Beckley, W.Va. (Sept. 15, 2023) – Leaders of the West Virginia Hive and West Virginia University Institute of Technology (WVU Tech) Launch Lab announced today a new sponsor and the extension of the last call deadline for entries to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2023, in the upcoming Pitch Southern West Virginia Business Idea Competition, to be held on October 12, on the WVU Tech campus in Beckley, W.Va.

The West Virginia Hive, the entrepreneurial arm of the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority (NRGRDA), secured a $99,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development program that will finance phase one renovations to 111 Main Street in Beckley for additional business incubation and retail space

White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. (Sept. 14, 2023) – West Virginia Hive client – For the Love Of Golf — located at 718 Main Street East, Suite A, White Sulphur Springs, announced it is holding a grand opening from 2-6 p.m. Monday, September 18.

Tammy Jordan, owner of Fruits of Labor, a social enterprise that serves as a model for the recovery to work program Communities of Healing, is set to share her insights this week at the Appalachian Regional Commission’s (ARC) annual conference, entitled Appalachia Rises, in Ashland, Ky.

The New River Gorge Regional Development Authority (NRGRDA) offered its congratulations on the appointment of NRGRDA Board Member Gregory A. Duckworth, to the West Virginia First Foundation, the private foundation created to distribute the state’s more than one billion dollars in opioid settlement funds.

The basement of the Fruits of Labor building at 313 Neville Street in Beckley is now featuring a new wood-stone Pizzeria, Ice Cream and Coffee Shop.

Hannah Morgan has joined the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority (NRGRDA) and will be leading the Business Capacity Services (BCS) team of the West Virginia Hive.

West Virginia Hive is hosting a “Coffee Talks” networking session from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 31, at The Schoolhouse Hotel in White Sulphur Springs. The public is encouraged to attend this free event.

The West Virginia Hive, in partnership with the West Virginia University Institute of Technology (WVU Tech) Launch Lab, will host their next Pitch Southern West Virginia Business Idea Competition on October 12, 2023, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the WVU Tech campus in Beckley, W.Va.

Mountain Steer Meat Company has received its Federal Grant of Inspection and is now eligible for beef grading by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The West Virginia Hive is hosting a Network and Resource Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Historic Black Knight Country Club, 2400 South Kanawha Street, Beckley, on Wednesday, June 28.

West Virginia Hive is hosting a “Coffee Talks” networking session from 10:30 a.m. to noon Friday, June 23, at a Pavilion on Baker’s Island in Webster Springs. The public is encouraged to attend.

Jeff Webb, owner of Trails Edge Cycles, invites the public to an 11:30 a.m. June 22 grand opening and ribbon cutting of new space at 1302 South Eisenhower Drive in Beckley. Refreshments will be served and a taco bar will be available.

Mark and Morgan Brooks, owners of Brooks Sports Nutrition and Apparel, are hosting a 10 a.m. June 19 grand opening and ribbon cutting at 52 Water Street, Logan.

Trey Swartz, silversmith and owner of Southern Pillar Jeweler, will host a June 8 grand opening and ribbon cutting at his new workspace studio at The Great Googly Moogly, 107 Keller Avenue, Fayetteville.

Candice Meade, owner of Posh Manna Cake Art & Bakery in Shady Spring and a client of the West Virginia Hive, is participating in the May 31-June 1 Investor Convening being held by Opportunity Appalachia, an Appalachian Regional Commission funded project led by Appalachian Community Capital.

The NRGRDA/WV Hive Grants Compliance Coordinator will be responsible for grant compliance across the organization.

The WV Hive Regional Business Advisor will provide in-depth business advising to entrepreneurs and small businesses across multiple industry sectors, with an affinity for those with hospitality and food industry service needs.

Hinton Outfitters, a souvenir and gift shop is having its grand opening from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, May 12, at its new storefront operation in Hinton at 221 Temple Street, Suite 1.

Indie Sparrow Boutique has announced a 1 p.m. Friday, May 12, ribbon cutting to launch its grand reopening of the business, which is returning to its original Beckley location — 610 North Eisenhower Drive — after seven years in Beaver.

