If you're not at South by Southwest this year, chance are, you missed two announcements from the District—and maybe a party or two.
Today is the last day of the District's "WeDC House"—an annual initiative by the Washington D.C. Economic Partnership in conjunction with Events DC and the Executive Office of the Mayor. So far, only two breakout announcements have come from the weekend: the revamp of the BEACON Initiative's website and an opening date for the upcoming Inclusive Innovation Incubator, operated by Luma Lab and the result of a partnership between the Mayor's office, Howard University and Clearly Innovative.
Also, Revolution's Steve Case spoke about his favorite topic: the Rise of the Rest, and how investors need to invest outside of San Francisco and New York City if they ever want to see progress in the tech world.
BEACON Initiative officially launches, revamps website with directory of women businesses
At the end of November, "BEACON: The DC Women Founders Initiative" launched in the District in an effort to work with businesses, investors, government officials and mentor programs to bring more resources and opportunities to women entrepreneurs. Along with having MakeOffices CMO Shana Glenzer and Revolution investment director Anna Mason on its board, the initiative also boasts potential grant funding from Mayor Muriel Bowser's office to organizations that provide support to women founders in D.C.
Three months after the announcement of its creation and launch, the initiative is officially launching at SXSW 2017 with the revamp of its website and a directory of women-led businesses in the D.C. area.
Thrilled to announce #thebeacondc launch w/ @MayorBowser today! Such an honor. #Ladybosses, sign up at the link in bio. https://t.co/Ucr0MJ3aTW
— BEACON Initiative (@thebeacondc) March 12, 2017
In3 opening April 20 with "Week of Welcome" celebration
For a few weeks now, Luma Lab CEO Aaron Saunders and a few District officials have been hinting at an April launch for the Inclusive Innovation Incubator housed on Howard University's campus off Georgia Avenue. Well, now it's official: The Inclusive Innovation Incubator is opening on April 20.
We're all in for #inclusiveprosperity with our partners at @In3DC (opening 4/20) and @thebeacondc#sxsw pic.twitter.com/Df1Cz3xOeY
— MurielBowser (@MurielBowser) March 12, 2017
The opening won't be without its fair share of celebrations, though. Saunders announced that the incubator would be hosting Week of Welcome events starting on April 17, with the space opening to the public officially in the middle of it.
The Inclusive Innovation Incubator has been a long time coming, to say the least. Construction started on the new space last March, and as with any construction project, the opening of the space has been pushed back several times. In November, operator Luma Lab launched the Luma Innovation Foundation for Entrepreneurs as a way of funding continuous operating costs for the incubator once it has opened.
With a $1 million grant backing the space from Mayor Muriel Bowser's office, the Inclusive Innovation Incubator has been a hot topic for District officials—especially in the office of Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Brian Kenner.
We're having a week long celebration starting on April 17th! Come check us out. #in3DC #FindYourIn #In3WoW pic.twitter.com/6KQSIsWHOf
— In3 (@In3DC) March 13, 2017
Steve Case talks 'Rise of the Rest,' announces summit in D.C.
Recode's Kara Swisher interviewed Case on the one thing we all know is coming: Rise of the Rest. Case told Swisher that too much attention from all parties — media, investors, entrepreneurs and so on — is paid to the tech bubbles in New York and Silicon Valley. Of course, he cited that statistic that 78 percent of VC investment went into California, New York and Massachusetts.
That statistic is also why Case has been on an entrepreneurship tour, of sorts, for the past two years, meeting with entrepreneurs across the country. And it's why Revolution, Case's venture fund, will be hosting the Rise of the Rest Summit at the end of March.
Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg
