Activation

Activation is an independent state authority and innovation ecosystem development organization based in Richmond, Virginia, that provides infrastructure, venture resources, and financial capital to life sciences and advanced technology startups. The organization operates the 34-acre Virginia Bio+Tech Park, which houses more than 70 companies and research institutes supporting approximately 3,000 employees. In addition, Activation recently broke ground on a 102,000-square-foot Innovation Center and participated in a regional coalition that secured a $52.8 million federal Build Back Better Regional Challenge grant to scale advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing. The entity also partners closely with Virginia Commonwealth University and runs specialized startup accelerators such as Frontier BioHealth and Start-the-Journey. Led by executives including former CEO Chandra Briggman and current CEO Michael Steele, Activation was originally established in 1993 by the Commonwealth of Virginia as the Virginia Biotechnology Research Partnership Authority.