Unlocking Opportunities in the Industrial Innovation Economy for West Virginia and Western Pennsylvania

<p dir="ltr">This discussion paper synthesizes expert input collected during stakeholder workshops in 2025 to identify barriers limiting the ability of the western Pennsylvania and West Virginia region to lead in advanced manufacturing and energy. Part of the activities of the Resilient Energy Technology and Infrastructure (RETI) consortium’s Policy Council, this effort aims to determine which policy and system-level initiatives can best leverage local assets, such as universities and startups with expertise in AI, robotics, manufacturing, and energy research to drive economic growth. The paper concludes with a comprehensive table of recommendations to overcome barriers and strengthen the regional innovation ecosystem. The workshops and paper were  supported by the RETI consortium, which is led by West Virginia University, the University of Pittsburgh, and Carnegie Mellon University.</p>