CCI Innovation Programs

The CCI Innovation Boot Camp

During the workshop, undergraduate and graduate students attending Virginia public institutions of higher education are split-up into teams to converge on real-world problems. They're guided by experienced entreprenuers, which enables students to talk with and learn from real people about their pain points and desired outcomes, essential elements of rigorously assessing and prioritizing mission-critical problems.

At the end of the Boot Camp, students understand a common framework and language for innovation, as well as its practical application, so they can employ the most basic methods to validate a problem and explore solutions in an accountable way.

Innovation Bootcamp Event Page Archive

Coastal Virginia Cyber INNOVATE Cyber Challenge   

COVA CCI developed a cyber innovation challenge encouraging student teams from the regional institutions to design a product or solution to a cyber challenge. Student teams work under the supervision of node faculty trained in innovation and design thinking. Launched this spring, the program allows students to engage in a virtual environment to practice what they have learned within a real-world, work-based setting.

The students, selected from Old Dominion, Christopher Newport University, ECPI, Norfolk State University, the College of William & Mary and Tidewater Community College, worked in five separate teams on cyber-related products or solutions for business and institutional partners. Each team was provided a challenge to work toward the delivery of a cyber-related product or solution. Project topics included Disrupting Financial Incentives; High School Cybersecurity; Preventing Data Breaches; CVC Student Association; and Communicating "What Is Cybersecurity."

Tech Transfer, Patent, and Proof of Concept Funding 

Nodes across the CCI Network are investing in patent protection, proof of concept, and other technology transfer support. Totalling nearly $300,000, these investments will accelerate commercialization of cyber technologies developed at Virginia’s public institutions of higher education.

Central Virginia Entrepreneurs in Residence

University of Virginia and Virginia Commonwealth University have engaged cyber-focused Entrepreneurs in Residence to discover technologies with commercial potential and to help guide these technologies towards CCI resources as well as translational resources available outside the CCI system.

Innovation Commercialization Assistance Program Expansion

The Northern Virginia Node is expanding the ICAP program, supported by George Mason University, to accelerate cyber security startups creation and promote cyber technology commercialization. Supported by CCI, ICAP will deliver cyber focused cohorts in the CCI Northern Virginia Node.

Cyber Dashboard for Southwest Virginia

The Valleys Innovation Council (VIC) has created a dashboard in several focus areas, including the Innovation Creation Dashboard, which captures research and development funding; the STEM-H Talent Dashboard, which highlights degrees in science, technology, engineering, math and health; and the Capital Ecosystem Dashboards, which provides a capital ecosystem landscape report of GO Virginia Region 2. All of this supports the regional innovation ecosystem. In collaboration with the Southwest Virginia node of CCI, VIC will design a Cyber Dashboard focusing on the southwest region of the Commonwealth. This will serve as a resource and point of entry for those not yet familiar with the cyber landscape of this geographic region.

Colliders, Summits, and Showcases

Several CCI Nodes are planning technology summits and showcases to support regional economic development and cyber technology commercialization. These events will bring together industry and thought leaders to engage in conversations at the intersection of technology, research, regulation, policy, and economic growth. They also provide forums for students, researchers, and faculty to expose their discoveries to leaders from business and venture capital communities.