Microsoft announced in May 2020 that it would invest $64 million in a software development and R&D hub at Reston Town Center, creating 1,500 jobs. Photo rendering courtesy Microsoft Corp.
The coronavirus pandemic divided Loudoun County into two worlds in 2020 — tech and touch, says Buddy Rizer, the county’s executive director for economic development.
While the pandemic devastated in-person “touch” businesses such as restaurants, shops and service providers, Northern Virginia’s tech-related companies continued to forge new deals. The number of major announcements in Northern Virginia last year represents “votes of confidence in our future,” says Julie Coons, president and CEO of the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce.
Much of Northern Virginia prospered despite the pandemic because “the federal government continues to need partners,” Coons says.
