Mapping Innovation Across the Mountain State

West Virginia's
AI Frontier

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Major Hub
Emerging Hub
Hub Stream
Emerging Link
Jobs Education Events Grants
Hub 01 · North Central

Morgantown

10 innovation stories
Mountain State Freedom Tech (formerly HODL in the Holler). Morgantown's Bitcoin and freedom-tech meetup, run by MØNTAN1 Consulting, hosts "Code is not a Crime: Free Samourai" on June 11, 2026 at Short Story Brewing in Westover. The event covers the federal prosecution of Samourai Wallet's developers and the fight to keep open-source code legal.Source: Meetup, Jun 2026 →
WVU launches M.S. in Artificial Intelligence. A fully online graduate program from the Statler College's Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, covering machine learning, cybersecurity, intelligent systems, and energy applications. Enrollment opened Spring 2026, alongside companion M.S. tracks in Applied AI & Data Analytics and AI Marketing.Source: WVU Online, Spring 2026 →
WVU launches Strategic Compass seed innovation fund. President Benson unveiled seed funding to turn ideas into action across education, discovery, health, and service, with initial investors sought through the Day of Giving on March 25, 2026.Source: WVU Today, Feb 2026 →
1Mby1M Virtual Accelerator and AI Mentor launches for WV. West Virginia entrepreneurs get access to an equity-free accelerator with AI-guided mentorship, global case studies, and frameworks for bootstrapping and scaling tech startups without leaving the state.Source: Sramana Mitra, Feb 2026 →
Dr. Anurag Srivastava chairs WVU's Lane Department. The Raymond J. Lane Professor at the Statler College leads research across computer science, cybersecurity, AI, robotics, and integrated cyber-power systems, with over $60 million in funding from the DOE, NSF, DARPA, and major utilities.Source: WVU Statler Directory →
Data Driven WV pairs students with real-world AI work. Run out of the John Chambers College of Business and Economics under executive director Joshua Meadows, the center connects West Virginia organizations with student and faculty teams on data analytics, AI, and broadband deployment projects.Source: WVU Today →
WVU BOG approves new AI and Smart Systems tracks. Undergraduate concentrations in AI/Computational Data Science and Cyber-Physical Systems, plus interdisciplinary programs pairing computer science with mechanical engineering.Source: Statler College, Aug 2025 →
WVU F1Tenth team takes second nationally. Students built AI-powered self-driving scale cars and placed second at the IEEE international competition, an experiential learning initiative within the Lane Department.Source: Statler College Media Hub, Aug 2025 →
WVU AI Symposium 2025. Researchers presented work on dermatological AI analysis, anti-cancer peptide design, autonomous manufacturing algorithms, and broadband equity mapping for rural Appalachia.Source: WVU Health Sciences, May 2025 →
GATC Health expands AI drug discovery. The biotech firm uses its proprietary AI platform to develop non-opioid, non-habit-forming treatments for addiction, backed by a $5M West Virginia investment.Source: GovTech, Mar 2024 →
Hub 02 · Marion County

Fairmont

4 innovation stories
NOAA Fairmont facility deemed mission-critical. Despite federal workforce reductions in 2026, the WV High Technology Foundation confirmed no cuts at the Fairmont NOAA Environmental Security Computing Center, citing the satellite ground stations and supercomputing role in national weather infrastructure.Source: Times West Virginian, 2026 →
NOAA's Rhea supercomputer comes online at NESCC Fairmont. General Dynamics IT delivered the $100M Rhea HPC at the NOAA Environmental Security Computing Center, adding roughly 30 petaflops of research capacity for next-generation weather and climate AI/ML modeling.Source: HPCwire →
NASA Katherine Johnson IV&V Facility. Over 275 employees in Fairmont provide independent software verification and validation for NASA's highest-profile missions, including human spaceflight and deep-space exploration programs.Source: NASA →
I-79 Technology Park and NOAA supercomputing. The site hosts three NOAA ground stations and a supercomputing center, with foundation plans to apply AI and supercomputing to the multi-billion-dollar commercial weather data market.Source: WV Executive Magazine, 2022 →
Hub 03 · State Capital

