Founders

The Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC), Stafford County, and OST, Inc. (OST) are the Testbed’s founding partners. This public-private partnership makes up the Testbed Executive Committee.

The Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation

As part of the new Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority (VIPA), VIPC accelerates next generation technologies and technology companies through commercialization, capital formation, and market development initiatives. The VIPC Strategic Initiatives area focuses on defining and piloting emerging technology sectors that are important for economic growth in the Commonwealth. The Virginia Smart Communities Testbed is a key element of our Smart Communities initiatives, and provides a model and expertise for other communities seeking to adopt Smart Community technologies.

Stafford County, Virginia

Stafford is a smart place for innovation. Stafford will be the home for the development of smart and cyber technology in the Commonwealth and beyond. Smart Stafford will focus on improving the lives of our residents, businesses, and visitor experience. The Virginia Smart Community Testbed provides for technology that will nurture our diverse community. It will unlock critical new resources and foster business investments in Downtown Stafford. Learn more about Smart Stafford initiatives and Downtown Stafford.

OST

Based in McLean, VA, OST, Inc. (OST) is a systems integrator that has delivered innovative technology, project management, and consulting and engineering services for more than 20 years. Specializing in advanced technologies such as smart, cybersecurity, cloud, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), predictive analytics, and data visualization, OST consultants and engineers also optimize business processes and staffing to deliver a total business solution. As a strategic partner, OST provides systems integration services for Virginia Smart City Testbed (VSCT) in Stafford County, manages the Smart Airport Testbed at FAA’s Tech Center in Atlantic City, and supports federal, state and local contracts for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Energy (DOE), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (PA), District of Columbia (DC), and others.

Contact Us

The Virginia Smart Community Testbed team is available to discuss your technology project or idea.

Uma B. Marques

Uma B. Marques

Testbed Director, Virginia Smart Community Testbed

Uma brings over 28 years of technology experience, that spans for-profit, not-for-profit, entrepreneurial ventures and local government, to the Virginia Smart Community Testbed. Uma holds a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the College of Engineering, Anna University, India and Master’s degrees in Computer Engineering (Clemson University) and Technology Management (George Mason University).