech talent pipeline for years to come. The Commonwealth is proud to support Ozmo’s job creation efforts and we thank the company for choosing to expand and reinvest in here in Virginia.” With a customer base including Verizon and TELUS, Ozmo helps mobile operators and their consumers solve any device, application, or software issue quickly and effectively. Over 75,000 contact center agents use the company’s support platform, which scales to assist mobile operators and device manufacturers of all sizes. The Ozmo platform assists in over 25 million support interactions each year. “Information technology is evolving rapidly in the Commonwealth and beyond, and we rely on innovative companies such as Ozmo to keep Virginia at the forefront of this industry,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball. “This exciting expansion will nearly double Ozmo’s workforce in Virginia, demonstrating that the sky is the limit for homegrown IT firms in the New River Valley. We thank Ozmo for its commitment to growth in Montgomery County, and for the creation of 40 new, 21st-century jobs in the Commonwealth.” “Ozmo is doubling down on its commitment to growing in downtown Blacksburg,” said CEO of Ozmo David Catalano. “Our proximity to Virginia Tech provides us a unique advantage of access to top talent, while also being able to offer exceptional quality of life for our employees. We look forward to growing locally in order to support the increasing demand for our products worldwide.” The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Montgomery County to secure the project for Virginia. VEDP will support Ozmo’s job creation through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program (VJIP). VJIP provides consultative services and funding to companies creating new jobs or experiencing technological change in order to support employee training activities. As a business incentive supporting economic development, VJIP reduces the human resource costs of new and expanding companies. VJIP is state-funded, demonstrating Virginia’s commitment to enhancing job opportunities for citizens. Ozmo is currently participating in VEDP’s award-winning Virginia Leaders in Export Trade (VALET) Program. VALET is an application-based, two-year global export acceleration program that provides participating companies with assistance from a team of experienced international service providers to help meet their export goals. “We value businesses like Ozmo that are investing in our community and creating even more technology-based jobs, which are attractive to both our citizens and others who wish to relocate to our region,” said Montgomery County Board of Supervisors Chair Todd King. “Ozmo’s expansion in Montgomery County demonstrates a burgeoning high-tech business environment in the New River Valley with a workforce prepared to meet the needs of a growing mobile market,” said Senator John S. Edwards. “Since 2012, VJIP has assisted in more than 2,000 jobs brought to Montgomery County, and its support in this expansion is yet another testament of its commitment to job creation in the region.” “David Catalano and his team at Ozmo work tirelessly to build and maintain relationships with some of the most impactful telecommunications companies in the world,” said Delegate Chris Hurst. “I am thrilled that Ozmo will be making additional investments in the New River Valley, proving that the region around Virginia Tech and Radford University is one of the best for tech talent in the nation.”  

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  Virginia’s New River Valley: Virginia’s New River Valley is an eclectic mix of interconnected small towns that each offer their own unique vibe and appeal. The region provides an abundance of cultural and social offerings due to the presence of three world-class universities, while retaining the charm and benefits of small town living. The NRV is home to a diverse and innovative business community with companies that range from high-tech startups to foreign-based corporations to specialty agribusiness. These organizations benefit from the collaborative spirit of our region and a loyal, highly-skilled, and educated workforce. The scenic beauty of the region also fosters a deep connection to nature, which is deepened by access to outdoor recreation and the preservation of our natural environment. It’s clear why Virginia’s New River Valley is “A Natural Fit.”
Floyd Fiber

Floyd to Be Most Connected Rural Community in VA

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VIRGINIA’S NEW RIVER VALLEY – Floyd County and Citizens received a Virginia Telecommunication Initiative Grant, which was announced last month. This grant is $348,018 to get high-speed internet to Copper Hill, a village in Floyd County, but that’s not where the connectivity ends.

At the end of the year, 60% of Floyd County will be connected to high-speed internet.

By 2021, 97% of Floyd County will be connected.

Citizens, Floyd Fiber

The gigabit internet Citizens plans to implement over the next 3 years will be about 1,700 miles of fiber-optic cable all across Floyd County.

Plus, Citizens’ internet speed will be about 40 times faster than what the Federal Communications Commission calls high-speed internet.

At the company’s public announcement event, Congressman Morgan Griffith said:

“Right now, in the commonwealth of Virginia, the most modern county is Floyd County. Welcome to gig country.”

