Becoming a founder is never easy, no matter where you live or work.
But in Washington, D.C., this feat becomes a little less daunting, thanks to a supportive community and a wealth of resources, and local entrepreneurs and ecosystem members, hosted by Technical.ly for the people of D.C. I mentioned it at a dinner. RealLIST Startups in 2024 on wednesday.
For example, there are several meetup groups and events in the area that target local founders. DC Startup Week — A five-day conference aimed at connecting local founders. Honorable mention goes to Sade Luwoye, his COO and co-founder of RealLIST Startups tribal encounter, said he is grateful that events like this have had a lasting impact. TribeMeets itself builds community through a platform that helps connect people in the African diaspora through common interests and events.
“It’s still more than a week,” Luwoye said at the dinner. “We help provide resources to founders and their communities, connecting us to a variety of resources that make startup life convenient and easy.”
Kay Rodriguez, Platform and App Founder outsidesaid active participation in DC Startup Week and DC Startup Women, a subset of conferences dedicated to female founders and funders, made a big difference for her.
This community-building process also takes time, she said. She said it’s not enough to meet someone once, relationships aren’t built automatically, connections need to be nurtured. Slack groups are also a great way to meet people and build relationships (Technical.ly has a local DC group) our public Slack For local founders and technologists).
She said she has been trying to stay in touch with potential investors, especially those who have said no multiple times.
“They have been an invaluable source of learning, support and connection,” said winner Rodriguez. DC Startup Week Initial Pitch Contest In 2022.
TribeMeets’ Luwoye also mentioned programs like Techstars DC. 2023 Cohort Her company also participated. (Techstars DC belongs) JP Morgan — part of a broader partnership Reported to be problematic). She said she was lucky to be able to participate in various programs like Techstars in the city.
“It was really great to be able to collaborate with other founders, bounce ideas, have perspectives, and help each other in real time,” Luwoye said.
DC Startup Week Co-chair and Local Founder Seema Alexander He called on fellow entrepreneurs to take advantage of this support, including pitch competitions, accelerators and networking events. She said that when she returned to her hometown after living in New York for nearly 20 years, she really noticed the city’s rich entrepreneurial community.
“I’ve never seen a community incubate a startup,” Alexander said. “Entrepreneurship is not easy. I’ve never seen a community like this. And I think it’s great to be a part of it.”
Series: RealLIST Startup / RealLIST
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