GENEDGE VSMA Accelerator Program
GENEDGE VSMA Accelerator Program
Empowering Virginia’s Manufacturing Future
The Virginia Smart Manufacturing Accelerator (VSMA) is committed to transforming the manufacturing landscape in Virginia.
It uses a variety of technologies to coordinate physical and digital processes within factories and across the manufacturing supply chain.
SM technologies include:
SM’s goal is to identify opportunities for automating operations and use data analytics to improve manufacturing performance. Smart manufacturing solutions use artificial intelligence and machine learning to contextualize information and provide actionable insights.
This allows manufacturers to:
GENEDGE was awarded $2.6 million including cost share to start up the Virginia Smart Manufacturing Accelerator (VSMA) by the DOE Office of Manufacturing & Supply Chains through one of 12 grants across the US to build capacity and capability to commercialize adoption of Smart Manufacturing at Small
and mid-sized manufacturing companies.
Our program, started in April 2024, is a collaborative effort with partners including Old Dominion University (ODU), Virginia State University (VSU), George Mason University (GMU), and Virginia Tech (VT). Together, we are developing comprehensive services, workforce pipeline curriculums, and workshops to support the manufacturing base in Virginia.
We will deploy and deliver Smart manufacturing tech workforce training and upskilling workshops and webinars; to upfit apprenticeship programs with Smart manufacturing curriculums; to support an increased number of high quality, well paid jobs being created or retained via the accelerated deployment of SMT capabilities to SMMs across the Commonwealth.
GENEDGE will work with partners, engineering and engineering technology students, faculty, private sector companies and entrepreneurs, and VCCS campuses to help industry across VA reduce operational costs, improve new product speed to market, reduce carbon footprints, and enhance top line growth and profitability. Academic partner students will participate in career enhancing training and field work using traditional and smart manufacturing technology tool-sets.
VSMA shares training facilities and a high-bay advanced manufacturing laboratory located within the GENEDGE complex on the New College Institute (NCI) campus in Martinsville, Virginia.
