HARRISONBURG, Va. (James Madison University) — The James Madison University office of Research, Economic Development and Innovation (REDI) will soon connect with the local community as an anchor tenant of the new Harrisonburg Innovation Hub (HIH). 

HIH is expected to open Dec. 2 in the historic Wetsel Seed Complex building downtown and provide a collaborative working space designed to encourage spontaneous interactions that result in new connections, ventures and groundbreaking ideas. The approximately 1,000 square foot space will afford numerous opportunities for community members to connect with student and faculty innovators and vice versa. 

“We’re excited to be a part of this environment to showcase faculty and student research,  foster idea sharing and facilitate innovation,” said Keith Holland, associate vice provost for research and economic development in REDI. “Given the challenges facing our region and nation, having a focal point to center collaborative thought will be powerful.” 

Programming and activities within this space will be intentionally designed to encourage creativity, promote collaboration and support innovators in creating impact with their ideas, products and services, Holland said. 

HIH founder and JMU alumnus Peter Denbigh said, “It is our goal to make HIH an incredible asset to, and a great neighbor within, the already vibrant Harrisonburg community. Our mission, ‘Reduce Barriers to Innovation,’ extends to stakeholders large and small, established and new.” 

HIH will help attract more forward-thinking innovators to the region, add fuel to local startups’ fires, serve as a basecamp for existing innovators, and help grow an innovation ecosystem whose sum is greater than its parts, said Denbigh. “It’s incredible what happens when the right people coalesce in the right space with the right culture. We expect big things out of HIH and can’t wait to bring this project to life.” 

Investments in community entrepreneurial resources, like HIH, are part of a broader national movement to build entrepreneurial ecosystems in rural areas, Holland said. Funding is also increasingly focused on convergence research – areas where different types of research overlap to find solutions. This type of collaborative work is essential to tackling large, complex issues facing society, such as agricultural and food security, supply chain disruptions, and climate change.   

Photo and story courtesy of James Madison University.