Views of West Virginia University’s Downtown, Evansdale and HSC campus areas as seen from Granville on Saturday, May 8, 2021. (WVU Photo/Jennifer Shephard)
Editor’s note: WVUToday is sharing this announcement from the West Virginia Governor’s Office on Wednesday, June 9.
Gov. Jim Justice joined leaders with DataRobot, the leader in Augmented Intelligence, at a ceremony today to announce that the company is opening an office in Vantage Ventures in Morgantown. The new office will further the company’s mission to democratize AI through expanded hiring in software engineering, professional services, and customer support.
In addition to opening office space and hiring locally, DataRobot and West Virginia University are beginning to work together on the formation of a national center, based in West Virginia, that will provide technologically-focused solutions on critical pandemic and emergency response and preparedness and rural health.
“It is clear that West Virginia can be a valued partner to DataRobot as we rapidly grow over the coming years. Our growth will scale alongside investment by the state and other stakeholders committed to bringing tech-sector jobs to West Virginia,” said DataRobot CEO, Dan Wright. “We are excited to partner with WVU to explore a national center that could harness the power of AI to solve difficult problems like pandemic preparedness and the unique challenges facing rural healthcare. Along with West Virginia’s focus on pandemic and emergency preparedness and its commitment to modernization through the use of AI, I see long-term potential in bringing tech jobs to West Virginia.”
“I could not be more excited that a great, forward-thinking company like DataRobot has decided to set up shop in West Virginia,” Gov. Justice said. “Not only are they going to bring more great jobs to the ever-growing North Central West Virginia region, but having this company in our own backyard has the potential to be a complete game changer for the future of the health and well being of our people. Any move we can make to step up preparedness is a good move in my book. Our state was one of the very best in the nation in terms of our preparation for the COVID-19 pandemic, and yet, how much better would we have done if we could have been even faster? This partnership will allow our state to get more ahead of the curve of potential future emergencies. I could never thank the folks at DataRobot enough for all the goodness they are going to bring to our state.”
"This is an exciting opportunity not only for West Virginia University but also for the entire state. Our partnership with DataRobot is positioned to transform rural communities with data-driven change,” WVU President Gordon Gee said. “We value the leadership of our Governor and our congressional delegation as they continue to help cultivate and support these vital relationships which we believe will have a tremendous impact on the lives of our students, faculty, and ultimately, the people of West Virginia.”
“From the very beginning of my term as Auditor, we have been committed to the utilization of accurate data to improve how our government functions and improve the lives of the people in our state,” said West Virginia State Auditor JB McCuskey. “I am incredibly excited to have brought DataRobot to West Virginia as we begin to build our economy in a technology and data-driven way. Economic development is a team sport and what we are seeing today is a result from incredible work by Sarah Biller and her team at WVU along with the Auditor’s Office, the Governor’s Office, and the forward-looking leadership of DataRobot who saw the potential in West Virginia that we see in ourselves.”
“I am delighted that we will be welcoming DataRobot to West Virginia as part of Vantage Ventures,” said John Chambers, former Executive Chairman and CEO of Cisco Systems, current Founder and CEO of JC2 Ventures, and a West Virginia native. “The company’s decision to open an office in Morgantown is a testament to the progress West Virginia is making in becoming a Start Up State. Companies, entrepreneurs, investors, academia, and government officials are all working together to support transformative innovations in the state – and I have confidence in the spirit and grit of Mountaineers to solve seemingly intractable problems, such as closing the divide in rural healthcare like DataRobot is doing. The future is bright for this innovative company, and for my home state that truly is Almost Heaven.”
DataRobot has been supporting a number of critical efforts to beat COVID-19, including the development of a decision intelligence platform used by the federal government to identify the impacted communities from a national to county level, which provide models that identify and enable individuals unaware of virus spread to take action. DataRobot’s decision intelligence platform also provided key guidance for vaccine trial and testing strategies.
"As the country rebounds from the effects of COVID-19, it is exciting that DataRobot has committed to building a nationally recognized program to reduce health disparities in rural America in West Virginia,” said Sarah Biller, executive director of Vantage Ventures. “I am delighted that DataRobot recognizes the willing partners it has with WVU, private and public sector institutions in the state, and our network of funders and entrepreneurs – and incredible potential of West Virginia’s untapped talent. We are extraordinarily pleased to welcome another tech unicorn to Vantage Ventures and look forward to the opportunity it presents us to support DataRobot’s sophisticated data aggregation and AI capabilities to prepare the country for the next pandemic – and transform industries, such as energy, financial services, and infrastructure.”
Vantage Ventures, an initiative of the John Chambers College of Business and Economics at West Virginia University (WVU), is leading an effort to welcome innovative fintech companies to the state.
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For additional information related to West Virginia University’s role in the partnership, contact April Kaull, executive director of Communications, at akaull@mail.wvu.edu.
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