Sir W. Arthur Lewis once wrote, “The fundamental cure for poverty is not money but knowledge.” Few ideas better capture the spirit behind the creation and growth of the Northern Virginia Technology Council. For 35-years, NVTC has embodied the belief that knowledge is shared through science, innovation, and collaboration, and can transform lives and shape a better future.
When NVTC was founded, Northern Virginia was only beginning to emerge as a center of technological innovation. The vision of its founders was simple but powerful: bring together entrepreneurs, engineers, investors, policymakers, and researchers to build a community where ideas could flourish and new technologies could take root. What began as a small but ambitious effort has grown into one of the most dynamic technology ecosystems in the country.
My excitement for NVTC has always come from its long contribution to making life for the citizens of our planet safer, healthier and longer. Technology developed and advanced by the companies and innovators in our region has strengthened our national security, expanded economic opportunity, improved healthcare, and connected people across continents in ways that earlier generations could scarcely imagine.
The historian Barbara W. Tuchman once reflected that the defining difference between life in the 14th century—often described as “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short”—and life today is knowledge. Over centuries, humanity’s growing understanding of science, medicine, engineering, and the natural world has steadily improved the human condition. Each breakthrough builds on the work that came before it.
That story of progress is written in the work of NVTC’s members. The leaders of this community dedicate their careers and their lives to applying science and technology to lift us all up. Whether through advances in cybersecurity, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, communications, or countless other fields, they are solving problems that matter and expanding the boundaries of what is possible.
Northern Virginia’s success as a global technology hub did not happen by accident. It was built through collaboration, persistence, and a shared belief that innovation thrives when people come together to exchange ideas and challenge one another to think bigger. NVTC has been at the center of that effort—connecting companies, mentoring entrepreneurs, advocating for smart policies, and celebrating the innovators who continue to drive our region forward.
As NVTC celebrates its 35th anniversary in INNOVATE®Northern Virginia, we also celebrate the visionaries, companies, and innovators who have helped shape this extraordinary community. Their achievements remind us that technology is not simply about machines or code; it is about people—curious, creative, determined people who use knowledge to improve the world around them.
As a founding member of NVTC, I have been privileged to witness its growth and impact over the decades. I am deeply grateful to the many leaders who have carried this mission forward and who continue to ensure that Northern Virginia remains a place where innovation thrives.
I am honored to have been even a small part of this remarkable history.
