They cashed in everything they had to start a business. No investors. No borrowed money. Then one of the world's largest investment banks came calling. Justin Askew and Stephanie McLane gambled on themselves and built AREMCO, a Virginia Beach-based company that now manages real estate assets nationwide and ranks No. 313 on the Inc. 5000. Today, they're chasing an even bigger goal: a $250 million company valuation. Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcas… Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/2EB… YouTube: youtu.be/7QEQi-EPevo?si=AyVz…

Ships can wait months on a single hard-to-source metal part. Portsmouth's Radian Forge prints them layer by layer with robotic welding, and Veteran Ventures Capital just led its $2.5M seed round to build more capacity. Why investors are betting on it: innovate757.org/2026/10/09/t…

The Navy's new Robotic and Autonomous Systems Warfighting Development Center, RASWDC, stood up Sept 24 at JEB Little Creek–Fort Story. Its job is to test autonomous systems across air, surface, and undersea, write the tactics, and train sailors to use them, right here in Hampton Roads. innovate757.org/2026/10/09/t…

Two weeks from today! 757 TechNite, presented by JPMorganChase, is Thursday, Oct 29, 5–8 PM at The Dome by Rutter Mills in Virginia Beach. Join the people building Hampton Roads' tech future for networking, the awards program, and a live set from Canaan Smith. Info and tickets: innovate757.org/757technite

Virginia opened a $9.9M Rural Health Tech Innovation Fund — grants $250K–$999,999 for technologies that help rural communities prevent and manage chronic disease. Applications close 5 PM on October 29. Hampton Roads innovators: this one's timed for you. innovate757.org/2026/10/09/v…

Portsmouth's Radian Forge just closed a $2.5M seed round led by Veteran Ventures Capital — robotic metal printing aimed at Navy and maritime parts that used to take months. Hampton Roads builds ships. Companies like this help keep them moving. innovate757.org/why-veteran-…

At 60, Marsha Hudgins thought she was headed toward retirement. Instead, she was about to take over a construction company in an industry where few people expected her to lead. Here's the rest of the story on E331 of the Fervent Four Show. Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcas… Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/5bL… YouTube: youtu.be/ytATNq-AsPc?si=xQWK…

A ship can wait months for one metal part. Portsmouth's Radian Forge wants to make it in days. Jeff Yeager's team prints metal parts for Navy, shipyard, and marine customers. In one case, an eye bolt that took a ladder out of service was scanned, modeled, printed, and replaced within days. "Fewer ships sitting still." innovate757.org/a-ship-can-w…

Where does research show up in daily life? William & Mary's Global Research Institute just gathered the first 17 Impact Fellows to help faculty and students take their work beyond campus. The fellows come from government, philanthropy, national labs, and private industry. Their job is to open doors to funders, partners, and strategy over the next year. "It turns out they don't teach you how to do that in professor school," said GRI Director Mike Tierney. news.wm.edu/moving-research-…

Innovation in Education finalists at 757 TechNite 2026, sponsored by Old Dominion University: The AI Collective Hampton Roads EdLogics Karen Sanzo, ODU Center for Educational Innovation and Opportunity WHRO Education The winner is named Thursday, Oct 29, at The Dome by Rutter Mills in Virginia Beach, 5–8 PM. Presented by JPMorganChase. Tickets and info: innovate757.org/757technite/

The next time you buy a beer or nachos at a stadium, there's a good chance Yellow Dog Software is working behind the scenes. The Norfolk company started in 2007 with $10,000. Its inventory software is now trusted by more than half of professional sports teams. After nearly 20 years of building, Yellow Dog has been acquired by Fraxion, and it will keep operating from its Norfolk office. innovate757.org/2026/10/06/y…

LG Electronics is building its first U.S. chiller plant in Isle of Wight County. The new HVAC assembly facility at Shirley T. Holland Intermodal Park will create 164 jobs with more than $63.9 million in capital investment. Its air-cooled chillers are aimed at rising cooling demand, including data centers. Production is scheduled to begin in the first half of 2027. sedc.org/news/lg-electronics…

Technical Achievement in Government finalists at 757 TechNite 2026, sponsored by Fulton Bank: City of Virginia Beach AI Operations Mid Atlantic Tech Bridge City of Chesapeake Information Technology The winner is named Thursday, Oct 29, at The Dome by Rutter Mills in Virginia Beach, 5–8 PM. Presented by JPMorganChase. Tickets and info: innovate757.org/757technite/

Brian Kelly led Tesla's global Vision Automation team. Now he's building in Virginia Beach. His company, Industrial Native, makes Flowtally. It uses cameras to read QR codes and barcodes and saves each scan with a photo and timestamp. Industrial Native received a $50,000 VIPC Launch Grant and is looking for pilot partners. innovate757.org/after-a-deca…

Alexis is a ball of energy in the greatest way possible. What a fun conversation! E330 dropped today! Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcas… Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/5qr… YouTube: youtu.be/KWRMQrd6E0U?si=KcyK…

Startup to Watch finalists at 757 TechNite 2026, sponsored by REaKTOR: Index Health Tech SalesE VroomBrick The winner will be announced Thursday, Oct 29, at The Dome by Rutter Mills in Virginia Beach, 5–8 PM. Presented by JPMorganChase. Congrats to the finalists! Tickets: bit.ly/2026757TechNiteTix

The most advanced AI data centers still move dirt with paper tickets. Williamsburg-based Iron Sheepdog is digitizing that layer, and CEO Mike Van Sickel breaks it down on Fervent Four. innovate757.org/news/the-dum…

Pitch Perfect #4 (our final one of the year) is next Wednesday, October 7, 6–8 PM. Sharpen your pitch before Start Peninsula Micro Pitch #4 on October 21. Workshop details: startpeninsula.com/pitch-per…

Williamsburg native and multiple number-one hit-recording artist Canaan Smith will perform live at 757 TechNite, presented by JPMorganChase, on Thursday, October 29, at The Dome in Virginia Beach. Awards, networking, and a live set. Tickets are at ti.to/innovate757/757technit…. Read more: innovate757.org/news/canaan-…