• E-Newsletter

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United Airlines to Open New Inflight Training Center in Fairfax County

United Airlines is set to open a new 20,000-square-foot state-of-the-art Inflight Training Center in Fairfax County near Washington Dulles International Airport. Anticipated to open in 2025, the training center will be equipped with classrooms, mock airplane cabins and aircraft door training stations to simulate evacuations and other emergency situations.

“We are excited and honored that United has chosen to locate their new, state-of-the-art training facility in Fairfax County,” said Victor Hoskins, president and CEO of Fairfax County Economic Development Authority. “We look forward to continuing to support United in their growth journey as they ramp up their efforts to upskill, reskill and train the talent pool of the future.”

The new training center will accommodate the recurrent training needs of United’s flight attendants supporting the airline’s operations at IAD, Reagan National Airport and BWI Marshall Airport.

United is the largest carrier by passenger count out of IAD, where it operates more than 200 flights daily to nearly 100 destinations. This upcoming facility is yet another example of the airline’s commitment to provide the latest and most modern training resources and support. Washington Business Journal has more.

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Register Now! The World Gathers for Quantum World Congress in Tysons Sept. 9-11

Registration is open for the third annual Quantum World Congress, set for September 9-11, 2024, at Capital One Hall in Tysons, Virginia. Quantum World Congress (QWC) is a premier global conference, exposition, and networking event that unites quantum technology visionaries, policymakers, researchers, business and investment leaders, educators, and students from around the world to explore the latest advancements in quantum solutions, research, workforce development, policy, and investment.

Click here for more information and registration.

With Fairfax County Economic Development Authority as a Founding Sponsor, Quantum World Congress is presented by the Potomac Quantum Innovation Center, an initiative of Connected DMV, in collaboration with the Quantum Economic Development Consortium and the Quantum Industry Coalition. This year’s event will continue to leverage the growing quantum ecosystem in the Greater Washington region, underscoring its proximity to federal government resources and its role as a premier global hub for quantum talent, innovation, and economic development.

This year’s theme, “Convergence,” focuses on exploring the value at the intersection of quantum technologies and adjacent fields such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, photonics, optics, and cryogenics. QWC 2024 will showcase cutting-edge advancements, address critical challenges, and explore opportunities for commercialization and global cooperation. Through a diverse array of major industry and government announcements, presentations, panels, fireside chats, and networking sessions, QWC aims to catalyze innovation and foster global partnerships that will shape the quantum landscape for years to come.

Click here to see the full Quantum World Congress program, including the list of speakers and event sessions.

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Celebrating Black Business Month

Fairfax County is home to the largest number of minority-, woman- and veteran-owned employer firms in Virginia and the Washington, D.C,. region. Black Americans own 16,891 employer and non-employer businesses in Fairfax County according to NES-D statistics (2021). In Fairfax County, there are 891 Black-owned employer businesses, with 14,217 employees and a $684 million payroll.

FCEDA’s Business Diversity Division offers to a wide range of free services to help budding entrepreneurs launch and grow their businesses. We can help you with:

• Start-Up and Technical Assistance
• Funding Resource Identification
• Workforce Development Tools
• Site Location Assistance
• Demographic and Business Data
• Score Business Mentoring
• Procurement Academy
• Govcon Market Positioning
• Certification Assistance
• Networking Opportunities

Ready to learn more? Join us at the next Entrepreneurship 101: Starting A Business in Fairfax County workshop on September 4, 2024. Act fast as spaces are limited! The bi-monthly workshop is intended for start-up entrepreneurs who want to launch or grow a business in Fairfax County. The topics that will be covered, during this interactive workshop, include doing business in Fairfax County, business registration, business and property taxes, financing programs, licensing and certifications, local, state, and federal business resources, and other general topics related to starting and growing a business. The workshop is free however registration is required. Click here for more information and to register.

Northern Virginia Black Chamber of Commerce

The Northern Virginia Black Chamber of Commerce, a partner organization of the FCEDA, is a nonpartisan, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization committed to the growth and development of its member partners and those businesses that wish to partner with them. The Chamber’s goal is to facilitate the economic empowerment of black-owned businesses in Northern Virginia and the success and development of the region. Visit www.northernvirginiabcc.org to learn more.

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Weekly Business News Digest

Rise and shine: Brookfield Properties sold a recently constructed apartment building with a ground-floor Wegmans in Reston, part of the real estate giant’s master-planned development known as Halley Rise, for $133 million, Washington Business Journal reported in subscriber content. The Edmund, a five- to seven-story, 353-unit multifamily building at 2025 Fulton Place, constructed in 2021, traded hands on July 30. The buyer was an affiliate of Norfolk, Virginia-based Harbor Group International. The residences at The Edmund were the first to come online at Halley Rise, steps from the Reston Town Center Metro station. Altogether, the building weighs in at about 336,000 square feet and sits on roughly 4.2 acres. At buildout, Halley Rise, encompassing 36 acres, is planned to comprise roughly 1.9 million square feet of office space, 1,600 residential units, 240,000 square feet of retail and 5 acres of public open space. It’s one of the largest projects underway in Northern Virginia.

