Virginia's Thriving Tech Ecosystem Attracts Amazon, Google Investments

Virginia isn’t waiting to see how AI plays out. It’s investing. Building. Moving. The latest feature in Site Selection Magazine lays it out clearly. Talent pipelines, AI investment, cybersecurity leadership, and a growing innovation ecosystem across the Commonwealth. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/e6dbSpVu That’s not theory. That’s positioning. And it validates something we’ve believed from day one at AI Ready RVA. Virginia can lead. But only if people are ready. Here’s the gap no one is talking about enough: Billions are being invested Companies are scaling AI Universities are producing talent But most workers and businesses are still trying to figure out where they fit. That’s where we step in. At AI Ready RVA, we’re focused on one thing: Turning momentum into readiness. Not just awareness. Not just conversation. Execution. We are: Teaching practical AI skills people can use immediately Helping businesses move from experimentation to real adoption Building community across sectors so no one gets left behind Creating pathways from curiosity → literacy → workforce readiness Because AI doesn’t transform a region. People do. Virginia has the infrastructure. Richmond has the community. Now we build the workforce that can actually use it. That’s how you go from being a strong tech state… to becoming the most AI-ready region in the country. If you’re in Richmond and not part of this yet, now is the time. Join us. Build with us. Lead with us. #AIReadyRVA #AI #WorkforceDevelopment #Innovation #RichmondVA #FutureOfWork

Last May, Forbes highlighted how the Capital of Quantum is building a growing quantum ecosystem, with the University of Maryland Discovery District serving as a central hub. Follow the Capital of Quantum LinkedIn page to learn more about the initiative and the work happening across Maryland and the mid-Atlantic.

In May 2025, Forbes highlighted how Maryland is building a growing quantum ecosystem as the technology moves from the lab toward real-world impact. Leaders from across the state – including Gov. Wes Moore and industry partners like IonQ – highlight how the Capital of Quantum initiative is bringing together research institutions, federal laboratories, startups, and industry to accelerate quantum innovation. The University of Maryland Discovery District serves as a central hub for many of these collaborations. Programs such as the Quantum Startup Foundry (QSF) and the Mid-Atlantic Quantum Alliance are expanding opportunities for entrepreneurs, researchers, and students. Their efforts strengthen a regional ecosystem designed to turn breakthrough research into real-world technologies. 🔗 Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/e-k6N4Pb

Yann LeCun’s AMI Labs raises $1.03 billion to build world models AMI Labs, the new venture cofounded by Turing Prize winner Yann LeCun after he left Meta, has raised $1.03 billion at a $3.5 billion pre-money valuation.

Reflecting his belief that innovation comes from looking beyond competitors, Eric Schmidt helped shape the modern tech industry. As CEO and chairman of Google from 2001 to 2011, he guided the company’s transformation from a startup into a global powerhouse, after previously leading Novell. Schmidt has an estimated net worth of $33.6 billion and ranks No. 60 among the world’s billionaires, according to Forbes. He holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Princeton University and a master’s degree and a PhD in computer science from the University of California, Berkeley. #Forbes

Expert Insights: The companies building the most capable #AI models in 2026 are running out of electricity, cooling capacity, chips and the cables connecting them. Giants like Alphabet, Amazon, Meta and Microsoft are set to invest a combined $650 billion into A.I.-related capital spending in 2026. These are commitments at a scale that only makes sense if you believe the physical layer is where competitive advantage is actually built. Most founders and investors are still optimizing for the layer above. They’re building products that depend entirely on infrastructure they don’t own, don’t control and can’t take for granted. That’s a structural vulnerability. So where does value go from here? Who ends up controlling what the A.I. economy actually runs on? Read more: https://lnkd.in/d3uYWCJz By Petr Malyukov, dTelecom

To own AI you have to build it on-top of purpose-built rails. We have one. Check the interview with our CEO Petr Malyukov

Chinese brain interface startup Gestala raises $21M just two months after launch This is the largest early-stage funding in China’s brain computer interface industry.

Many believe the quantum era is still decades away, but the industry is hiring today. With major investments from Google, IBM, Microsoft, and specialized startups, the demand for talent is outpacing supply. Here is a roadmap to navigating a career in this exciting field: QuantumComputing #CareerGrowth #TechJobs #QuantumPhysics #Innovation #Qiskit

Quantum computing isn't the future—it's the next big transformation for enterprise workflows. Startups like QuTwo are laying the foundation so businesses can harness quantum advantages from day one. Are you ready to lead, or will your competitors get there first? Read more via TechCrunch.