1. General Assembly’s Intro to the DC Startup Community
When: About twice per quarter.
Where: 1133 15th St., NW.
What: Introduces neophytes to the people, companies, investors, and events crucial to the area’s tech ecosystem.
2. DC Tech Meetup
When: Monthly.
Where: Varies.
What: Hundreds-strong events at which start-ups do product demos; also open-mike session to share job opportunities.
3. Northern Virginia Technology Council’s Titans Breakfast Series
When: Four to five times a year.
Where: Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner.
What: Early-morning speaker series that in its long run has hosted Steve Ballmer, Michael Dell, and Bill Gates.
4. Fosterly Collaborate Conference
When: Once a year.
Where: Varies.
What: Private- and public-sector innovators gather for two days of speakers, workshops, pitch practices, and more.
5. DC and NoVA Nightowls
When: Two to three times a month.
Where: Various co-working spaces.
What: Entrepreneurs and techies meet to work on personal projects in after-hours sessions that stretch past midnight.
This article appears in our May 2015 issue of Washingtonian, in our Tech Titans feature.
Michael J. Gaynor has written about fake Navy SEALs, a town without cell phones, his Russian spy landlord, and many more weird and fascinating stories for the Washingtonian. He lives in DC, where his landlord is no longer a Russian spy.
