Updated 4/27/2020 by Cassidy Beegle-Jackson.
Diving into the D.C. tech scene is overwhelming, to say the least. First, there's the multitude of different sectors here: Are you in product development? What about cybersecurity? Then, there's the sheer number of different networking events to check out — pitch competitions, speaker events, panel discussions and the like.
Trust me, from compiling the bi-weekly Inno Approved events roundup, I get how difficult it can be to find your place in the D.C. tech and innovation community.
If you're looking to find your next co-founder, team member, mentor, investor or friend, meetups are a great place to start. Usually held on a weekly or monthly basis, each meetup typically focuses on a special interest, and in the District, the community includes meetups focused on virtual reality or UX design or general tech startups.
Below you'll find the top meetups we suggest starting with.
*Editor's Note: Each meetup was selected based on a few different factors, including size, online presence/accessibility and how active the group is. The list only inlcudes groups that are accessible to any level of tech employee (so we left out groups that cater to solely founders or company leaders) and whose main product is the meetup.
DC Tech Meetup
- How often do they meet: Monthly
- Focus: Caters to all D.C. tech community members. Each meetup includes a happy hour, and many of them include a series of demos from local startups.
- Size: About 500 members at each event
- More info: Meetup.com, Twitter
Code for DC
- How often do they meet: Twice a month
- Focus: The D.C. chapter of the national Code for America meetup group. Members are "civic hackers" who use their skills as a platform for local government and community service. Each meetup is a "hacknight" for different projects.
- Size: About 75+ members at each event.
- More info: Meetup.com, Twitter
Women Who Code DC
- How often do they meet: Twice a week, but subject to change
- Focus: Each meetup varies from a monthly Professional Networking Brunch to a hacknight to a newbie coding night. Meetups also rotate from locations in D.C., Northern Virginia and more. Aimed at connecting women coders in the D.C. metro area.
- Size: Depends on the meetup type.
- More info: Meetup.com, Twitter, Slack
Tech in Motion
- How often do they meet: Monthly
- Focus: Events at the D.C. chapter vary between monthly mixers to fireside chats with local founders. The events are catered towards entrepreneurs and those interested in the D.C. metro are startup scene.
- Size: Approximately 100-200 attendees
- More info: Meetup.com, Website, Twitter
Black Code Collective
- How often do they meet: Monthly
- Focus: Created for black technologists in the D.C. metro area, each meetup varies between hacknights, happy hours and skill development sessions, such as practice technical interview sessions.
- Size: Approximately 50-100 attendees
- More info: Meetup.com, Twitter
DC Legal Hackers
- How often do they meet: Monthly
- Focus: Designed for coders who want to find solutions at the intersection of tech and law, each meetup typically focuses on one theme for projects. Examples include "#LegalHack Uber" night and "#LegalHack IoT and Privacy." Occasionally, the group will host a demo night.
- Size: Approximately 50-100 attendees
- More info: Meetup.com, Twitter, Website
Lesbians Who Tech - DC Chapter
- How often do they meet: Occasionally
- Focus: Aimed at bringing together gay women and allies, the D.C. chapter's meetups are typically happy hours, perfect for networking and socializing.
- Size: N/A
- More info: Eventbrite, Twitter, Website
TechBreakfast
- How often do they meet: Weekly in different regions of the D.C. metro area
- Focus: Each meetup is a breakfast networking event including a few showcases and speaker events.
- Size: Approximately 50-100 attendees
- More info: Meetup.com, Twitter, Facebook
Design Thinking DC
- How often do they meet: Monthly
- Focus: To connect people from all professional backgrounds who seek to make the world a better place through community-based problem solving
- Size: Approximately 10-50 attendees
- More info: Meetup.com
Startup Grind DC
- How often do they meet: Monthly
- Focus: Educating, inspiring, and connecting entrepreneurs globally in partnership with Google for Startups
- Size: Approximately 10-50 attendees
- More info: Meetup.com
DC Cybersecurity Professionals
- How often do they meet: Weekly
- Focus: Discuss the latest #infosec topics and conduct hands-on offensive and defensive sessions at the unclassified level.
- Size: Approximately 50-100 attendees
- More info: Meetup.com
DC Design + Donuts
- How often do they meet: Monthly
- Focus: An inclusive informal networking and tech talk session where people of all skill levels bring their personal projects--building an app, writing a blog, going through design tutorials.
- Size: Approximately 50-100 attendees
- More info: Meetup.com
Arlington Tech and Beer
- How often do they meet: Occasionally
- Focus: A platform for technology professionals and entrepreneurs who wouldn’t normally cross paths to meet, collaborate, and learn about what their peers are doing in our own community
- Size: Approximately 50-200 attendees
- More info: Meetup.com
Ed Tech DMV
- How often do they meet: Monthly
- Focus: Educators, students, and anyone interested come together and discuss the challenges of IT in our school system
- Size: Approximately 10-50 attendees
- More info: Meetup.com
Cognitive, AI and Data Science Meetup
- How often do they meet: Occasionally
- Focus: This meetup is for anyone who is interested in data: Big data, analytics and data science.
- Size: Approximately 10-50 attendees
- More info: Meetup.com
Tech Talk DC
- How often do they meet: Monthly
- Focus: This meetup loves polyglots, people who care about craftsmanship, and best practices.
- Size: Approximately 50-100 attendees
- More info: Meetup.com
ProductTank Washington DC
- How often do they meet: Occasionally
- Focus: The DC Tech Product Management Meetup is for Product Managers to share and gain knowledge from each other.
- Size: Approximately 100-200 attendees
- More info: Meetup.com
Thinkful DC
- How often do they meet: Weekly
- Focus: Join for free workshops, info sessions, tech talks and happy hours focused on building new skills and launching your career.
- Size: Approximately 10-50 attendees
- More info: Meetup.com
