Why this exists
Virginia has one of the most distinctive startup ecosystems in the country — federal contracting infrastructure in NoVA, a healthcare and finance corridor in Richmond, biotech and climate research orbiting UVA, maritime and defense industrial capacity in Hampton Roads, and a hardware-friendly hub anchored at Virginia Tech. None of those communities have a single directory connecting them.
Founders in Galax should know what's happening in Arlington. Investors visiting Charlottesville should be able to see every company within a 90-minute drive. Press should have a credible source list when something out of Norfolk crosses their desk. That's what we're for.
How we work
The directory is curated. Every company is reviewed by an editor before listing — not for quality, but for accuracy. We track founding year, stage, sector, region, and a one-sentence description that a founder would actually recognize. We don't list portfolio companies of a fund as a favor, and we don't take payment for inclusion.
The field guide is opinionated. It reflects the experience of founders who've actually raised money, hired across regions, and shipped products from Virginia — not generic startup advice borrowed from elsewhere.
What we don't do
We don't host pitch events. We don't run a fund. We don't sell leads. We don't rank or score companies. If you're looking for those services, several of our sponsors do them well; we link to them on the relevant pages.
Who built this
VAStartups.org was built by Brian Breslin, CEO of Infini and Director of Student Entrepreneurship at the University of Virginia. He's been a lifelong supporter of entrepreneurship ecosystems — the kind of person who shows up early, stays late, and writes the directory nobody else got around to writing.
The site grew out of the same observation that motivates most of his work: founders are surrounded by ecosystems they can't see, and the connective tissue is mostly missing. This is one small contribution toward making Virginia's a little more legible.
Sponsorship
Sponsors fund hosting, design, editorial labor, and the modest annual cost of running this site as a public good. Sponsors get a logo placement and a thank-you. They do not get editorial influence, listing priority, or access to subscriber data. If that arrangement is interesting, write us at sponsor@vastartups.org.