Sergei Dubograev appreciates the value of networking with the greater Washington, D.C. tech scene as a startup founder. But the Alexandria, Va.-based CEO of Pinxter doesn't always find it easy to meet and network with potential partners in Rockville, Md. or beyond, though both are part of the greater D.C. area. People usually mean more than just the 68 square miles set aside as the Federal District when they use the term after all.
"There wasn't really an answer available, so I decided to build one," Dubograev, the explained in an interview with DC Inno. "I wanted to make something that would connect Alexandria, Arlington, D.C. and Maryland."
The DC Tech app is the culmination of that urge to connect. The app is broadly speaking a social networking platform, with news, messaging, forums and event notifications built into it. It feels a bit like a specialized Facebook in that regard, which naturally brings up the question of why it's necessary at all when there are Facebook groups, Meetup pages and so many other channels for communication.
"I don't think of the app as a replacement for all of the other ways people talk to each other. It's complementary," Dubograev said. "The app is exclusively for staying connected with D.C. tech. More communication is always good, especially when everyone is on mobile these days."
The app is also a bit of enlightened self-interest on Dubograev's part. It shows off some of what Pinxter does as a digital marketing platform, what Dubograev calls an "application as a service," or AaaS, as opposed to the more commonly used SaaS. Dubograev recently secured the trademark on AaaS, with the DC Tech app just one of the apps built with his company's toolbox. The app will evolve based on community feedback, and ideas and improvements could naturally see their way into the software used by Pinxter's other clients. Dubograev said that that's ultimately just a fringe benefit. Connecting with more people in the D.C. tech community and taking part as that connector is the central reason for spending the time and resources to build the app.
"There's such a great community here," Dubograev said. "This is our way of making it even better, no matter where you actually live."