For more information about this huge announcement, see coverage by Jacob Demmitt at the Roanoke Times.

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Virginia’s New River Valley: Virginia’s New River Valley is an eclectic mix of interconnected small towns that each offer their own unique vibe and appeal. The region provides an abundance of cultural and social offerings due to the presence of three world-class universities, while retaining the charm and benefits of small town living. The NRV is home to a diverse and innovative business community with companies that range from high-tech startups to foreign-based corporations to specialty agribusiness. These organizations benefit from the collaborative spirit of our region and a loyal, highly-skilled, and educated workforce. The scenic beauty of the region also fosters a deep connection to nature, which is deepened by access to outdoor recreation and the preservation of our natural environment. It’s clear why Virginia’s New River Valley is “A Natural Fit.”

NRV internet

Montgomery County and City of Radford Study Internet Needs

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VIRGINIA’S NEW RIVER VALLEY – At the end of March, Governor Northam announced that both Floyd and Giles counties received Virginia Telecommunication Initiative Grants. These grants come from federal and state funds that have be designated for broadband improvement projects across Virginia.

Now Montgomery County and the City of Radford will be joining in the effort to make sure all the communities in the NRV have better internet connectivity. The two localities plan to conduct a study that will find areas that have insufficient internet service. It will also look into how to remedy those insufficiencies.

The NRV Regional Commission conducted a survey in 2017, in which Montgomery County residents reported insufficient internet speeds from Blacksburg (30%), Christiansburg (36%), and Montgomery County (48%).

Before making improvements, the localities need to understand exactly where the greatest needs are. That’s why they’re in the process of hiring a consultant to create a plan for both localities. Bids on the project were due in late April.

The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development awarded Montgomery county a $30,000 grant to help pay for the the plan’s development.

Find more details from Jacob Demmitt at the Roanoke Times.

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Virginia’s New River Valley: Virginia’s New River Valley is an eclectic mix of interconnected small towns that each offer their own unique vibe and appeal. The region provides an abundance of cultural and social offerings due to the presence of three world-class universities, while retaining the charm and benefits of small town living. The NRV is home to a diverse and innovative business community with companies that range from high-tech startups to foreign-based corporations to specialty agribusiness. These organizations benefit from the collaborative spirit of our region and a loyal, highly-skilled, and educated workforce. The scenic beauty of the region also fosters a deep connection to nature, which is deepened by access to outdoor recreation and the preservation of our natural environment. It’s clear why Virginia’s New River Valley is “A Natural Fit.”

Project Wing Delivery, First Commercial Drone Delivery in US

NRV to Be Home of First Commercial Drone Deliveries in US

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VIRGINIA’S NEW RIVER VALLEY — Blacksburg and Christiansburg are the first towns in the U.S. where residents can have drone deliveries to their homes. Google subsidiary Wing is leading a project that will bring commercial drone deliveries to the U.S., starting in Virginia’s New River Valley. Wing received the same FAA and Department of Transportation certifications as smaller airlines. According to Bloomberg’s Alan Levin, the FAA is currently working on rules regarding “flights over people” as they relate to drone activity. Wing is currently looking for drone staging sites in the NRV and gauging interest of local businesses that might want to utilize their services. Read detailed coverage on this breaking story from Jacob Demmitt at the Roanoke Times: https://www.roanoke.com/business/drone-delivery-set-to-land-in-blacksburg-and-christiansburg-this/article_13af81c2-490e-5340-85b3-2279da2e85eb.html. Also see coverage from Bloomberg: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-23/alphabet-s-drone-delivery-business-cleared-for-takeoff-by-faa.  

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  Virginia’s New River Valley: Virginia’s New River Valley is an eclectic mix of interconnected small towns that each offer their own unique vibe and appeal. The region provides an abundance of cultural and social offerings due to the presence of three world-class universities, while retaining the charm and benefits of small town living. The NRV is home to a diverse and innovative business community with companies that range from high-tech startups to foreign-based corporations to specialty agribusiness. These organizations benefit from the collaborative spirit of our region and a loyal, highly-skilled, and educated workforce. The scenic beauty of the region also fosters a deep connection to nature, which is deepened by access to outdoor recreation and the preservation of our natural environment. It’s clear why Virginia’s New River Valley is “A Natural Fit.”
1901 Group Expansion

The Next Big Trend in IT

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VIRGINIA’S NEW RIVER VALLEY — 1901 Group recently announced that they will add 580 jobs to their Blacksburg location. This follows what 1901 Group Founder Sonu Singh refers to as “the next big trend in rural IT jobs.”