Charleston

9 innovation stories
WV Digital Government Summit returns to Charleston. State and local government leaders, sponsors, and technology partners convene on October 29, 2026 to plan digital transformation, AI implementation, and cybersecurity strategy.Source: GovTech Events, Oct 2026 →
Morrisey closes 2026 session: 12 vetoes, 10 bills unsigned. The Governor finished 2026 regular-session work, with data-center confidentiality (HB 4983) and tax-credit measures (HB 4013) advancing amid contested debate over local control and ratepayer impact.Source: The Intelligencer, Apr 2026 →
HB 4983 clears House 78-16: data-center confidentiality. The bill lets the Morrisey administration withhold basic data-center project details from the public. Critics say it shields lawmakers from accountability on a major economic question.Source: WV Gazette-Mail, Feb 2026 →
Legislature blocks local-control restoration bills. Lawmakers repeatedly blocked 2026-session efforts to return data-center siting authority to counties and municipalities, preserving HB 2014's preemption of local zoning.Source: Mountain State Spotlight, Feb 2026 →
State AI Task Force ongoing oversight. Established under §5A-6-9 of WV Code, the task force assesses AI's impact on employment, government services, and economic development, with a January 2026 meeting on the public agenda.Source: WV Office of Technology, Jan 2026 →
S.O.LO: WV's first government AI chatbot. The Secretary of State's office deployed an AI assistant to guide users through business filings and registrations, winning the 2025 IACA True Merit Award at the 48th Annual Conference for its business-registry implementation.Source: Bowles Rice, Nov 2025 →
WV named among 16 states for OpenAI's Stargate project. West Virginia is on OpenAI's shortlist for its $500 billion multi-campus AI infrastructure initiative, with the company actively scouting sites that meet power and water requirements.Source: Fortune, Feb 2025 →
TechConnect WV: 20+ years of tech innovation. Based in South Charleston, TechConnect WV supports tech entrepreneurship statewide, connecting research, industry, and economic development from the earliest stages.Source: TechConnect WV →
WVIAIS: AI consulting for small business. West Virginia Integrated AI Solutions focuses on making AI affordable for small businesses across the state, with a specialty in data entry and administrative automation.Source: WVIAIS →
Hub 04 · Southwestern Region

Huntington

8 innovation stories
Quality Insights gifts $1.2M to Marshall iCenter. The funding pays for a full-time gener8tor program manager in Huntington, two gBETA accelerator cohorts per year for three years, and a new gALPHA ideation cohort for early-stage startup testing.Source: Marshall University, Feb 2026 →
Marshall University's Generative AI program. Coordinated through marshall.edu/ai, the university's Presidential Task Force on AI (formed 2023) runs three sub-committees, partners with Coursera's Career Academy for 6,000+ AI courses, and is building academic AI integration for faculty and students.Source: Marshall University AI Hub →
IDEA District and the $45M Institute for Cyber Security. Marshall's Innovation District takes shape west of campus with a state-funded cybersecurity facility under construction, anchored alongside the Brad D. Smith Center for Business and Innovation. The Institute opens in summer 2027.Source: Marshall University, Dec 2025 →
Stitch AI launches from Huntington. An enterprise productivity platform that coordinates fragmented AI tools, surfaces context, and enables real-time decisions for SMBs. First pilot targeted for Q3 2025.Source: gener8tor, 2025 →
Marshall and Intuit forge a strategic partnership. The collaboration creates a hiring pipeline for tech, cybersecurity, and AI jobs, plus a prosperity hub in the Innovation District for financial education and hands-on AI, tax, and bookkeeping training.Source: Marshall University, Mar 2025 →
Marshall University gBETA accelerator. The inaugural cohort selected AI and tech startups including Stitch AI (enterprise workflow orchestration) and FarmerzTool (agricultural tech), backed by Huntington National Bank.Source: Marshall iCenter →
Generation WV AI Workforce panel. Josh Spence, CIO of Alpha Innovations and Chair of the WV AI Task Force, called out broadband as the foundation: "AI is the priority. Broadband is a must-have."Source: Generation West Virginia →
Alpha Innovations AI-driven IT services. The Huntington firm runs an 80,000 sq ft data center serving businesses, government, and education across WV, with AI-powered cybersecurity and cloud infrastructure.Source: Alpha Innovations →
Hub 05 · Eastern Panhandle

