MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The history of innovation in West Virginia that includes the accomplishments of Chuck Yeager, the PRT and disruptive tech entrepreneurs is all part of the winning formula to convince the leaders of Virgin to land here.
The executive director of Vantage Ventures, Sarah Biller, credits state, federal and local elected officials as well as key leaders from state departments for making the case.
“Reaching into our private sector partners to bring them to the table, helping Virgin Hyperloop see West Virginia has a very rich and deep history of innovation,” Biller said. “In this case, manufacturing capabilities.”
Virgin executives were also introduced to WVU staff and faculty who presented a deep well of knowledge and access to data and information about how the Hyperloop will operate, change society and everyday life, according to Biller.
“We had an intersection of unique and complementary skills in several engineering and human health dynamics,” Biller said. “And understanding how humans behave in arguably will be a very complex transportation system.
Virgin officials intend to achieve regulatory approval to transport cargo and humans by 2025 and establish the first commercial routes by 2030.
The certification center will include a six-mile test track, a manufacturing center for materials along with training, operational and safety-all unique to a system that will transport people and cargo at up to 700-miles-per-hour.
“Upon certification, they intend to bring from all over the world to West Virginia,” Biller said,” To understand how to operate, maintain and ensure the ongoing safety of an ongoing certification center.”
The certification center will include a welcome center for tourists to understand the technology and how it impacts behavior and the world economy. Additionally, Biller says educational opportunities will likely rival any hands-on learning offered by the university.
“Experiential learning, to actually envision themselves, like I care about- as entrepreneurs,” Biller said. ” And see these people that are actually building the next innovative form of transportation we’ll see in the next century.”
Likewise, some Virgin executives are scheduled to begin providing some lectures to WVU students. Next week, executives from Virgin Hyperloop civil engineering will address students at the Benjamin Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources.
For West Virginia, Biller insists this is a win for the present and future growth opportunities for all West Virginians.
“It should be very clear to all of us that this was an opportunity that involved WVU at its heart, the academics and community,” Biller said,” But, also the public and private sector in West Virginia that came together to make this a reality.”
Groundbreaking for the $500 million project on 800 acres in Grant and Tucker counties is scheduled for this spring.