Activation Capital is proud to announce the successful closeout of a pivotal GO Virginia grant, addressing the urgent need to secure access to and reduce the costs of essential medicines. This grant laid the foundation for Central Virginia’s growth as a hub for advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing (APM) by leveraging the region’s strengths in advanced manufacturing, life sciences, and logistics. This funding also helped spur the creation of the Alliance for Building Better Medicine, a key collaboration between public and private stakeholders, aimed at strengthening the region’s infrastructure, workforce, and supply chain capabilities.
The Road to Building a Pharma Hub
The GO Virginia initiative set out with a clear vision: to position Central Virginia as a competitive force in the APM sector with the overarching goal of reshoring essential medicine manufacturing within the United States. The initiative focused on creating a robust regional alliance that would drive strategic development in the areas of infrastructure, workforce training, and supply chain enhancements, all while fostering regional collaboration and networking.
This seed funding allowed stakeholders to lay the foundation for a thriving cluster, enabling the region to achieve key outcomes, including:
- Creation of 260 new jobs and the expansion of 17 businesses.
- Secured $52 million in additional funding through the EDA’s Build Back Better Regional Challenge grant.
- Established a world-class talent pipeline through successful workforce programs, including the creation of the Advanced Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Technician Certificate (APMTC) in collaboration with Brightpoint Community College and the Community College Workforce Alliance (CCWA), and a joint Pharmaceutical Engineering program in collaboration with VCU and VSU.
- The formation of working groups targeting supply chain, laboratory facilities, workforce development, and communications.
- Networking with industry leaders and showcasing the region at major conferences such as BIO International, CPhI, DCAT, and THRiVE.
The initiative has positioned Central Virginia to continue its growth as a national leader in pharmaceutical manufacturing, innovation, and supply chain resilience.
Moving Forward
The groundwork established by the GO Virginia grant is already paying dividends, but the momentum doesn’t stop here. Looking ahead, the initiative is well-positioned for continued growth, with a strong administrative foundation and development across supply chain, facilities, and workforce sectors. In collaboration with VCU, the program is leveraging a $1M National Science Foundation (NSF) Regional Innovation Engines Development grant to accelerate workforce and DEIA development and strategic planning focused on APM and R&D. Additionally, preparations are underway for an NSF Engines Type 2 application, aimed at ensuring the program’s long-term sustainability and further solidifying Central Virginia as a leader in advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Additionally, funding support through SBA and GO Virginia programs is fostering entrepreneurship, innovation, and startup ecosystems across the region. These efforts align with similar initiatives in Charlottesville, focused on life sciences, and Blacksburg, focused on advanced manufacturing. The collaboration between regions demonstrates a unified commitment to building a statewide biotech hub, with each area contributing unique expertise. Together, these initiatives will drive the development of a robust life science, pharmaceutical, and advanced manufacturing cluster throughout Virginia, creating new opportunities for innovation and growth.
Learn more about how Activation Capital continues to drive regional growth and innovation at Activation Capital.