The White House, Smithsonian, politics and the government, all things that make one think about Washington, DC. Known as a city for politicians, power brokers, and business professionals, it’s no wonder why so many people don’t think about Washington and its startup ecosystem. With hundreds of active angel investors, a high concentration of engineers and people with advanced degrees nationally, and a metro area in the top 5 in the nation for venture capital; Washington DC should be on your radar as your next startup’s destination.
There are
well over 1,000 companies raising capital within Washington, DC right now. As
DC has grown, the startup space has continued to expand alongside it. With the
large number and depth of different corporations that call DC home, there is no
lack of verticals for startups to pursue and contribute to. Some great
verticals within Washington, DC include: Compliance management, DC has one of
the highest concentrations of compliance experts in the country; Hospitality
and green tourism, DC is headquarters to Hilton, Marriott, and Choice Hotels; Geospatial
technology, DC has over 15,000 imagery and geospatial analysts with the NGA
supporting contractors; and Cyber Security, DC and the surrounding MD and VA
areas are home to several military bases and cyber-security companies. There
are already hundreds of startups that got the memo and realize these are all
great verticals to make an impact within.
A few
notable startups include: Social Tables, a platform focused on helping hotels
increase their return on meeting spaces. Teranga, a mobile and cloud-based
application helping hotels increase revenue while reducing operational costs. Punch
Cyber Analytics Group provides advanced analytics and support to government and
commercial clients. Virtru has the goal to give everyone secure email through
their browser plug-ins and mobile apps. These are just a few of the innovative
startups residing within DC, but there is an even bigger opportunity for
startups as DC continues to grow and expand. So the next time you visit and
think DC, go visit the Capitol, see the monuments and memorials, try the iconic
Ben’s Chili Bowl, but also think about the possibilities for change, growth,
and development surrounding DC.
References:
http://www.entrepreneur.com/slideshow/225974
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