Gov. Ralph Northam this week announced that Ridgeline International, Inc., a technology-based solutions provider for the federal government, commercial, and nonprofit sectors, will invest $1.75 million to expand its operation in Fairfax County.
The company will increase capacity to develop customized solutions that help its clients implement secure communications and guard against security threats, creating 162 new jobs.
“Virginia is home to the highest concentration of tech talent in the nation, which has helped fuel the impressive growth of Ridgeline International in our Commonwealth and globally,” said Governor Northam. “We salute Ridgeline International’s veteran-focused mission and innovative spirit and congratulate the company on the success that has led to this expansion in Fairfax County.”
Founded in 2015, Ridgeline International was started by a group of men and women who have cumulatively spent over half a century contributing to the United States national security mission. The company delivers integrated technology solutions and provides industry-leading training that enables clients to make technology work for them.
Additionally, Ridgeline anticipates future threats by building hardware and software, creating prototypes using 3D printing and engineering, and testing ideas using practical application. In 2019, Ridgeline trained over 1,000 people, deployed to more than 50 countries, and managed systems with more than 2,000 end-users. The company has grown from five employees in 2015 to more than 200 today, and over half of the people hired in 2019 were veterans. Ridgeline has won numerous awards, including being ranked one of America’s Fastest Growing Companies by The Financial Times and one of America’s Best Startup Employers by Forbes in 2020.
“Tech companies that require a workforce with advanced skills, cutting-edge infrastructure, and close proximity to the federal government continue to launch and expand in Virginia,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball. “Ridgeline International is a great success story for Fairfax County and the Commonwealth, and we are excited to support this next chapter of its growth.”
“To fulfill our mission, we need top talent in our workforce and a close read on our customers’ unique needs,” says Erik Wittreich, CEO of Ridgeline International. “Being headquartered in Virginia allows Ridgeline to tap a rich pipeline of highly qualified job applicants and gives us direct access to our target markets.”
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority to secure the project for Virginia and will support Ridgeline’s job creation through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program (VJIP), which provides consultative services and funding to companies creating new jobs in order to support employee recruitment and training activities. As a business incentive supporting economic development, VJIP reduces the human resource costs of new and expanding companies. VJIP is state-funded, demonstrating Virginia’s commitment to enhancing job opportunities for citizens.
“I am delighted to see Ridgeline International expanding in Fairfax County, and I thank its leaders for their investment here,” said Victor Hoskins, President and CEO of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority. “The company is a perfect fit for the mission-oriented IT ecosystem that thrives here and will benefit from the workforce that makes Northern Virginia and the Washington, D.C. area one of the largest hubs for tech talent.”
“We are proud to have Ridgeline International call Fairfax County its home,” said Senator Janet Howell. “I congratulate the company on its expansion. Ridgeline International’s entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to veterans is representative of what we are cultivating here in Fairfax County: small business growth, national security-focused innovation, and supporting those who served our country.”