Regional Focus
COMPILED BY PAIGE KOCOUREK
The Pumpkin House in Kenova . Photo by Joshua Murdock .
Bridging Innovation 2023
The West Virginia Entrepreneurship Ecosystem is thrilled to announce Wheeling , WV , as its 2023 Bridging Innovation location . Bridging Innovation Week , taking place from April 17-21 , 2023 , is a series of events that promote and foster entrepreneurship by bringing together ecosystem members , entrepreneurs and educators . It hosts engaging events from across the state focused on creating more opportunities in West Virginia and cultivating a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem .
“ West Virginia has created an abundance of entrepreneurial resources throughout the state in the past several years ,” says Co-Chair Tara St . Clair . “ This week will build upon the success of last year ’ s inaugural event to spotlight an engaging agenda that contains five days of expositions and competitions designed to inspire , support and fund entrepreneurs in West Virginia .”
The full week of events features activities ranging from entrepreneur vendor fairs , pitch competitions , educational conferences and hands-on trainings . Throughout the week , Bridging Innovation integrates meaningful networking opportunities to connect entrepreneurs with the multitude of resource organizations that exist in the Mountain State . Last year , Bridging Innovation hosted over 140 organizations dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs and over 1,000 individual attendees at events throughout the week .
Gearing up for 2023 , the West Virginia Entrepreneurship Ecosystem expects hundreds of entrepreneurs , high school and college students , veterans and established companies who are looking to participate in the week . These current and prospective entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to meet with ecosystem builders and investors from across the state .
RCBI Advanced Training Center Anchors Redevelopment of Former Industrial Site
Marshall University ’ s Robert C . Byrd Institute ( RCBI ) for Advanced Manufacturing will play a pivotal role in transforming a long-vacant Huntington , WV , industrial site into a 21st century manufacturing hub .
RCBI ’ s new Welding & Robotics Technology Training Center will become the anchor tenant of the City of Huntington ’ s new H-BIZ Green Manufacturing Hub on the 42- acre former site of ACF Industries , adjacent to Marshall ’ s campus on Third Avenue . The project is part of a larger $ 62.8 million U . S . Economic Development Administration Build Back Better award announced September 2 , 2022 .
The former ACF machine shop — one of two remaining buildings on the site — will be rehabilitated , repurposed and expanded to become the permanent home of RCBI ’ s Welding Technology Program offered in partnership with Mountwest Community and Technical College . The stateof-the-art facility will offer students and industries alike access to the latest welding techniques and technology , including robotic welding .
“ This new center will allow RCBI to consolidate our Welding Technology Program at one Huntington area location and greatly expand the number of welders we train by offering day and evening classes ,” says Derek Scarbro , RCBI deputy director . “ Welders are in great demand in our region . Manufacturers consistently contact us wanting to hire our students , most of whom already have jobs before they finish the program . Now we ’ ll have the capacity to educate more welders to meet industry demand .”
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