About me
Joe Benevento serves as President and CEO of the Virginia Innovation Partnership, which operates as Virginia’s designated statewide economic development authority responsible for advancing innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystems, university research and technology commercialization, and early-stage startup and investment growth throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. During Mr. Benevento’s leadership tenure, Virginia has been ranked Top 10 State in the nation for Technology & Innovation by CNBC – for the first time ever – as well as Top 10 State in the country for access to capital and venture capital investment by CNBC and NVCA, respectively, while sustaining state record-high growth for the launch of new high-growth/high-wage startup companies in Virginia. Mr. Benevento serves on the Board of Directors for a variety of industry organizations throughout Virginia including Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC), Alliance for BuildingBetter Medicine (ABBM), Virginia Alliance for Semiconductor Technology (VAST), and VirginiaSpace Grant Consortium (VSGC). Mr. Benevento began his career in the business sector at Goldman Sachs and THL Partners and brings 20 years of experience across strategy and operations, direct investment and fund management, and economic development and public/private partnerships spanning early-stage startups, small-/mid-size companies, and Fortune 500 corporations. Mr. Benevento holds a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Applied Economics and Management from Cornell University and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Harvard Business School. Mr. Benevento has twice been named one of Virginia’s Top 500 leaders by Virginia Business as well as a Tech Titan by Washingtonian Magazine. In 2025, Mr. Benevento was selected for Virginia Business inaugural C-Suite Awards honoring top executives in Virginia who exemplify integrity, innovation and impact.
