Where is the world internet hub?

It is a ‘Megaregion’ located in Virginia, just south of Washington, D.C.

What’s a megaregion?

Cities around the world are learning that collaboration, not competition, drive scale and the economic success of nearby localities. In Virginia, RVA757 Connects has been advancing this practice for the Richmond (RVA) and Hampton Roads (757) regions. The result has put the I-64 Innovation Corridor on the map of America’s megaregions, 12 micro-economies that make up 70% of the U.S. population, jobs, and gross domestic product.

What and where is the I-64 Innovation Corridor?

The I-64 Innovation Corridor is an 8,000-square-mile contiguous region located 120 miles south of Washington D.C. Combined we are the size of the 19th largest U.S. metropolitan area. We’re home to over 3 million people and 1.5 million talented workers.

Our megaregion includes Richmond, Virginia’s state capital, and the Port of Virginia, the East Coast’s gateway for global trade. We also offer an amazing quality of life. Virginia is for lovers of arts, entertainment, history, nature, and active lifestyles.

How is the I-64 Innovation Corridor becoming a global Internet hub?

Global Internet experts tell us that we have the right ingredients.

While we’re a small U.S. megaregion, we’re making a big impact well beyond our geographic footprint. Thanks to the integration with DE CIX, we’re part of the largest interconnected digital ecosystem in North America, one that includes New York, Chicago, Dallas, and Phoenix. In 2 milliseconds, your data can reach from our megaregion to 80% of the U.S. population. On the eastern edge of our megaregion, coming ashore in Virginia Beach, are three subsea cables connecting the United States to Spain, France, Puerto Rico, and Brazil. These cables are three of the most modern, highest capacity routes in the world. A fourth cable, SEAx1, is currently under development and will be the first and only cable to directly connect the United States with South Africa.

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Click here to see the highlights of the I-64 Innovation Corridor Convergence 2021 event. Click here to see event photos.

Becoming the World’s Next Global Internet Hub

Why are Global Internet Hubs Important?

Global Internet Hubs around the world attract a growing level of business interest and investment.

The designation is a strong differentiator for regions, attracting companies that want to locate near the fastest and most reliable internet service.

This, in turn, attracts more tech and tech-adjacent talent, fueling a success cycle that positions these regions as a vital part of the world’s digital backbone.

The I-64 Innovation Corridor – an 8,000-square-mile megaregion that runs from Richmond to Hampton Roads – is well on its way to becoming a full-fledged Global Internet Hub.

This initiative will accelerate the I-64 Innovation Corridor’s ascendency to Global Internet Hub status.

What are Global Internet Hubs?

Internet hubs are a part of the internet's physical geography.

These hubs are physical locations where carrier networks, content delivery networks (CDNs), social networks, cloud services, hosting, gaming, and IT service providers choose to co-locate and interconnect, usually within a massive data center, called an internet exchange point or IXP, or within several data centers in the same metropolitan region via a cross connection. This ecosystem is supported by numerous technical service providers.

Today, most major cities have internet exchange locations, making them regional internet hubs.

Super large hubs, especially ones that are served by deep-sea cables, become known as and are officially designated as Global Internet Hubs.

Project Goals

The overarching goal of this initiative is to accelerate the I-64 Innovation Corridor in becoming an internationally recognized Global Internet Hub.

Pursuing this international Global Internet Hub recognition, however, is not for the designation itself but, rather, for what an advanced and growing world-class digital infrastructure will mean for the businesses, communities, and future equitable growth of Richmond’s and Hampton Roads’ economies.

Accomplishing these goals will ensure the megaregion has an actionable and achievable plan toward making Richmond and Hampton Roads the next Global Internet Hub.

This initiative will be transformative. A Global Internet Hub designation will be looked upon as a tipping point for the megaregion. It will become the digital backbone of our 21st century economy much like what Interstate 95 and Interstate 64 were to Virginia’s 20th century economy.

• Point to the types of investments already being made and planned.

• Profile the industries that will benefit the most from the growth of digital infrastructure and the new jobs that will come from increased digital infrastructure investment.

• Increase the actionable understanding of the I-64 Innovation Corridor’s growing digital infrastructure among key stakeholders - what this is all about and what it means for the future of the Richmond and Hampton Roads regions.

• Build relationships among Steering Committee members to leverage the growing digital infrastructure movement. Perhaps the Steering Committee evolves into an association.

• Provide a rational and pathway (with timing) on what needs to be done, who will fund it, and when it will be completed. Be specific: Compartmentalize the infrastructure to show all the components of open architecture. Detail specific investments needed most. Include what’s essential versus what isn’t.

• Provide information that supports the Commonwealth’s economic development team (Administration, VEDP, Hampton Roads Alliance, Greater Richmond Partnership, and local jurisdictions).

• Include an equity lens in all facets of this planning effort.

• Detail how investment and growth of the I-64 Innovation Corridor’s digital infrastructure will have compounding value for both the Richmond and Hampton Roads regions, not just support for other regions that may benefit from access to what we are building here. Stated another way: how does this create great jobs, equitable economy, and unprecedented quality of life for RVA’s and the 757’s generations to come?

The specific goals for this initiative center around what the strategic plan will deliver:

Becoming a Global Internet Hub doesn’t happen by accident. At Convergence 2021, an annual event hosted by ChamberRVA, the Hampton Roads Chamber, and RVA757 Connects, two digital infrastructure network experts shared insights on how Marseilles, France, became a Global Internet Hub by creating and following an intentional game plan – a 10-year strategic framework.

Here's how the I-64 Innovation Corridor will create a strategic plan to become a Global Internet Hub:

1. Establish a Steering Committee.

2. Conduct a comprehensive situation review and identify strategic action plans.

3. Hire top international consultants to help formulate key action plans.

4. Bring all action plans together in a comprehensive implementation plan.

5. Through every step, grow awareness, advance support, and increase engagement in becoming a Global Internet Hub.

Funders

Funding for the Global Internet Hub Strategic Plan initiative came from a $100,000 planning grant from GO Virginia Region 4 (Richmond) and Region 5 (Hampton Roads). Virginia Beach Economic Development is the grant signatory.

Matching dollars came from Dominion Energy, Henrico County, Virginia Beach, the Hampton Roads Alliance, Old Dominion University, and Dragonfli Group.