Ascend WV
Ascend WV is a non-profit talent attraction program that pays remote workers $12,000 to relocate to designated West Virginia communities, funded by a $25 million gift and administered with West Virginia University.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersMorgantown, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Ascend WV does
Ascend WV is a non-profit talent attraction program that pays remote workers $12,000 to relocate to designated West Virginia communities. The program was established with a $25 million gift from Brad D. and Alys Smith and operates in partnership with West Virginia University, which provides administrative infrastructure. Its product is a bundled relocation incentive package that includes the cash payment, co-working space access, free moving services, community ambassadorship, a Discovery Pass connecting participants to the state's outdoor recreation economy, and home-buying support through a Rocket Mortgage partnership. A parallel Ascend Heroes track extends eligibility to frontline workers with an additional $2,000 incentive.
The program currently operates across six West Virginia communities: Morgantown, New River Gorge, Elkins, Charleston, Greenbrier Valley, and Eastern Panhandle. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis with periodic application windows. To date, more than 600 participants have relocated through the program, originating from 38 states and five countries. The organization runs with approximately nine employees.
Ascend WV is entirely grant-funded and does not generate commercial revenue. Its economics are driven by the Smith family endowment, with per-participant incentive cost of $12,000 (plus $2,000 for Heroes participants) representing the dominant variable expense. The program competes in the broader landscape of state- and city-led remote worker attraction initiatives, including Tulsa Remote and Shovel Ready, and differentiates itself through the institutional backing of West Virginia University and the donor profile of its founder, the former CEO of Intuit. No AI/ML capabilities are evident in program design or delivery.
Ascend WV firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ascend WV
- Legal name
- Ascend WV
- Website
- https://ascendwv.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Ascend WV is a non-profit talent attraction program that pays remote workers $12,000 to relocate to designated West Virginia communities, funded by a $25 million gift and administered with West Virginia University.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ascend WV industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Remote Worker Talent Attraction Program
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Adult Skill-Building Expeditions & Courses (Leadership, Survival, Navigation) (THAAAOAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- College & Career Transition Services (Bridge Programs, Dual Enrollment Pathways) (EDAAABAK)
Keywords
Where Ascend WV is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Morgantown
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices6 records
Markets served
Ascend WV business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Others, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Government/Philanthropic Funding: Ascend WV is funded through a $25 million donation from Brad D. and Alys Smith to West Virginia University, creating the Brad & Alys Smith Outdoor Economic Development Collaborative. Additional funding from the State of West Virginia supports the program. The program does not generate revenue from participants - it is a talent attraction incentive program.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Monthly | $12,000 cash incentive paid over 24 months |
| Freemium | Multi-year contract | Free outdoor recreation package (valued at $2,500+) |
| Freemium | Multi-year contract | Free coworking space membership |
| Freemium | Multi-year contract | Free outdoor gear rentals |
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Rocket Mortgage 1% loan savings |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Ascend WV product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ascend WV is a non-profit talent attraction program that pays remote workers $12,000 over 24 months to relocate to designated mountain communities in West Virginia. The program bundles the cash incentive with free outdoor recreation experiences, free coworking space access, free gear rentals, social programming, professional development through WVU certifications, and a Homeownership Incentive that converts remaining payments into a lump sum when participants purchase a home. Ascend Heroes is a Veterans-focused sub-brand offering the same incentive package with Veteran-specific resources.
Product overview
Ascend WV is a remote work talent attraction program operated by West Virginia University's Brad & Alys Smith Outdoor Economic Development Collaborative in partnership with the West Virginia Department of Tourism. The program offers a single unified incentive package centered on the Ascend WV Program (which pays participants $12,000 over two years to relocate to designated West Virginia communities), with several integrated benefit modules including the Ascend Heroes Veteran-specific sub-brand, free outdoor recreation experiences, coworking space access, social programming, professional development courses, and a homeownership acceleration incentive. The program spans six mountain communities: Morgantown Area, Greenbrier Valley, Eastern Panhandle, New River Gorge, Greater Elkins, and Charleston Area. No technology platform, API, or SaaS product is offered.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Ascend WV Program Talent attraction program that pays remote workers $12,000 over 24 months to relocate to designated mountain communities in West Virginia. The package includes free outdoor recreation experiences, coworking space access, free gear rentals, social programming, and professional development through WVU certifications. Applicants must currently reside outside West Virginia, work for a company outside the state, verify remote employment, and relocate within six months of acceptance.
- Ascend Heroes Veterans-focused sub-brand of Ascend WV serving U.S. military Veterans of any branch, including National Guard and Reserves, with the same $12,000 relocation incentive plus Veteran-specific resources and community connections. Targets Veterans seeking purpose, community, outdoor recreation, and accessible healthcare in West Virginia.
- Homeownership Incentive Accelerated payment option within Ascend WV that converts remaining cash incentive installments into a lump sum when a participant purchases a home in a Featured Community during the program. Combined with the Rocket Mortgage exclusive 1% loan savings up to $10,000, this incentivizes homeownership for relocating remote workers.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 600 participants have joined the program
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Ascend WV
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Ascend WV technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Ascend WV partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Rocket MortgagecoreRocket Mortgage offers an exclusive 1% loan savings (up to $10,000) for Ascend WV participants purchasing homes. This partnership helps facilitate homeownership for program participants relocating to West Virginia, accelerating the lump-sum payment option for the $12,000 incentive.