Hail to the Commanders at Northwest Stadium: The Washington Commanders have a new name for their stadium, reported ESPN. The team secured an eight-year naming rights deal with Herndon-headquartered Northwest Federal Credit Union, and their home will now be called Northwest Stadium. Northwest Federal Credit Union president & CEO Jeff Bentley said in a statement: “We look forward to ensuring that Northwest Stadium is an impactful place where we rally together over our common love of football, giving back to the community, and creating memorable experiences that last a lifetime.”

Strategic partnership: Tysons-based Guidehouse, a global consulting company, and Sweden-based Hexagon, a digital reality services company, that bases its U.S. Federal Headquarters in Chantilly, have entered into a partnership with the aim of improving in a holistic manner the ability of customers in the government to manage the lifecycle of their assets, thereby improving operational efficiency, transparency and performance, according to ExecutiveBiz. Chris O’Brien, partner and head of the energy, sustainability, and infrastructure segment of Guidehouse, said “This new partnership with Hexagon represents a significant step forward in our commitment to delivering innovative solutions to the public sector. Combining Hexagon’s cutting-edge technology with Guidehouse’s expertise in public-sector consulting, we aim to deliver comprehensive solutions that solve complex challenges for government agencies to support the entire lifecycle of their assets.”

Frontier expansion: Low-cost carrier Frontier Airlines will return to Washington Dulles International Airport this fall for the first time in years, launching service to two southern destinations already served by rivals Delta and United. The Denver-based carrier announced Tuesday that it will begin service from Dulles (IAD) to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) in Atlanta and Orlando International Airport (MCO) on Nov. 14, according to Washington Business Journal.

Accommodating growth: Raphael Bellum PLLC, a boutique intellectual property law firm located at 3190 Fairview Park Drive in Falls Church, has relocated to accommodate its recent merger with another law firm. Represented by Ethos Tenant Company, Raphael Bellum was seeking to right-size their footprint to accommodate growth and strategize their real estate space needs, citybiz reported.

Change of hands: Tysons-based B&A, the federal IT integrator also known as Bart & Associates, is changing hands from one private equity owner to another following three years of being held by its now-former backer, reported Washington Technology. DFW Capital Partners has purchased B&A from Battle Investment Group and undertaken a recapitalization of the company as well. In B&A’s new announcement, the company said it would look to DFW for support on the hiring and talent fronts. B&A also touted DFW’s experience in providing financial, business development and strategic planning resources needed for scaling.

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Contract Wins

V2X (Tysons) secured a $747 million contract to ensure the operational readiness of F-5 Adversary aircraft of the U.S. Navy. GovConWire

Serco (Herndon) obtained a $323 million contract to manage the facility repairs and upgrades to a power plant at Pituffik Space Base in Greenland in support of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Space Force missions. ExecutiveBiz

Northrop Grumman (Falls Church area) booked a $200.2 million contract from the U.S. Space Force to build the second site for a radar capability designed to facilitate object detection and tracking in geosynchronous orbit to provide space domain awareness for the U.S. military and its allies. GovConWire

Maximus (Tysons) won a $20 million contract from the Office of Personnel Management to provide customer service support for the Postal Service Health Benefits Program. ExecutiveBiz

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September 4, 2024 — Entrepreneurship 101: Starting A Business in Fairfax County. The Entrepreneurship 101 workshop is intended for start-up entrepreneurs who want to launch or grow a business in Fairfax County. The topics that will be covered, during this interactive workshop, include doing business in Fairfax County, business registration, business and property taxes, financing programs, licensing and certifications, local, state, and federal business resources, and other general topics related to starting and growing a business. The workshop is free however registration is required. Click here for more information and to register.

September 11, 2024 — The Dulles Airport Job & Career Fair. Come meet a diverse group of employers located at Washington Dulles International Airport hiring for full and part-time career opportunities. Click here for more information and to register.

October 23-24, 2024 — Accelerate Investor Conference. This venture and startup conference showcases the Virginia, Maryland, and Metro DC region as a powerhouse for innovation and business opportunities. Registration is open. Click here for more information and to register.

October 29, 2024 — NVTC Cyber Summit and Cyber50 Awards. NVTC’s Cyber Summit and Cyber50 awards will highlight the latest cybersecurity trends, technologies, and federal policies and gathers the best and brightest minds in the cyber and national security sectors. Click here to register.

Fairfax County EDA is here to connect businesses of all kinds to resources and information. For direct assistance, email the FCEDA at info@fceda.org, or call 703-790-0600. If you have company news or announcements to share, email FCEDA at News@fceda.org.