Seed Sower, Inc. has announced a noon May 10 ribbon cutting to launch the opening of an office for The Well, southern West Virginia’s Recovery Community Organization (RCO), on the third floor of the Fruits of Labor Café building, 313 Neville Street in Beckley.

The Raleigh County Memorial Airport, with guidance from the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority (NRGRDA) and Region 1 Planning and Development Council has accepted a $7,729,959.00 bid from A.L.L. Construction, Inc., of Mount Storm, W.Va., to conduct site development for the new 105-acre industrial project at the Raleigh County Memorial Airport

West Virginia Hive, a program of the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority (NRGRDA), will continue its county-by-county “Coffee Talks” sessions with an event in Fayette County at Smithers Wellness Place from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. on May 5, 2023.

Beckley resident Amy Showalter has joined the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority (NRGRDA) as a Project Manager with the WV Hive.

A new pet daycare and boarding business – Paws N Pals Doggy Daycare and Boarding – is holding a ribbon cutting ceremony at 12:15 p.m. Thursday, April 27, at 16933 Robert C. Byrd Drive in Beckley. Owned by Corey Lacy, the small business is a client of the West Virginia Hive.

Country Roads Angel Network (CRAN) will host its bi-annual in person member meeting and investment review starting at 4:30 p.m. Monday, April 17, at Oglebay Lodge in Wheeling.

West Virginia Hive client — Botany Tropicals — is hosting a grand opening at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 15, to celebrate the addition of Camp Botany to its retail store at 321 Third Avenue in Hinton.

The West Virginia Hive recently added Katie Loudin of the West Virginia Community Development Hub and Jen Wood of West Virginia University Institute of Technology (WVU Tech) to its board of directors. The WV Community Development Hub concurrently added Judy Moore, executive director of the WV Hive and deputy director of the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority, to its governing body.

Six regional entrepreneurs and two teams of West Virginia University Institute of Technology (WVU Tech) students shared and enthusiastically promoted their business ideas March 30 with a panel of judges and a live audience at the Pitch Southern West Virginia Business Idea Competition on the WVU Tech campus.

The West Virginia Hive – entrepreneurial arm of the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority — is supporting four new small businesses located on Prince Street in Beckley as they celebrate their grand openings on the afternoon of Friday, March 31.

Less than one year after launching his business, Cox Telecom is employing 16 full-time employees and creating a local and regional based operation to deploy a turnkey operation of wireless services to all cellular carriers (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, DiSH).

Morgantown surgical device company Endolumik, Inc., closed a $1.5 million investment to commercialize their patented near infrared (NIR) surgical device — Gastric Calibration Tube, thanks in part to a new investment from the Country Roads Angel Network (CRAN).

The West Virginia Coffee Talks and New River Gorge Regional Development Authority (NRGRDA) Summers County Business Owners Meeting will both be held at the Hinton Technology Building on March 3.

Communities of Healing (COH), the growing recovery to work initiative in southern West Virginia, is seeking statewide applicants for a new Investment Lab business development program that will be unveiled March 20 at the next Gathering.

West Virginia Hive partner, Seed Sower, Inc., is creating southern West Virginia’s Recovery Community Organization (RCO) and holding the first of three community listening sessions at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 7 on the third floor of the Fruits of Labor Café, 313 Neville Street. Snacks and beverages will be available.

The West Virginia Hive, in partnership with the West Virginia University Institute of Technology (WVU Tech) Launch Lab, will host a new Pitch Southern West Virginia business idea competition round on March 30 on the WVU Tech campus.

The Tamarack Foundation for the Arts (TFA) is extending the deadline for applicants of the TFA ‘Arts Business Accelerator’ program, a six-month training program set to kick off with a two-day bootcamp at the Beckley Arts Center next month.

Mountain Steer Meat Company has invited the community to attend a grand opening and ribbon cutting January 25 at its retail shop at 169 Pocahontas Trail, White Sulphur Springs.

The West Virginia Hive named top performing Hive client Falcon Mine Service in Midway as its 2022 Small Business of the Year

The West Virginia Hive has selected Dr. Marcus Thomas, owner of Fat Bottom Coolers, as its 2022 Entrepreneur of the Year.

