Overview

Welcome! We’re glad you stopped by. We hope we can find a way to work together.

This site contains summaries of the following information:

• Learn more about the Office of Economic Development
• See how the Technology and Business Center can link your business to research, consulting and intern opportunities
• Explore some of William and Mary's business support capabilities 
• Find out about the regional projects that William and Mary is pursuing as part of our economic development strategy
• View recent presentations made by our economic development staff 
• See how our Technology Transfer Office operates and find out about technologies to license 
• Meet our Economic Development staff
• Explore links to our partners

William and Mary has made a strong commitment to support economic development.  We are eager to connect our faculty and students to opportunities to work with business, non-profit, academic and public partners in collaborations that strengthen our programs and contribute to new economic opportunities here in Greater Williamsburg, around Hampton Roads, and throughout Virginia.  Those collaborations serve the university's mission of teaching, research and public service.  Economic development initiatives create research and technology transfer opportunities; develop infrastructure and skills that support high value-added work opportunities in the Commonwealth; and expand cultural, research and employment opportunities for students, faculty, and the community.

According to an economic impact study done by the Wessex Group in 2005, expenditures by the university, our students and faculty, and visitors to campus contribute more than a half a billion dollars and over 7,000 jobs to Virginia each year. But like other universities, William and Mary’s economic contribution is much broader than that. Our most important technology transfer occurs each spring as our graduates bring their new knowledge, skills and habits to productive applications throughout their lives. While they are here, our students and faculty are engaged in a variety of research and outreach programs that add tremendous economic value. Some of those are described in more detail elsewhere on this site. 

 

If you want to start a new business, we can help. If you are a business in our area, we hope we can find ways to help you expand. If you would like to move your business to our area, we would be happy to help make that happen.

 

We hope that you will be interested in participating in some of the collaborations discussed on these pages. But you may also have other ideas. In either case, we would be delighted to work with you and explore the opportunities. Please contact us with your ideas or questions.