Instant Systems
by Eric J. Wallace If you aren’t a medical industry insider, you’ve probably never heard the name Instant Systems. Products from the Norfolk-based design and manufacturing company aren’t prominently displayed on pharmacy shelves or in hospitals. They don’t take center stage in TV or social media ads—yet Instant Systems has played a vital role in […]
Hampton Roads DevFest
by Ernie Smith Hampton Roads DevFest highlights the rise of AI—and the challenges of building a local tech community. If you found yourself at the Hampton Roads DevFest back in February, you likely spotted a couple key themes throughout the event. First, AI was everywhere, naturally. (A highlight was solutions architect Tim Banks explaining the […]
Perspectives from Around the Region: Skilled Trades
The skilled trades gap has become one of the most pressing workforce challenges facing our region’s economy. Critical sectors, from construction and maritime to healthcare, and advanced manufacturing, depend upon a steady pipeline of highly trained workers. To better understand the issue, we asked leaders from industry, education, and workforce development to weigh in on […]
An Investment in Rural Health Care
by Brandy Centolanza Smithfield and Isle of Wight County had more to celebrate than just the opening of a medical facility when the new Riverside Smithfield Hospital began treating patients in January. Residents of the rural community now have quicker and easier access to health care for the first time, which is promising in an […]
The Peninsula Is Cooler Than You Think
Story & Photos by Beth Hester The Road Trippers Bob McKenna, President & CEO, Virginia Peninsula Chamber Caroline Branch, Marketing Manager, Virginia Peninsula Chamber Beth Hester, Managing Editor, CoVaBIZ Leona Baker, Editor-in-Chief, Coastal Virginia Magazine & CoVaBIZ Stephanie Heinatz, Founder, Consociate Media If you detected the strong scent of burning rubber on May […]
Vibe Coding for Business: Creativity or Chaos?
Catching The Right Vibes It’s now possible to build entire apps, to exacting specifications, without even touching code, using artificial intelligence. But is vibe coding worth the risks? For those not familiar with the term, “vibe coding” is a new AI-centric approach to app development that leans into large language models (LLMs) to, according to […]
Tech Transformation Spurs Job Reskilling
The distribution center at Sumitomo Drive Technologies’ Americas headquarters in Chesapeake is about to get a major upgrade. A $9.3 million investment in state-of-the-art technology from pioneering warehouse optimization, design and automation firm, Swisslog, will convert a 27,000-square-foot inventory picking zone into an ultra-efficient auto-store with a footprint that’s nearly four times smaller. “Right now, […]
Business Beyond Borders
by Eric J. Wallace In just four months, the second Trump administration has enacted sweeping international business and trade policies that have scrambled global economic systems. Seesawing, often arbitrary tariffs or tariff threats, and actions such as pausing enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), which prohibits U.S. individuals and companies from bribing foreign […]
A Sanctuary for Life’s Final Chapter
By Grace Silipigni | Photos By Beth Hester Limited access to hospice-specific care facilities has remained an issue in Coastal Virginia for decades. According to a regional survey, the area is deficient in more than 40 hospice beds, leaving dozens of individuals transitioning from standard medical support to around-the-clock hospice care to seek help in […]
Seeking a Cure
by Kristen De Deyn Kirk Shawn Avery, president and CEO of Hampton Roads Workforce Council, doesn’t yet know the exact healthcare gaps his new Hampton Roads Partnership for Health Sciences will fill. He’s also not sure of Coastal Virginia’s most pressing medical staff needs. That data will come soon enough. In the meantime, Avery’s confident […]