National Innovation Quarter Secures $4 Million to Grow Northern Virginia’s Innovation Economy

Aerial photo of Metropolitan Park in Pentagon City and surrounding buildings, taken at dawn.

National Innovation Quarter Secures $4 Million to Grow Northern Virginia’s Innovation Economy

GO Virginia funding will support National IQ’s efforts to scale companies, strengthen partnerships and advance technology commercialization

Arlington, Va. (June  29, 2026)— Arlington County announced today that it has been awarded nearly $4 million to support programming to launch National Innovation Quarter (National IQ). The funds come from GO Virginia, a state-funded initiative administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development that strengthens and diversifies Virginia's economy and fosters the creation of higher wage jobs in strategic industries. 

Spanning Arlington and Alexandria, National IQ was established to address a longstanding challenge facing Northern Virginia: translating the region’s outstanding concentration of technical talent, research capacity and federal expertise into more startups, commercialized technologies and scalable companies.

Over the next two years, the $4 million from GO Virginia will support the continued evolution of National IQ by: 

  • Building NIQ’s nonprofit operations capacity to convene industry, academic and government partners and strengthen the region’s innovation ecosystem.
  • Creating the Innovation Lab, a new secure facility for emerging technology collaboration and prototyping.
  • Advancing workforce development through the National Security Innovation Capstone Initiative (NSICI) in partnership with Virginia Tech.
  • Delivering four accelerator and startup programs designed to help entrepreneurs scale cutting-edge technologies and access new markets.

“This investment marks a significant milestone for National IQ and the broader innovation ecosystem, giving us the ability to expand the programs, partnerships and facilities needed to help more technologies from more companies move from concept to market with a strong focus on driving national competitiveness,” said Michael Hauser, Board Chair, National IQ and Managing Partner, SAIC Ventures. “The result will be a stronger pipeline of startups delivering towards national security outcomes, with the talent and innovation that can grow and thrive in Northern Virginia.”

"This GO Virginia investment turns the promise of National IQ into the infrastructure, programming and partnerships companies need to build, test and scale in Northern Virginia,” said Marian Marquez, Senior VP at the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership. “For Alexandria, it directly advances the City’s focus on innovation by pairing Virginia Tech’s presence with an innovation lab where entrepreneurs, industry and government partners can move emerging technologies from concept to commercialization."

“This investment reinforces Arlington’s role as a driver of innovation in Northern Virginia and strengthens our ability to translate world-class talent and federal expertise into growing companies and high-quality jobs,” said Kate Ange, Deputy Director of Arlington Economic Development. “With GO Virginia’s support, we can accelerate the partnerships and infrastructure needed to support startups and scale emerging technologies right here in Arlington.” 

“As National IQ continues to grow, so does National Landing’s ability to attract talent, support entrepreneurs and create new opportunities for residents and businesses,” said Robert H. Mandle, Deputy Executive Director of the National Landing BID. “This investment will extend far beyond the innovation economy, reinforcing National Landing as a pioneer in technology, job creation and economic opportunity.”

Combined with nearly $2 million in matching investments from local governments, universities, corporations and ecosystem partners, the funding provides the resources needed to expand programming, strengthen partnerships and build the infrastructure required to support Northern Virginia's innovation economy. 

###

About National Innovation Quarter (National IQ)

National Innovation Quarter (National IQ) is a multi-sector innovation district based in National Landing, spanning Arlington and Alexandria in Northern Virginia. By uniting mission-driven national security priorities with cutting-edge technology, National IQ advances solutions with global impact while driving sustained regional economic growth.

Created to strengthen the United States’ competitive edge, National IQ is forged at the nexus of government, industry, academia, and entrepreneurship. The initiative leverages National Landing’s existing innovation ecosystem, catalyzing cross-sector collaboration, delivering year-round programming and notable initiatives, and bolstering startups and emerging technologies.

National IQ is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization, driven by its Founding Partners: Amazon, Northrop Grumman, SAIC, Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC), Virginia Tech, Arlington Economic Development (AED), Alexandria Economic Development Partnership (AEDP), JBG SMITH, and the National Landing Business Improvement District, with additional support from sponsors and members. 

For more information, visit www.national-iq.com or follow @NationalInnovationQuarter on social media.

MEDIA CONTACT
Sofia Royce
The Brand Guild
sofia@thebrandguild.com