montgomery county, virginia economic development department
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
Presenter
Charlie JewellProject Manager
Montgomery County, VirginiaEconomic Development Department
What to Expect:– Overview of the Economic Development Depart.– About Montgomery County, Virginia
• General Facts and Stats• Great Place to Live• Great Place to Launch and Grow a Business
Economic Development Department
The Montgomery County Economic Development Department is a local government agency dedicated to improving the quality of life in Montgomery County by encouraging positive economic growth that:
– Creates meaningful career opportunities– Expands the commercial tax base– Protect our enviable quality of life
Strategies aimed at supporting the startup and growth of companies in Montgomery County as well as the attraction of new businesses to the community.
What is the Economic Development Department?
Montgomery County, Virginia
Location
Montgomery County, Virginia
Basic Facts and Stats
Population: 95,656 Over the past decade, the population has grown 13%, +10,599
Employment: 44,492Employment is up 9.2 percent since 2010, +3,737 net new jobs
Cost of Living Index: 96The cost of living in Montgomery County is 4 percent below the U.S. average
Major Industry Sectors:• Education Services• Manufacturing• Healthcare• IT & Software
Development• Life Sciences and
Biotech
Great Place to Live
Great Place for Families
#1 Best Place in the U.S. to Raise Kids
Quality Education System• K‐12 – Montgomery County Public Schools• Blacksburg High School ranks in the Top 5 percent
of public high schools in the nation (Newsweek)
Low Crime• #7 Most Secure Small Place to Live in U.S
Family Friendly Events• International Street Fair Festival, parades, etc.
Bloomberg Business and Homes.com
Farmers Insurance Group
Highly Educated
Region Percent
Boston 54.7
Washington DC 50.7
Blacksburg 50.29
Silicon Valley 48
San Francisco 45.7
New York 44.5
Raleigh‐Durham 44.48
Austin 39.88
Atlanta 36.1
Percent of Population with Bachelors or Higher
No. 14 Smartest City in the U.S. (2013)
No. 14 Most Educated
Small Town (2009)Source: American Economic Research Institute (2013)
Virginia Tech “Hokie” Football
Lane Stadium named the "Toughest Place in College Football for Opponents
to Play " (2005).
No. 2 College Football Town in
America
The Great Outdoors
The Poverty Creek Trail System (Jefferson National Forest) - 4th "Best Mountain Bike Trail" and a "Best Running Trail" (2010).
Cascade Falls - 4th "Best Swimming Hole“ (2010).
Huckleberry Trail - 9th "Best Rail to Trail for Running" (2008).
McAfee Knob (pictured) named "Favorite Sections of the Appalachian Trail." (2010).
New River Junction (tubing)New River Trail State Park (biking)New River (canoeing/kayaking)Appalachian Trail (hiking)
Outdoor Bucket List (2011)
Blacksburg a “Top Ten Dream Town for Outdoor Enthusiasts.” (2011))
Great Place to Launch Business and Grow a
Business
United States #1 Best Country to Launch a Business2012 Global Entrepreneurship and Development Index Report• Collaboration between George Mason University,
U.S. and University of Pecs and Imperial College Business School, London
• Index ranked 79 nations based on their entrepreneurial characteristics, including:
– quality of the education system; likelihood of corruption; amount of research and development; and government incentives related to starting a business
Country Ranking
United States 1
Sweden 2
Australia 3
Iceland 4
Denmark 5
Canada 6
Switzerland 7
Belgium 8
Norway 9
Netherlands 10
Taiwan 10
U.S. Business Climate
#3Best State for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (2013)
Virginia Business Climate
Best State for Business#1 in 2009, 2008, 2007 and 2006
#2 in 2012, 2011 and 2010
Top Tech Launching PadBlacksburg named one of six rising technology hubs in the U.S.
Best Place to Live and Launch in the U.S.Blacksburg ranked the No. 43 Best Place to Live and Launch due to its “mix
of business advantages and lifestyle appeal”
Business Climate
Major Research UniversityVirginia Tech
Tops $454Research Expenditures
#10 globallyPatent Power ranks
in fiscal year 2012
IEE Spectrum (2010)
Entrepreneur ClubActive Student
Major Research Park
230-arce research park home to over 160 research, technology and support companies
#1 Research Park in North America Association of University Research Parks, 2010
“We don’t just offer commercial real estate. We devote a great deal of time and energy toward helping companies here grow and be successful. If they succeed, we succeed.”
- Joe Meredith, President, Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center
Entrepreneur Support
Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology CouncilRegional technology council with over 200 members. Advocate the growth and success of technology companies in the region.• Tech & Toast Series• Pitch & Polish Clinics
VT KnowledgeWorks:Business acceleration services to help companies plan, launch and grow.
Entrepreneur Support
NuSpark “Ideation” Space
Strong Entrepreneurial Culture
New Emerging Startups
Four local startups have raised $4.1 million dollars this year alone
$675,000VFit 3D Body
Scanning Technology
$1.4 MillionMobile Fitness App
$2 MillionSocial marketing
platform
$107,000Lawn care
optimization platform
Questions?