Berkeley County

7 innovation stories
One year post-HB 2014: transparency and grid-cost concerns surface. Ratepayer advocates and Appalachian Power warn that the law's microgrid backup provisions could raise customer bills, while environmental groups flag gaps in air-quality oversight for fast-tracked sites.Source: WV Gazette-Mail, Apr 2026 →
Residents call for protections as data-center buildout accelerates. Host communities in Berkeley, Tucker, and Mason counties are organizing for health, noise, and grid-impact protections, citing "empty promises" on community benefit and accountability.Source: West Virginia Watch, Mar 2026 →
$4 billion Penzance data center announced. Governor Morrisey unveiled WV's first High Impact Intelligence Center, a 548-acre, 1.9M sq ft campus in Falling Waters delivering 600MW of AI and cloud computing capacity. No state funding used.Source: Governor's Office, Feb 2026 →
Fidelis Monarch Campus advances to construction. American Intelligence and Power Corporation is moving forward with an 8 GW AI Microgrid Platform at the Monarch Cloud Campus in Mason County. Construction timing has not been announced.Source: WV MetroNews, Jan 2026 →
HB 2014: Certified Microgrid Program. Effective July 2025, the law set up WV's microgrid certification framework and streamlined permitting for data centers, positioning the state to compete with Northern Virginia's Data Center Alley.Source: WV Legislature, 2025 →
Microgrid revenue reinvestment. Data center tax revenue flows 50% to income tax reduction, 30% to host county, 10% per-capita statewide, and 5% each to grid stabilization and economic grants.Source: Governor's Office, 2025 →
Monarch Compute Campus by Fidelis. A 2,250-acre AI and high-performance computing campus with on-site power generation through the state's microgrid designation, built for long-term scalable growth.Source: Fidelis Infrastructure →

Emerging Hubs

Top 10 WV cities by population, with innovation stories now tracking

Hub 06 · Mid-Ohio Valley

Parkersburg

Pop. 29,025 · #4 in WV
WVU-P Innovation and Technology Center opens. A $35M investment transformed the former Ohio Valley University campus into a tech education hub with CS, cybersecurity, and network admin programs. 159 students enrolled at launch in August 2025.Source: News & Sentinel, Aug 2025 →
Innovation Lab and additive manufacturing. The new facility features 3D printers, metal printers, laser systems, and engineering technologies equipment. Vienna renamed the street "Innovation Drive" to mark the campus transformation.Source: WTAP →
Hub 07 · Northern Panhandle

Wheeling

Pop. 26,208 · #5 in WV
WV Digital Government Summit, Wheeling participation. Wheeling leaders are slated to join state and local officials at the October 29, 2026 statewide summit in Charleston to plan digital transformation, AI implementation, and cybersecurity strategy.Source: GovTech Events, Oct 2026 →
Emerging IT-enabled services hub. Niche IT and tech startups are forming in Wheeling, with founders gaining access to the 1Mby1M equity-free virtual accelerator and AI Mentor for market validation and growth.Source: Sramana Mitra, Feb 2026 →
Hub 08 · Upper Panhandle

Weirton

Pop. 18,317 · #7 in WV
Form Energy lands $1B Google deal. Weirton's iron-air battery factory will produce the world's largest battery system (300MW / 30GWh, 100-hour duration) to power a Google data center in Minnesota. First commercial deployment for a data center.Source: Tech Startups, Feb 2026 →
Form Factory 1 in commercial production. Over 400 employees at the former Weirton Steel site manufacture iron-air batteries, with plans to expand to 750+ workers, 1M+ sq ft, and 500MW annual capacity by 2028. IPO expected near-term.Source: WTRF →
Hub 09 · Southern Coalfields

Princeton

Mercer County
WV Dept. of Education integrates AI in classrooms. Mercer County Schools are leading adoption with guidance documents for responsible AI use, training educators to prepare students for an AI-driven economy.Source: WVVA News, Mar 2026 →
Appalachian data center corridor emerging. Southern WV sits inside the broader Appalachian rush for AI computing infrastructure, with proximity to energy resources and fiber networks driving site selection.Source: Daily Yonder →
Hub 10 · Southern Highlands