“Our goal of creating high-quality IT jobs clustered in rural areas is the best way to improve quality and performance for the federal government, especially as the pace of cloud adoption increases,” said Singh in a recent Virginia Business article. “Our revenue and headcount growth are proof that this is the next big trend in rural IT jobs.”

“Virginia Tech is one of many pipelines,” said Senior Vice President Brian Lubin in the same article. “It’s an important one, but it’s not the only one. … Draw a 20-mile-radius circle around Blacksburg, and there’s probably 50,000 college students that, in a lot of cases, have a technology focus in Virginia Tech, Radford and also New River Community College.”

Read more about 1901 Group, their presence in Virginia’s New River Valley, and their plans for the future from Tim Thornton at Virginia Business.

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Virginia’s New River Valley: Virginia’s New River Valley is an eclectic mix of interconnected small towns that each offer their own unique vibe and appeal. The region provides an abundance of cultural and social offerings due to the presence of three world-class universities, while retaining the charm and benefits of small town living. The NRV is home to a diverse and innovative business community with companies that range from high-tech startups to foreign-based corporations to specialty agribusiness. These organizations benefit from the collaborative spirit of our region and a loyal, highly-skilled, and educated workforce. The scenic beauty of the region also fosters a deep connection to nature, which is deepened by access to outdoor recreation and the preservation of our natural environment. It’s clear why Virginia’s New River Valley is “A Natural Fit.”

Amazon HQ2

Amazon HQ2’s Effect on the NRV

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VIRGINIA’S NEW RIVER VALLEY – While Northern Virginia may feel far away, Amazon’s new HQ2 locating in Crystal City will have a major effect on Blacksburg and the entire New River Valley.

Not only will Virginia Tech increase undergraduate enrollment, but it will also add over 100 jobs in Blacksburg.

The entire Commonwealth of Virginia will be affected as the General Assembly looks to increase the “tech talent pipeline” by increasing computer science undergraduate degrees by 25,000 across Virginia by 2039.

Radford University is slated to help in this initiative as well, especially with the IMPACT program, which is part of the Artis College of Science and Technology.

Read the full coverage of Amazon’s impact from Robby Korth at the Roanoke Times: https://www.roanoke.com/news/education/higher_education/virginia_tech/amazon-s-impact-hundreds-of-new-jobs-higher-enrollment-at/article_103e28e5-e03c-5a24-b28f-5a7e5479e320.html

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Virginia’s New River Valley: Virginia’s New River Valley is an eclectic mix of interconnected small towns that each offer their own unique vibe and appeal. The region provides an abundance of cultural and social offerings due to the presence of three world-class universities, while retaining the charm and benefits of small town living. The NRV is home to a diverse and innovative business community with companies that range from high-tech startups to foreign-based corporations to specialty agribusiness. These organizations benefit from the collaborative spirit of our region and a loyal, highly-skilled, and educated workforce. The scenic beauty of the region also fosters a deep connection to nature, which is deepened by access to outdoor recreation and the preservation of our natural environment. It’s clear why Virginia’s New River Valley is “A Natural Fit.”

NRV Among Best of Virginia Aerospace

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VIRGINIA’S NEW RIVER VALLEY – Several assets and locations in Virginia’s New River Valley have made the cut as some of the best of Virginia’s Aerospace industry. The accolades were published in the Fall 2018 Edition (current issue) of the Southern Business & Development Magazine.

Virginia Aerospace Rankings

The best places in Western Virginia for Aerospace included Montgomery County-Blacksburg and Radford.

Virginia Tech was also named one of the Best Colleges for Aerospace Worker Training. The Virginia Tech Aerospace and Ocean Engineering is the #5 program in the world according to the center for World University Rankings (2018).

The Virginia Space Grant Consortium, which Virginia Tech is a part of, was also mentioned as one of the best in Aerospace R&D in Virginia.

Click to enlarge the photo on the right to view all rankings in Virginia.