The West Virginia Hive has selected Botany Tropicals, co-owned by Jordan Casey and Steven Jones, as its 2022 Small Business Startup of the Year.

Deiandra Blair of Blair’s Sweet Treats and More in Bluewell was presented the 2022 West Virginia Hive Social Enterprise of the Year award at a recent ceremony in Beckley.

The West Virginia Hive is working in partnership with the Tamarack Foundation for the Arts (TFA) to support their TFA ‘Arts Business Accelerator’, a six-month training program set to kick off with a two-day bootcamp to be held at the Beckley Arts Center in February 2023.

Beth Epperson is joining the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority (NRGRDA) as Contracts and Procurement Specialist for its West Virginia Hive entrepreneurial arm. She will also be responsible for the administration of the NRGRDA’s loan portfolio.

The West Virginia Hive will honor top performing Hive clients and supporters as part of its annual open house from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, December 2 at its offices at 205 South Kanawha Street in Beckley.

Members of the media are invited to join the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority (NRGRDA) and WVU College of Business and Economics to discuss the forecasted economic climate in the New River Gorge Region and hear from economic development professionals and NRGRDA partners regarding the forward-moving work in the New River Gorge Region.

Country Roads Angel Network (CRAN) will host its annual meeting starting at 4:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 4, at the Robert H. Mollohan Research Center at the West Virginia High Technology Park in Fairmont. Highlights include a keynote address by Brandon Dennison, CEO of Coalfield Development Corporation and architect of the Appalachian Climate Technology (ACT) Now Coalition, as well as three investment opportunity pitches from West Virginia entrepreneurs.

A new Mister Bee potato chip bag design celebrating the New River Gorge Region was unveiled before a crowd of attendees at today’s Bridge Day, reflecting a collaboration between the snack company, New River Gorge Regional Development Authority’s business and entrepreneurship support program, the WV Hive.

The New River Gorge region, national park and preserve, and southern West Virginia are being featured on a new five-ounce chip bag that will be unveiled Saturday by West Virginia’s only potato chip manufacturer — Mister Bee Potato Chips based in Parkersburg.

The West Virginia Hive is hosting a “Coffee Talks” networking session at 8:30 a.m. Friday, September 30, at Seneca Health Services in Summersville. The event is being sponsored by United Bank.

After several impressive presentations, three Southern West Virginia entrepreneurs offered winning pitches of their business plans for start-up or expansion and were rewarded with cash prizes and the knowledge their ideas may be worthy to implement.

West Virginia Hive receives $2.4 million for entrepreneurship support in the Community and Business Resilience Project to help communities, small businesses, and entrepreneurs get ready for new green jobs.

Community and Business Resilience Project is part of $62.8 million ACT Now Coalition grant awarded in national challenge to create new economic revitalization in climate resilience & green technology.

Organizers of the Pitch Southern West Virginia Business Idea Competition, to be held from 6-8 p.m. September 13 on the campus of West Virginia University Institute of Technology (WVU Tech), announced the six best pitch ideas chosen to present and invited attendees to vote for their favorites.

Country Roads Angel Network (“CRAN”) announced its investment of $80,000 in Parthian Battery Solutions (“Parthian”) of Morgantown today.

Marlinton businesses welcomed staff members from the WV Hive Network, a small business incubator and accelerator headquartered in Beckley, WV on July 14th as a part of their ‘Community Days’ initiative.

By Peyton Ballard – Richwood businesses welcomed staff members from the WV Hive Network, a small business incubator and accelerator headquartered in Beckley, W.Va, on July 14th as a part of the Hive’s ‘Community Days’ initiative.

The West Virginia Hive, in partnership with the West Virginia University Institute of Technology (WVU Tech) Launch Lab, will host a Pitch Southern West Virginia business idea competition on September 13, 2022, from 6-8 p.m. at the WVU Tech campus in Beckley, W.Va..

Southern West Virginia native Peyton Ballard has been named Director of Entrepreneurship Initiatives at the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority (NRGRDA), effective July 1.

Moore was named Deputy Director of Operations of the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority (NRGRDA), effective July 1, adding to her roles overseeing the West Virginia Hive and Country Roads Angel Network (CRAN).