Beckley

Pop. 16,576 · #9 in WV
WVU Tech hosts Governor's Computer Science Institute. The residential summer program teaches AI, coding, and drone programming to West Virginia high schoolers. Three-year commitment starts summer 2026 on the Beckley campus.Source: WVU Tech, Oct 2025 →
WVU Tech President joins national AI Leadership Council. President T. Ramon Stuart was appointed to Ruffalo Noel Levitz's AI Leadership Council, shaping AI strategy in higher education and positioning WVU Tech as a pipeline for AI professionals.Source: WVU Tech →
Hub 11 · Harrison County

Clarksburg

Pop. 15,489 · #10 in WV
TekSynap acquires JBA, strengthening FBI tech support. The systems integrator expanded its IT, cloud, cybersecurity, and infrastructure workforce supporting CJIS operations in Clarksburg and nationwide FBI missions.Source: Morningstar / Business Wire, Nov 2025 →
FBI CJIS Division advances biometric AI. The 990-acre campus employs 3,000+ staff managing national criminal justice systems and advancing multimodal biometric identification across fingerprint, facial, iris, and palm print AI algorithms.Source: FBI CJIS →
Hub 12 · Allegheny Highlands

Tucker County

Pop. 6,762 · Thomas / Davis
WV Air Quality Board upholds Ridgeline permit; coalition appeals. The state Air Quality Board sided with developers of the Fundamental Data project. Tucker United, the WV Highlands Conservancy, and the Sierra Club appealed, and state regulators heard two days of evidence in the permit challenge.Source: WV MetroNews, Feb 2026 →
Harvard Dominici Lab study projects $19M to $35M in health damages. Tucker United commissioned a Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health study estimating significant health-related costs from the Ridgeline data center's projected air emissions over its permit lifetime.Source: West Virginia Watch, Feb 2026 →
Tucker United forms in response to Fundamental Data project. A grassroots coalition of Tucker County residents organized after HB 2014's passage and Fundamental Data's air-quality permit application for the Ridgeline facility near Thomas, which includes gas turbines and three 10-million-gallon diesel storage tanks. Operation startup is planned for 2027 or 2028.Source: WV Public Broadcasting →
· Workforce Development ·

Building the Mountain State's AI Future

Jobs · Education · Events · Grants  ·  AI, Tech, Bitcoin, and Solar

Jobs Education Events Grants

01Jobs

Tech
Generation WV Career Connector
Centralized WV tech job board built with TechConnect WV. Talent search and recruitment services for in-state employers, with pathways for young West Virginians staying in or returning to the state.
generationwv.org →
TechAI
WorkForce West Virginia
Statewide job-seeker portal. Listings span tech, healthcare, manufacturing, and AI roles, with resume, training, and unemployment services bundled in.
workforcewv.org →
Gov
jobs.wv.gov (State of West Virginia)
Public-sector openings including WV Office of Technology, Secretary of State digital roles, and agency IT positions. The S.O.LO chatbot team and AI Task Force-adjacent work live here.
jobs.wv.gov →
AI
Indeed: AI roles in WV
Live listings (around 53 AI positions in WV as of May 2026): AI specialists, data scientists, ML engineers, technical product managers at CVS Health, WVU, regional integrators, and growing startups.
indeed.com →
Solar
Solar Installation Technician at Eastern WV CTC
Workforce-education track placing graduates into utility-scale and residential solar installation. Short program length, hands-on, anchored in the Eastern Panhandle.
easternwv.edu →
Jobs Education Events Grants