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Virginia’s New River Valley: Virginia’s New River Valley is an eclectic mix of interconnected small towns that each offer their own unique vibe and appeal. The region provides an abundance of cultural and social offerings due to the presence of three world-class universities, while retaining the charm and benefits of small town living. The NRV is home to a diverse and innovative business community with companies that range from high-tech startups to foreign-based corporations to specialty agribusiness. These organizations benefit from the collaborative spirit of our region and a loyal, highly-skilled, and educated workforce. The scenic beauty of the region also fosters a deep connection to nature, which is deepened by access to outdoor recreation and the preservation of our natural environment. It’s clear why Virginia’s New River Valley is “A Natural Fit.”

NRV job fair

NRV Job Fair Expo

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DUBLIN, VA – If your company is looking for new employees, the New River Valley Job Fair Expo is a great place to look. The NRV job fair will help connect companies to highly-skilled workers in the following industries:

  • Healthcare
  • Manufacturing
  • Information Technology
  • Service Industries

    • NRV Job Fair

    Click to enlarge

    The event will be held at New River Community College in Dublin (Edwards Hall, Room 117) from 9am to Noon on April 3, 2019.

    Register at www.surveymonkey.com/r/NRVExpo19.

    For more information contact:
    Kimber Simmons
    540-357-1651
    kimber.simmons@vcwnmr.com.

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    Virginia’s New River Valley: Virginia’s New River Valley is an eclectic mix of interconnected small towns that each offer their own unique vibe and appeal. The region provides an abundance of cultural and social offerings due to the presence of three world-class universities, while retaining the charm and benefits of small town living. The NRV is home to a diverse and innovative business community with companies that range from high-tech startups to foreign-based corporations to specialty agribusiness. These organizations benefit from the collaborative spirit of our region and a loyal, highly-skilled, and educated workforce. The scenic beauty of the region also fosters a deep connection to nature, which is deepened by access to outdoor recreation and the preservation of our natural environment. It’s clear why Virginia’s New River Valley is “A Natural Fit.”

    Meld training program

    MELD Manufacturing Announces New Operator Training Course

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    CHRISTIANSBURG, VA – MELD Manufacturing Corporation has launched a new training program that will give participants certification in operating MELD machinery. The 4-day courses will be hosted at MELD’s headquarters in Christiansburg, VA and attendees will receive both hands-on machine training and classroom instruction led by experts in the technology.

    MELD training course

    MELD Manufacturing Corporation’s patented and award-winning technology is a unique no-melt process for the additive manufacturing, repairing, coating, and joining of metals and metal matrix composites. The training course will review the history of how MELD was developed and provide participants with a deeper understanding of its material compatibility, application capabilities, and other properties.

    Participants will also be instructed on identifying required machine settings for the wide range of metals compatible with the technology and be taken through each step of the MELD process, from digital print file creation to deposition.

    “This program creates certified MELDers and delivers the capacity to integrate and innovate with MELD,” said MELD Manufacturing Corporation CEO Nanci Hardwick. “Our customers have raved about the elegance of the MELD process and the ease of training. We’re excited to offer more of these opportunities.”

    Class sizes will be very limited to ensure the maximum amount of hands-on machine time for each attendee. At the end of the sessions, participants will receive a certificate demonstrating their ability to operate MELD machinery.

    Visit http://meldmanufacturing.com/meld-operator-training/ for class details and registration for remaining openings.

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    MELD Manufacturing Corporation holds more than a dozen patents for MELD™ technology, an innovative process for additive manufacturing, coating, joining, and repairing metals and metal matrix composites. MELD™ offers the power to build parts in solid state, thereby avoiding the issues associated with melting. The technology is also open-atmosphere, meaning no special vacuums or chambers are needed for operation. The MELD™ equipment is scalable and can produce parts much larger than similar processes. MELD Manufacturing Corporation offers MELD machines sales, contract manufacturing, and consulting services. Learn more at www.meldmanufacturing.com.

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    Virginia’s New River Valley: Virginia’s New River Valley is an eclectic mix of interconnected small towns that each offer their own unique vibe and appeal. The region provides an abundance of cultural and social offerings due to the presence of three world-class universities, while retaining the charm and benefits of small town living. The NRV is home to a diverse and innovative business community with companies that range from high-tech startups to foreign-based corporations to specialty agribusiness. These organizations benefit from the collaborative spirit of our region and a loyal, highly-skilled, and educated workforce. The scenic beauty of the region also fosters a deep connection to nature, which is deepened by access to outdoor recreation and the preservation of our natural environment. It’s clear why Virginia’s New River Valley is “A Natural Fit.”