- West Virginia UniversitycoreWVU administers the Ascend WV program through the Brad & Alys Smith Outdoor Economic Development Collaborative. The university provides professional development certifications (Remote Worker/Remote Manager Certification) through the John Chambers College of Business and Economics.
- West Virginia Department of TourismcoreThe Department of Tourism collaborates on program development and promotion, bringing the state's beloved #AlmostHeaven brand to attract remote workers.
- Central Van LinesminorCentral Van Lines offers moving services with extra care protection, full packing/unpacking services, long and short term storage options, auto transport, and special discounts for Ascend WV participants.
- WV Housing Development FundminorProvides homeownership programs and resources for first-time homebuyers in West Virginia to help Ascend WV participants find their dream home.
- Local CommunitiescoreSix featured communities (Morgantown, Greenbrier Valley, Eastern Panhandle, Greater Elkins, New River Gorge, Charleston Area) partner with Ascend WV to attract and support remote workers through local coordinators, ambassadors, and community events.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Ascend WV competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Tulsa Remote: Oklahoma-based state-level talent attraction program that pays remote workers to relocate to Tulsa. Most directly comparable to Ascend WV in incentive structure, applicant funnel, and economic-development mission.
- MakeMyMove: Aggregator platform that markets multiple state and city relocation-incentive programs (including Tulsa Remote and others) to remote workers. Directly competes for the same applicant pool Ascend WV targets.
- Choose Topeka: Greater Topeka Partnership program offering cash incentives and relocation support to remote workers moving to Topeka, Kansas. Closely mirrors Ascend WV's incentive-and-community-support model.
- Live + Work in Maine: State of Maine-led talent attraction initiative marketing Maine's lifestyle and remote-work opportunities to out-of-state remote workers. Competes with Ascend WV for the same demographic segment.
- Northwest Arkansas Council (NWA Remote): Northwest Arkansas Council's remote worker attraction program offering relocation incentives and community onboarding in the Bentonville/Fayetteville/Rogers region. Closely comparable lifestyle-and-incentive pitch.
- The Shoals (Alabama Mountain Lakes): Shoals-area economic-development program in northwestern Alabama marketing outdoor recreation, low cost of living, and community support to remote workers — very similar lifestyle-and-incentive value proposition to Ascend WV.
- Find Your Place Vermont: Vermont state program attracting remote workers and relocating professionals with incentives and lifestyle positioning. Competes head-to-head with Ascend WV in the lifestyle-relocation incentive category.
Emerging players
- Outsite: Coliving and coworking network for remote workers, offering curated stays in nature-oriented locations. Partial overlap with Ascend WV's outdoor/coworking proposition, though operating on a paid-stay model rather than incentive model.
Broad incumbents
- WeWork: Global coworking and flexible-office incumbent. Overlaps with Ascend WV only on the free coworking component but operates at vastly larger scale and as a commercial subscription model rather than a relocation incentive.
Others
- West Virginia Department of Tourism: Strategic ecosystem partner that co-promotes Ascend WV via the #AlmostHeaven brand and tourism assets. Not a competitor but a closely adjacent state organization whose funding/promotion is integral to Ascend WV's funnel.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Ascend WV social profiles
Digital presenceAscend WV financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ascend WV leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Ascend WV funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ascend WV M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ascend WV
What does Ascend WV do?
Ascend WV is a non-profit talent attraction program that pays remote workers $12,000 over 24 months to relocate to designated mountain communities in West Virginia. The program bundles the cash incentive with free outdoor recreation experiences, free coworking space access, free gear rentals, social programming, professional development through WVU certifications, and a Homeownership Incentive that converts remaining payments into a lump sum when participants purchase a home. Ascend Heroes is a Veterans-focused sub-brand offering the same incentive package with Veteran-specific resources.
Is Ascend WV a public or private company?
Ascend WV is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Ascend WV founded?
Ascend WV was founded in 2021.
Where is Ascend WV based?
Ascend WV is headquartered in Morgantown, United States, in the North America region.
How does Ascend WV make money?
One revenue line is on record: government/Philanthropic Funding.
Who are Ascend WV's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Tulsa Remote, MakeMyMove, Choose Topeka, Live + Work in Maine, Northwest Arkansas Council (NWA Remote), The Shoals (Alabama Mountain Lakes) and Find Your Place Vermont. Outsite is listed as an emerging player. WeWork is listed as a broad incumbent. West Virginia Department of Tourism is listed as an others.
Does Ascend WV have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ascend WV.
What industry is Ascend WV in?
Ascend WV's product category is Remote Worker Talent Attraction Program. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAAAOAC, Adult Skill-Building Expeditions & Courses (Leadership, Survival, Navigation), with a secondary code of EDAAABAK, College & Career Transition Services (Bridge Programs, Dual Enrollment Pathways). Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 7997.