The SOVA Innovation Hub opened its doors Monday. A $5 million building is bringing greater economic opportunities to South Boston.
A $5 million building is bringing greater economic opportunities to South Boston.
The SOVA Innovation Hub opened its doors Monday.
The SOVA Innovation Hub is the first new building built in downtown South Boston in over 40 years. After a year of construction, the doors have finally opened.
This facility was a partnership between Microsoft and Mid-Atlantic Communities Corporation. The goal is to bring more technology to the Southside and improve the digital skills here.
The facility offers office space and internet access, two growing needs in the town.
“To see the building now operational, have folks here, and being able to have most of the work completed and most importantly under budget is a great accomplishment for our team,” Tad Deriso, the president and CEO of Mid-Atlantic Broadband Communities Corporation, said.
The facility also focuses on entrepreneurship.
Tim VanAernem is a sales director for AD Nerds Media. He’s excited to be one of the first people to rent space in the SOVA Innovation Hub.
“It’s a huge boost for the town of South Boston,” VanAernem said.
AD Nerds Media is a digital marketing and advertising company based in Florida.
VanAernem lives in South Boston and works alongside his brother-in-law, Brian Rowland. Both wanted to invest in the Southside.
“Rather than working from behind the scenes, we needed to be, you know, right up in the middle of it and we thought that this was an opportunity to again network and to work with our local folks,” VanAernem said.
Deriso says a coworking space is new to South Boston. This space allows entrepreneurs to start a business or expand it without having to pay the startup costs. Everything you need is already here such as computers, internet access and electricity.
“Really nothing like that exists here in our area,” Deriso said. “So, we’re excited that because of Microsoft’s partnership, we’re able to bring that to the folks here in Southern Virginia.”
Deriso says high-speed internet also be available in the parking lot for the community to use for free.
Originally published at WSET