George Mason University will rename its Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship to the Anil and Anupama Sharma Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, in honor of Northern Virginia entrepreneur Anil Sharma and his wife, Anupama Sharma, recognizing the couple’s commitment to education, entrepreneurship, and expanding opportunities for future generations.  The naming recognizes a philanthropic gift from the Sharmas that will help transform the center into a leading hub for innovation, entrepreneurship, and collaboration, strengthening the university’s role in supporting students, startups, and the region’s innovation economy, the school said on Thursday.

Anil Sharma is the CEO of 22nd Century Technologies, one of the nation’s largest privately held government contracting firms. Sharma came to the United States from India in 1997 with $100 and the determination to build a future in a new country, founding 22nd Century Technologies later that year. What started as a roughly $2 million IT consulting business has grown into a company with more than $400 million in revenue and over 6,000 employees, and more recent reporting puts the firm’s value at roughly $600 million with more than 6,500 employees, making it one of the most notable entrepreneurial success stories in the Indian American community. The company provides IT systems integration and software solutions primarily to the public sector, supporting the nation’s digital transformation and critical infrastructure.

The investment will enable the center to expand beyond individual programs—including the Patriot Pitch Competition, the Honey Bee Initiative, and the SOAR Initiative—to become an integrated platform that connects students, faculty, entrepreneurs, investors, and industry partners. University officials envision the center serving as a catalyst for innovation by fostering mentorship, collaboration, and the creation of new ventures that strengthen the regional economy.

*Information from The American Bazaar was used to help craft this bio.