Microsoft helping build Innovation Hub in South Boston, first new building in 40 years

SOUTH BOSTON, Va. (WSET) -- Microsoft is helping bring an Innovation Hub to South Boston.

The Mid-Atlantic Broadband Communities Corporation (MBC) and Microsoft announced a partnership to build the SOVA Innovation Hub in southern Virginia on Monday.

MBC will invest over $5 million to build the SOVA Innovation Hub, which will be located in downtown South Boston to help meet its growing need for office space.

Microsoft, through its TechSpark initiative, will use the space to encourage innovation and spur economic opportunities in the region.

The facility will also bring together local non-profit organizations from throughout southern Virginia, to offer impactful programming for digital skills education and workforce training. The 15,000 square foot, two-story SOVA Innovation Hub is the first new building to be built in the downtown South Boston in over 40 years.

Microsoft will utilize the SOVA Innovation Hub as a base for its TechSpark Virginia efforts.

In addition to offering access to technology, it will use the center as a convening space to leverage regional partnerships to offer programming, workshops and events that encourage entrepreneurism and expand digital skills and career pathways in the area.

Southern Virginia is one of the six TechSpark regions across the U.S. chosen for the program to foster job creation and economic opportunity by focusing on computer science education and digital skills, career pathways, digital transformation, support of nonprofits and rural broadband access.