WV Forward

Teams from seven different high schools across the state have advanced to the final round of the West Virginia High School Business Plan Competition.

Fueled by his ultimate love of dogs and a simple product, Zeb Helmick manages to be the figurehead of a pet treat company that is expanding — fast. Of course he’s nudged in the right direction by his parents, and he’s also equipped with knowledge from the West Virginia University Extension Service. With that guidance, Zeb’s Barky Bites has grown in to something that not only benefits the furry, four-legged animals, but also those involved in agriculture.

Huntington has committed $2 million to the Startup Engine, including a $500,000 charitable grant through the WVU Foundation for the operation of the business accelerator and the provision of $1.5 million for a venture capital fund managed through Mountain State Capital on behalf of the accelerator program.

A group of West Virginia University students is addressing the growing problem of “food deserts” in the state, as the combination of a declining rural population and below average income have left many West Virginians living significant distances from supermarkets and reliable food sources. That project, as it turns out, may not only help with West Virginia’s food access problem, but may also address the problem on a global scale.

In a unique agreement that will provide West Virginia University significant financial and intellectual resources, Silicon Valley visionary John Chambers today (Nov. 9) announced a gift of time, talent and treasure to support a recently announced start-up engine at the College of Business and Economics.

James F. Wood has been appointed interim director of the West Virginia University Energy Institute, replacing Brian Anderson, named Friday (Nov. 9) to lead the National Energy Technology Laboratory, the only federally-operated National Laboratory in the Department of Energy system.

A unique West Virginia-based healthcare partnership is ending, following a 10-year collaboration. The Weight Management Program, a community-based diet and exercise program, reached 33 counties through approximately 100 fitness centers around the Mountain state.

The increasing national backlog of security clearance approval hinders West Virginia’s ability to take advantage of one of the nation’s fasting growing economic sectors, prompting two development groups to convene a discussion Friday (Oct. 12) with Senator Joe Manchin, representatives from the office of Senator Shelley Moore Capito, and array of government officials and industry to discuss how to chip away at the buildup.

A cross-campus collaboration at West Virginia University is helping a local business train and retain employees, strengthening the expertise of the company’s workforce.

Hoping to speed up the move from idea to application, West Virginia University and 23 other regional institutions have come together to create a “virtual hub” that will ultimately help speed the commercialization of groundbreaking university research.