By Tim Ryan
Hampton Roads is charging toward a bold, innovative future, and a recent expedition to Kendall Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has lit the fuse! From April 14-16, 2025, the Virginia Peninsula Chamber, led a dynamic delegation to Kendall Square—widely hailed as “the most innovative square mile on Earth.” Anchored by MIT, this powerhouse hub hosts over 150 biotech firms, tech titans like Google and Microsoft, and generates billions in economic impact through breakthroughs in AI, biotech, and clean energy. Our mission? To absorb world-class strategies and bring them home to elevate Hampton Roads as a global innovation contender.
The Innovators Exchange was a masterclass in possibility. Kicking off at the Boston Marriott Cambridge, the delegation—featured local trailblazers like Greg Garrett, Charles Corprew, and Brandi Quam—immersed itself in Boston’s innovation ecosystem. Day one at the Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC) featured a deep dive into Kendall Square’s rise with MIT’s Nora Smith, followed by a panel on academia-industry collaboration, moderated by Boston Globe’s Kara Miller. Tours of The Engine, MIT’s tough tech incubator, and LabCentral, a biotech startup launchpad, revealed cutting-edge environments where ideas become world-changing solutions. The day ended with a venture capital panel, moderated by 757 Collab’s Charles Corprew, unpacked funding strategies to fuel growth and ended with a keynote by MIT’s Val Livada at Legal Sea Foods sparked bold thinking.
The final day delivered a defense, space, and maritime tech panel, moderated by our own Tim Ryan, and a workshop led by Livada, arming us with practical tools to shape Hampton Roads into an innovation hub. “This region already has all the ingredients,” said Bob McKenna, President and CEO of the Virginia Peninsula Chamber. “Now it’s time to mix them together with intention and a shared vision.” His words capture the renewed energy our delegates brought back—a commitment to harness Hampton Roads’ strengths in maritime, defense, and autonomous systems.
For our entrepreneurs, startups, and innovators, Kendall Square’s collaborative model—where academia, industry, and government unite—offers a roadmap. Let’s leverage our talent, forge partnerships, and attract investment to make Hampton Roads a beacon of innovation. Join Innovate Hampton Roads to co-create a future where our ideas reshape the world!
