Virginia Biosciences Health Research Corporation (VBHRC), known as Virginia Catalyst, is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation funded by the Virginia General Assembly’s general fund and seven of Virginia’s research universities. The organization has now awarded 24 grants totaling $10 million, combined with $20 million in matching funds, which financed the achievement of meaningful milestones. This then resulted in follow-on funding of an additional $80 million and the creation of high-paying jobs throughout the Commonwealth. Virginia Catalyst's mission is to advance life sciences throughout Virginia to meet large unmet medical needs, improve human health, and create high-paying jobs in Virginia. Virginia Catalyst provides non-dilutive grant funding where two or more of Virginia's research universities collaborating together with an industry partner create solutions to meet large unmet medical needs in areas where Virginia can be a national and global leader. Virginia Catalyst also is home to and created the Virginia Neuroscience Initiative (VNI), a statewide collaborative coalition of our research universities and health systems to provide strategy, infrastructure, and research tools. Capitalizing on our Commonwealth's combined strength, expertise, and resources in the neuroscience field, this initiative will lead to increased funding from government, private equity, philanthropy, and corporate sponsors. Our goal is to create an environment that fosters collaborative relationships, which creates a competitive critical mass enabling Virginia to be a national and global leader in the neurosciences. We aspire to become the "Brain State." Website: http://www.virginiacatalyst.org VNI Twitter: @VirginiaNeuro VNI Facebook: www.facebook.com/VirginiaNeuro