Hampton Roads Crushes It In 2024! A Year of Growth, A Future of Opportunity.

Something’s changed in Hampton Roads, hasn’t it?

For years, this region has kept its head down—its cities, industries, and people—quietly going on about their work.

We’re close enough to be neighbors, but sometimes, it feels like we’re far away enough to feel like strangers.

Norfolk has its innovation pockets. Virginia Beach has its entrepreneurs. Hampton and Newport News, its scientists.

But there was always another elephant in the room: a nagging feeling that says that no matter how bright our stars shine, we’re still shining apart.

Each star shines bright, but with an empty sky between them, the sky still can’t shine its brightest.

That’s changing.

2024 was the year Hampton Roads stepped into the light—not as a collection of cities, but as a unified region.

A place where “collaboration” is not a buzzword—but a way for us all to win together.

And here’s the proof: Virginia Business’s “100 People to Meet in 2025” list. Hampton Roads accounts for nearly 20% of this prestigious list.

That’s a big deal.

For context, we’re competing with places like Northern Virginia and Richmond—regions with larger populations and historically bigger spotlights. Yet here we are, punching above our weight.

Success like this doesn’t happen by accident. Success like this happens because Hampton Roads attracts the best people.

Take Akosua Acheamponmaa, for example.

She could have taken her talents anywhere. A child of Ghana, she moved to the U.S. at 12, studied at Old Dominion University, and went on to launch Norfolk State University‘s Innovation Center in 2019.

There she saw what so many in Hampton Roads have felt: an overwhelming demand for opportunity.

Instead of getting discouraged, Akosua got to work. She built a space that wasn’t just about resources; it was about people. Over 3,000 entrepreneurs have walked through the doors of the Innovation Center since it opened. And they’re not just attending forums or networking—they’re rewriting what’s possible.

But that wasn’t enough…

Akosua isn’t stopping there. She’s teaming up with institutions like NASA to connect entrepreneurs with groundbreaking patents. Think about that: right here in Hampton Roads, people are turning cutting-edge technology into real, scalable businesses.

It’s inspiring, isn’t it? But let’s be real: this kind of progress doesn’t happen on its own. In Akosua’s words, it’s no longer enough to simply “show up” for each other. True progress requires shared initiatives and intentional partnerships. It takes every part of our community—schools, businesses, organizations—coming together to build something bigger than any one of us.

For all the progress we’ve made, we’re not done. This isn’t the time to celebrate and stop. It’s the time to “celebrate then accelerate.” To look around and ask, “What else can we do?”

Hampton Roads has the talent. It has the ideas. It has the ambition. It has the people—we’re growing more and more everyday.

And to truly reach our potential, we need something more: a shared belief that we’re better together. Collaboration is what takes us from regional success to national anomaly.

That’s the moral of this story. Akosua’s work isn’t just about our local entrepreneurs. It’s about all of us here in Hampton Roads.

Akosua’s success is a symbol of what happens when the cities of Hampton Roads stop competing and start collaborating.

So, what’s next?

The future is ours to write. The sky is ours to set alight—shining together.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a community leader, or someone who simply loves this region, there’s a role for you to play.

Attend an event. Support a startup. Share these stories. Be a part of the movement that’s turning Hampton Roads into a beacon of innovation, hope, and collaboration.

Below, we’ve listed the Hampton Roads residents featured in Virginia Business’s “100 People to Meet in 2025.”

These individuals represent just some of the stars that Hampton Roads has to offer.

Will their stories inspire yours?

VIRGINIA BUSINESS 100 PEOPLE TO MEET IN 2025 (HAMPTON ROADS ONLY)

Angels

Dr. Juan Montero, Founder and president, Montero Medical Missions, Chesapeake
Coleen Santa Ana, CEO and managing partner, Alere Care Solutions; founder, Luminary Lens, Virginia Beach

Builders

Barbara Benesh, Founder, B. Grace Design, Norfolk
Sydney Covey, Senior manager, energy and sustainability, Structr Advisors, Virginia Beach
Jonathan Provost, Owner, Provost Construction, Norfolk
Patrick Y. Shim, Managing director, LS GreenLink USA, Los Angeles/Chesapeake

Educators

Irina Novikova, Professor of physics, William & Mary, Williamsburg

Go-Getters

Darin Ely, CEO, president and founder, Virginia Asset Group, Virginia Beach
William “Will” Palmer, Associate, Kaufman & Canoles, Norfolk

Hosts

Patrick Cavanagh, Owner and CEO, Norfolk Admirals, Norfolk
Terrence “Pusha T” Thornton, Rapper; co-founder, Cousinz Festival, Norfolk

Impact Makers

Akosua Acheamponmaa, Director, Norfolk State University Innovation Center, Norfolk
Carlos Rodriguez, President, Peninsula Bicycling Association, Hampton
Brian Schools, President and CEO, Chartway Federal Credit Union; Transition Board chair, America’s Credit Unions, Virginia Beach
Stephanie Zeiber, Director of advanced practice provider development, Sentara Health, Virginia Beach

Innovators

B.J. Hughes, Co-founder and president, VIcom, Virginia Beach
Holly Szumila-Vance, Staff scientist, Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News

New Folks

Mary Kate Andris, President and CEO, CIVIC Leadership Institute, Norfolk
Kuntal Bhattacharyya, Director of the School of Supply Chain, Logistics and Maritime Operations, Old Dominion University, Norfolk
Jenny Crittenden, President and CEO, Retail Alliance, Norfolk
Shannon O. Pierce, Senior vice president, Southern Company Gas; president, Virginia Natural Gas, Virginia Beach
Kadi Rodriguez, Sales director, Kalahari Resorts and Conventions, Yorktown
Kim Sawyer, Director, Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News

Rainmakers