March 2018: Top Tech Events in The District
College basketball is gearing up for March Madness and the DC tech scene has a strong lineup of its own this month! Between work and watching basketball, find time for these three essential DC tech events you won’t want to miss.
1. The Vinetta Project March Female Founder Showcase #1
Two percent of startups that raised venture capital funding in 2017 were female founded… TWO PERCENT! The Vinetta Project is helping change this unacceptable statistic. Each year, I look forward to the season when the Vinetta Female Founder Showcase Series starts back up. The Showcase events are typically 2+ hours long with panels, pitches, and plenty of time for networking. March 21st will be the first showcase of a three part series. As a female investor on the Vinetta Venture Committee, promoting and attending this event aligns with my personal mission. I look forward to seeing more people in the community get involved.
Last year, a variety of seed-stage startups pitched, including a few of my favorites like JRINK, RealAtom, and Shevirah! VEDA Data Solutions won the $20,000 cash prize sponsored by GSP Financial Services and Paley Rothman.
Event: The Vinetta Project March Female Founder Showcase
Date: March 21, 2018
Location: Social Tables, 1325 G Street Northwest, Washington, DC 20005
Cost: $30 — tickets available here
Local Recharge Station: While the event has plenty of wine (thanks to Silicon Valley Bank), you’ll likely find the crowd heading to Mackey’s for drinks after the event!
2. Challenge Cup Global Finals & Closing Party hosted by 1776 & Revolution
Drum roll please…. The fourth annual Challenge Cup Global Finals is back and at the coolest venue yet: The Anthem! The Anthem recently opened at The Wharf and is pegged as one of the best new music venues in the District. Over the past few months, The Anthem has seen top artists like The Killers and Odesza take the stage. On March 22nd, you’ll be hearing pitches from 20 startups from all over the world that are competing for a $100,000 investment from Revolution. Finalists are flying in from five continents from cities like Osaka, Bangkok and Dubai! See a full list of the 20 finalist here.
Challenge Cup Global Finals convenes investors, policymakers, and innovators from across the globe to examine and discuss pressing global challenges. Some of my favorite past Challenge Cup competitors are Twiga Foods, Propel, NoAppFee. So sit back, have a drink, and get ready to hear pitches from some of the most innovative people around the globe.
Event: Challenge Cup Global Finals & Closing Party
Date: March 22, 2018
Location: The Anthem, 901 Washington Avenue Southwest, Washington, DC Cost: $15 — tickets available here
Local Recharge Station: Dolcezza at The Wharf has Stumptown coffee (nitro cold brew is my favorite!), plenty of seating and free WiFi if you want to pull any conversations to a more intimate setting or just need a caffeine boost before the closing party!
3. DC Blockchain Summit 2018
The DC Blockchain Summit is a gathering at the intersection of innovation, investment, and policy. This summit will feature global thought leaders from both public and private sectors to discuss key market developments, including initial coin offerings, crypto futures and investing, smart contracts, legislative and regulatory trends, and more.
As a recent blockchain bandwagoner, I am looking forward to my first time attending this conference. DC Blockchain Summit comes highly recommended from past attendees, and it’s a relief I don’t have to make the trek out to New York or San Francisco to experience a blockchain conference. The speakers I’m most excited to hear from are Jihan Wu (Co-Founder, Bitmain), Jack Lee (Managing Partner, HCM Capital, Foxconn Group), and James Wo (Co-Founder, Exchange Union)! Last year, we heard from keynote speakers Jonathan Johnson (Overstock), Dr. Robert Kahn (Father of the Internet), and Representatives Jared Polis and David Schweikert (Co-Chairs of the Blockchain Caucus). We also got to see Health Passport win the first ever government sponsored blockchain code-a-thon, the ONC Blockchain in Healthcare Code-a-thon.
Event: DC Blockchain Summit 2018
Date: March 6–9, 2018
Location: Georgetown University, McDonough School of Business
Cost: $3,999+ *cringe* — tickets available here
Local Recharge Station: You’ll find me having morning coffee and breakfast at Leopold’s Kafe or sneaking off for the occasional lobster roll at Luke’s Lobster.
You’ll be able to find me at all three of these events this March. For future updates on upcoming DC tech events that I have my eye on, connect with me and follow my adventures on Twitter @katherinekiewel.
