Your New Beginning Starts Here

Portsmouth businesses employ some of the highest skilled and well-educated workforce in the Hampton Roads region. Recent business development has put Portsmouth on the map for growth in technology and higher education. Businesses that need to move goods and services will find an extensive and convenient infrastructure. From container terminals, railroad access, and centralized interstate connectivity, Portsmouth keeps businesses connected. Portsmouth also offers diverse community-focused experiences centered in history, culture, and recreation. This dynamic metropolitan area provides residents and businesses robust districts with access to premier amenities.

Median Income

Median Income

While focusing on attracting projects with new positions and expanding existing business opportunities, Portsmouth also focuses on upskilling residents to continue impacting quality of life factors such as income.

Business Community

Business Community

Small business is truly the backbone of Portsmouth – with locally owned and operated organizations ranging from home-based to brick-and-mortar, there is a place for your business in our ecosystem.

Incentives

Incentives

Over the past five years, Portsmouth Economic Development has connected our new and existing businesses with approximately $2 million in local, state, and regional incentives.

What We Offer

SmartStart Business Guide

Starting or moving your business can be an overwhelming task and we’re here to help make sure you start smart. We’ve compiled many of the resources, steps, processes, and points of contact that you’ll need to hit the ground running in our SmartStart Business Guide. This handy resource will help you build your plan for getting launched in Portsmouth.

Financial Resources

We know that starting or moving a business can be an expensive process and we want to make sure you are connected with all of the resources you qualify for. Our team can help you with grant and incentive applications, introduce you to banking resources, and sign you up for training on becoming financially ready.

Workforce Development

Whether you are looking to develop internal talent or build a talent pipeline of professionals ready to hit the ground running, our workforce development program can help. From apprenticeships to entrepreneurship training to basic digital literacy skills, Portsmouth@Work has what you need to invest in your workforce.

Testimonials

Lineage Logistics

Lineage Logistics

Facility Opened Sept. 2021

Lineage Logistics (formerly Preferred Freezer) underwent a national search for a location that provided the Port proximity and robust infrastructure needed to expand their cold storage offerings. The state-of-the-art, fully automated facility is 212,000 square feet and represents an $84 million investment. The Lineage Portsmouth Facility is directly adjacent to the Port of Virginia and has introduced 60+ highly paid positions.

Strategic Partners

VEDP

VEDP

VEDP is the state development arm created by the General Assembly to encourage, stimulate, and support the development and expansion of the Commonwealth's economy.

  • Encourage exports of Virginia’s products and services
  • Assist in formulating Virginia’s economic development strategies
  • Administer state-level incentive programs
  • Over 20 different incentive and grant programs
Alliance 1

The Alliance

The Alliance are our regional development partners that help facilitate:

  • Targeted marketing and promotion of the Hampton Roads region to investors and companies, including travel opportunities
  • Act as an intermediary point of contact and liaison for companies and coordinators
  • Ongoing partnerships between inward and local companies
  • Policy advocacy towards cities, region and Commonwealth government authorities
  • The Alliance represents 11 Hampton Roads localities; 9 cities and 2 counties
Port

The Port of Virginia

Portsmouth is home to two of the Port of Virginia’s facilities, Virginia International Gateway (VIG) and Portsmouth Marine Terminal. The Port is a large partner of the City’s and helps to drive the maritime & logistics industry forward through continual advancement and investment.

  • In 2018, the Port of Virginia saw 2.85 million TEUs
  • In 2019, they completed a $320 million expansion of VIG which now features the largest cranes on the East Coast