More than $3.7 million in congressionally directed spending has been designated to four specific projects in the City of Roanoke, including $1 million for the City of Roanoke’s biotech incubator project. “These critical investments in our community support economic growth and development in the City of Roanoke and create opportunities for our residents to thrive,” said City Manager Valmarie Turner.
The funded projects include: Goodwill Industries of the Valleys: $1.8 million to develop a new career center at Melrose Plaza in the City of Roanoke; Roanoke Biotechnology Ecosystem Equipment Essential (Project RBE): $1million for specialized biotechnology equipment to lower the barrier of entry for small businesses in the health and life sciences sector; Greater Roanoke Workforce Development Board: $737,000 to expand youth registered apprenticeship opportunities; and Bradley Free Clinic: $167,000 to expand access to behavioral health services.
As part of the fiscal year 2026 appropriations process, funding requests were submitted through the offices of Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine. The City of Roanoke’s Department of Economic Development submitted the $1 million funding request for Project RBE to purchase specialized scientific equipment to attract businesses in the health and life sciences sector to Roanoke.
This round of funding follows $15.7 million of Virginia state funding that the City of Roanoke received in 2023 to renovate a Carillion Clinic-owned building at 1030 South Jefferson Street into a 40,000 square foot biotech incubator hub offering shared lab, office, and meeting space. In 2024, Roanoke received an additional $4 million to further renovate the building and create wet and dry lab spaces for a cell and gene therapy company.
“Receiving this level of federal funding demonstrates the strength of this project and the future of biotechnology as an industry poised for significant growth in Roanoke,” said Marc Nelson, Director of Economic Development. “Thanks to partnerships with Carillion Clinic, the Roanoke Blacksburg Innovation Alliance, and Virginia Tech, Roanoke is uniquely positioned to emerge as a regional hub for biotechnology, creating new jobs and serving as an economic engine.”
Currently, researchers at state institutions who want to develop a spin-off company are not allowed to use state-funded laboratories to work on their businesses. The Roanoke biotech incubator positions Roanoke to support these new businesses, which otherwise would have to leave the region.
