Virginia's Shenandoah Valley is a diverse region with a strong manufacturing base and vibrant technology sector that includes innovations in agriculture, information technology, health care, and advanced manufacturing, fostering a stable economy where companies thrive.

In an increasingly digital world where data breaches, ransomware attacks, and other cybercrimes are pervasive, a skilled cybersecurity workforce is more important than ever. Yet the industry grapples with a significant worker shortage. Globally, there are an estimated 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs, including nearly 500,000 vacancies in the United States, according to research firm Cybersecurity Ventures. At the same time, a large talent pool is being underutilized: female professionals. 

VEDP President and CEO Jason El Koubi spoke with Candice Ling, senior vice president at Microsoft and head of the company’s federal government business unit, about Microsoft’s cybersecurity work with the federal government and potential future developments in the cybersecurity industry.

VEDP President and CEO Jason El Koubi spoke with Virginia Manufacturers Association President and CEO Brett Vassey about the group's work supporting manufacturing operations and the key skills and sites the industry needs for a successful future. 

Location, stellar service make Northern Virginia an ideal cargo hub for the East Coast and beyond.

In the shadow of The Port of Virginia, Old Dominion University and Paul D. Camp Community College keep logistics workers on the cutting edge.

Brad Medairy is executive vice president at Booz Allen Hamilton, a Virginia-based Fortune 500 company where he leads the national cyber account and focuses on the cyber missions of national-level clients like the FBI, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the U.S. Cyber Command. VEDP President and CEO Jason El Koubi spoke with Medairy about the key cybersecurity issues his company works on for its clients and the future of cybersecurity with the rise of AI and quantum technology.

Dr. René Rodgers, head curator at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Bristol, spoke about Virginia’s role in the popularization of what’s now known as country music.

Backed by monumental funding deals, a peaking business profile, and a strong entrepreneurial undercurrent, Virginia is building an accessible, collaborative, and truly thriving innovation ecosystem far and wide across the Commonwealth.