02Education

AI
WVU M.S. in Artificial Intelligence
Fully online graduate program from the Statler College's Lane Department. Coursework spans machine learning, cybersecurity, intelligent systems, and energy applications. Enrollment opened Spring 2026 alongside companion M.S. tracks in Applied AI & Data Analytics and AI Marketing.
online.wvu.edu →
AITech
Marshall iCenter gBETA Accelerator
Founder-track program with gener8tor for AI and tech startups. Quality Insights' $1.2M gift in Feb 2026 expanded the iCenter to two cohorts per year and added a new gALPHA ideation track.
marshall.edu/icenter →
AI
Marshall University Generative AI program
President Smith's Presidential Task Force on AI (2023) runs three sub-committees, partners with Coursera's Career Academy for 6,000+ AI courses, and is building academic AI integration for faculty and students.
marshall.edu/ai →
Tech
WVU-P Innovation and Technology Center
$35M Vienna campus redeveloped from the former Ohio Valley University. CS, cybersecurity, network admin, and additive manufacturing programs. 159 students at the August 2025 launch.
News & Sentinel →
AI
WVU Tech Governor's CS Institute
Residential summer program for WV high schoolers on the Beckley campus. AI, coding, and drone programming. Three-year commitment starting summer 2026.
wvutech.edu →
Solar
ACT Now Coalition: West Edge Solar Training
Federally funded solar training covering renewable energy modules, OSHA 10, worksite safety, mental health, financial literacy, and resume building. Built for the coalfields region.
actnowwv.org →
SolarJust Transition
Just Transition Center, Logan, WV
25,000 sq ft redevelopment of the old Miner's Academy in Logan, training biomanufacturers, technologists, solar installers, and green-collar contractors for a coal-to-clean workforce.
Brookings overview →
TechSolar
WVU-P Renewable Energy Programs
Continuing-education tracks in renewable energy and construction trades. A skills bridge for tradespeople moving into solar, wind, and energy-efficiency roles.
careertraining.wvup.edu →
Jobs Education Events Grants

03Events & Public Meetings

BTCCivic
Mountain State Freedom Tech (MSFT-WV)
Morgantown's Bitcoin and freedom-tech meetup, formerly HODL in the Holler, run by MØNTAN1 Consulting. Upcoming: "Code is not a Crime: Free Samourai" on June 11, 2026 at Short Story Brewing in Westover.
meetup.com/msft-wv →
BTC
Charleston Bitcoin Meetup
In-person meetup for Bitcoin enthusiasts, builders, and the curious in the Kanawha Valley. Lightning, sovereignty, custody, and policy talk over food.
meetup.com/charleston-bitcoin-meetup →
TechGov
WV Digital Government Summit
Annual statewide convening of state and local government leaders, sponsors, and technology partners. October 29, 2026 in Charleston.
events.govtech.com →
AIResearch
WVU AI Symposium
Annual research showcase covering dermatological AI analysis, anti-cancer peptide design, autonomous manufacturing algorithms, and broadband equity mapping for rural Appalachia.
hsc.wvu.edu →
Civic
Tucker United Events
Community potlucks, roundtables, and teach-ins on the Fundamental Data Ridgeline proposal. Open to the public; the group books presentations with churches and community organizations.
tuckerunited.com →
Civic
Tucker County Commission
Twice-monthly public meetings at the Tucker County Courthouse in Parsons. Public comment period included in every meeting; agendas published in advance.
tuckercountycommission.com/agendas →
Civic
Tucker County Development Authority
Third Thursday of every month, 6:00 PM at the NYSF Building (494 Riverstone Road, Davis). Economic-development decisions including data-center incentive discussions.
tuckerwv.com →
Jobs Education Events Grants

04Grants & Funding

AI
EDA AI Upskill Accelerator Pilot Program
$25M NOFO announced May 11, 2026 by the US Department of Commerce. Funds workforce training in in-demand AI skills critical to business outcomes. Apply at eda.gov/ai-upskill.
eda.gov press release →
Tech
EDA Good Jobs Challenge
$500M EDA program funding regional workforce training systems with deep employer partnerships in tech-based industries. Multi-year and renewable.
eda.gov →
Just Transition
ARC POWER Initiative
Appalachian Regional Commission funding for coal-impacted communities expanding into new sectors including clean energy, tech, and tourism. Annual application cycle.
arc.gov →
Just Transition
ARC WORC: Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities
ARC partners with the US Department of Labor on training and support for dislocated, new, and incumbent workers across rural Appalachia. Tracks include tech and clean energy.
arc.gov →
Gov
WV Grants Portal: ARC Federal Grant Program
State-administered intake for ARC funds. Applications run through WV's Office of Federal Grants Management; deadlines typically end of March each year.
grants.wv.gov →
Gov
WV Secretary of State: Funding & Grant Resources
Directory of state and federal funding for WV businesses, nonprofits, and local governments. Updated quarterly; bookmark this page for new tech and workforce RFPs.
sos.wv.gov →
AIResearch
WVU Strategic Compass Seed Innovation Fund
President Benson's seed funding for projects across education, discovery, health, and service. Open to interdisciplinary teams; AI and computational projects encouraged.
wvutoday.wvu.edu →
Jobs Education Events Grants