Arlington Awarded $4.2 Million in GO Virginia Grant Funds
Published on June 29, 2026
Arlington, Va. – Arlington Economic Development (AED) today announced it has secured approximately $3.9 million in Growth and Opportunity for Virginia (GO Virginia) funding to support the National Innovation Quarter (National IQ), a regional initiative spanning Arlington and Alexandria that accelerates commercialization, company formation and national security innovation.
The award is part of more than $5.6 million in GO Virginia grants announced by Governor Abigail Spanberger to strengthen key industry sectors, expand workforce pathways and support long-term economic diversification across the Commonwealth.
The National Innovation Quarter project positions Arlington at the forefront of dual-use technologies such as cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, robotics, and advanced hardware that serve both commercial and national security markets.
“This investment reinforces Arlington’s role as a driver of innovation in Northern Virginia and strengthens our ability to translate world-class talent and federal expertise into growing companies and high-quality jobs,” said Kate Ange, Deputy Director of Arlington Economic Development. “With GO Virginia’s support, we can accelerate the partnerships and infrastructure needed to support startups and scale emerging technologies right here in Arlington.”
Over the next two years, GO Virginia funding will support:
- Expanded startup acceleration and company scaling programs
- Development of an Innovation Lab for secure collaboration and prototyping
- Workforce initiatives such as the National Security Innovation Capstone Initiative in partnership with Virginia Tech
- Strengthened coordination across industry, academia and government partners
Arlington’s participation in National IQ builds on its established position as a hub for technology, defense and federal innovation, leveraging strategic assets such as proximity to federal agencies, a highly skilled workforce and a dense ecosystem of research institutions and private-sector leaders.
The project includes collaboration between Arlington County, the City of Alexandria, Amazon, National Landing Business Improvement District, JBG Smith, SAIC, Virginia Tech and other industry partners. Matching funds came from over a dozen regional stakeholders across sectors demonstrating strong public- and private-sector alignment.
“GO Virginia investments like this help ensure that Arlington remains competitive in fast-growing industries and continues to create opportunities for residents and businesses alike,” added Brandon Bedford, Acting Director of AED’s Business Investment Group. “By strengthening our innovation ecosystem, we are positioning Arlington to lead in the technologies that will define the future economy.”
The National Innovation Quarter investment is expected to expand Arlington’s startup pipeline, support commercialization of emerging technologies, and contribute to sustained job growth in high-wage sectors.
In addition, AED received a $250,000 competitive planning grant to lead a study that will look at the future of office demand and commercial real estate in the Commonwealth’s three key urban centers of Northern Virginia, Greater Richmond and Hampton Roads regions. This work will help inform the identification of public and private sector strategies needed to reinvest, reposition and redevelop obsolete office space to ensure Virginia’s long-term competitiveness in attracting companies seeking highly quality workplaces of tomorrow. This project is a one-of-a-kind multi-regional collaborative effort that includes Arlington County, Fairfax County, City of Alexandria, NOVA Economic Development Alliance; Henrico County, City of Richmond, Greater Richmond Partnership; City of Newport News, City of Norfolk, City of Virginia Beach, the Hampton Roads Alliance and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP).
About Arlington Economic Development
Arlington Economic Development (AED) is committed to helping Arlington thrive as an economically vital, competitive and sustainable community by providing leadership and services to Arlington’s business, real estate, tourism and cultural affairs sectors. The AED team leads groundbreaking programs designed to grow, attract and retain business in Arlington and invest in place-based strategies that ensure Arlington remains a key destination for talent and visitors alike.