More than 400 years ago, Virginia was founded as a business venture. Today, Virginia has preserved that legacy and expanded the Commonwealth’s reputation as a leading state for business.

Companies continue to choose Virginia due to its pro-business environment that is underpinned by exceptional transportation and utility infrastructures, a strong education system, growing workforce, a research-based higher education network, and strategic location. These elements provide a solid foundation for growth and make the Commonwealth a great place for enterprise.

With a strategic location on the US east coast, adjacent to Washington, DC, with easy access to population  centres along the coast, Virginia serves as an ideal location to serve your US customers.

While independent third parties, such as Forbes and CNBC, have taken note of the benefits of conducting business in Virginia, the testaments of the corporations who call Virginia home demonstrate the Commonwealth’s business leadership position. More than 700 internationally owned companies operate in Virginia. UK-affiliated companies such as BAE Systems North America, Rolls-Royce, Ferguson Enterprises (Wolseley plc) and Serco take advantage of Virginia’s business environment and resources required in order to succeed in today’s competitive environment. Site location searches are made easy through our two European offices in the UK and Germany.

STABILITY

Virginia boasts competitive, stable operating costs, and a low, 6% corporate income tax – one of the lowest in the nation – that has not increased since 1972. The Commonwealth also offers a variety of performance-based business incentives, including tax credits, exemptions and grants.

ACCESS

The benefits of Virginia’s east coast location are enhanced by our transportation infrastructure – an extensive system of six major interstate highways, and nearly 3,400 miles of railway, together with airports and seaports connecting Virginia business with the global economy. 41% of the US population lives within one day’s drive and 55% lives within 750 miles. Virginia is home to two major international gateways that ease companies’ ability to move people and product around the world quickly and cost-effectively – the globally-recognised Port of Virginia, one of the deepest on the US East Coast offering 50-foot channels with Congressional authorisation to dredge to 55 feet, and Washington Dulles International Airport, a critical gateway for UK firms

EDUCATION

Virginia is among the most educated states in the country, with more than 575,000 students enrolled in over 100 in-state institutions of higher education. Virginia’s education system also hosts 23 community colleges with transferrable programmes across the state that partner with companies to offer customised workforce training programmes. As a result, Virginia’s higher education system is the 11th largest in the nation (Digest of Education Statistics, 2014). A tradition of lifelong education means that Virginia’s workforce is consistently prepared for changing technologies. Virginia therefore delivers a pipeline of skilled applicants for companies today and for industries of the future.

WORKFORCE

Virginians are the advantage for companies. Virginia is a right-to-work state, and our workforce is readily recruitable, trained, highly productive and comes with the benefits of strong work ethic and moderate cost. With a population of 8.3 million and a workforce of 4.3 million, Virginia successfully supports the state’s substantial industry base.

DIVERSITY

The prestige and diversity of companies that join or continue to grow in Virginia’s corporate fold demonstrates our ability to attract leading companies across different sectors. Advanced manufacturing remains a solid component of the Virginia economy, driving technology, productivity and innovation across all its industry sectors. The energy, biomass, automotive, food and beverage and aerospace industries represent robust business clusters in which the Commonwealth possesses unique advantages. With the highest concentration of technology workers in the country, Virginia has become a world-class centre for emerging internet technology, cyber security, software development, fibre optics and advanced communications companies.

Come to Virginia and see for yourself. Virginia continues to pioneer innovation, crafting contemporary programmes that bolster economic development performance for the 21st century.