Penn West Equity and Innovation District

After working manual labor jobs for years, Jose Hernandez recognized tech as an alternative career path that would show his baby boy that heavy lifting is not the only kind of work. Jose learned of the BuildWithin training program and jumped on the opportunity, despite having zero background in cybersecurity or tech. "For every section in the course, I made sure to understand each topic, the overall goal, and the most important terms to learn. All the other terms I know I'll learn with time. This is a career I chose to be in; it's the one I want to be in, so I have a long time to learn everything." Please join us in cheering on Jose, and applauding his vision, ambition, and efforts! BuildWithin's workforce development programs are helping grow the DC tech community. We are proud to include BuildWithin as a Penn West partner and celebrate Jose and other achievers! If you're interested in hiring an apprentice, please reach out to [email protected]

DC is being increasingly recognized for it's growing tech scene. This Forbes article explains the important role women are playing in this growth. https://lnkd.in/ewKz3JMH

?? Good morning, #DCSTW24 community! We hope to see you at today's Startup Showcase & Resource Expo. Stop by and chat with us about our growing tech ecosystem, Penn West resources to help your business succeed, and startup support offered by DC. We're looking forward to connecting! (Learn more and register at dcstw.com.) DC Startup & Tech Week (Formerly DC Startup Week) ?? 1875 I St. NW, 5th Floor, Washington, DC

At #DCSTW24 tomorrow, 10/24, at Studio by Tishman Speyer the CEO of The Build Fellowship by Open Avenues is hosting a session on immigration pathways for founders and professionals looking to grow companies and careers in Washington DC. The session will include a discussion on the Washington DC Global Soft Landing initiative: https://lnkd.in/d6SY8Ndc, which includes two programs that provide access to discounted, flexible office space in the heart of Penn West, as well as a visa solution for foreign entrepreneurs and founders looking to scale their company in the U.S. Washington DC Economic Partnership https://lnkd.in/gayKWmGg

Thrilled to share that today, DC Secretary of Labor, Unique Morris-Hughes , PhD, announced the launch of the Capital Workforce Innovation Consortium, a next generation sector partnership aimed at aligning talent strategies with industry demands in the District of Columbia. The announcement took place this morning during the kick-off of DC Startup and Tech Week. We at BuildWithin are honored to have been selected as the convener for this initiative, and we’re excited to collaborate with so many great organizations in the area to close the talent gap and drive economic opportunity for the region including: The Economic Club of Washington, D.C., The DC Workforce Investment Council (WIC), Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC)Penn West Equity and Innovation District, DC Startup & Tech Week (Formerly DC Startup Week), Maya Angelou Schools/See Forever Foundation Latin American Youth Center DC Bilingual Public Charter School Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Golden Triangle Business Improvement District Dr. Tony D. Johnson Cedric Thompson Anika Holmes Drew Hubbard Michael Taylor Victoria H. Dunn Mary Brady Seema Alexander Rachel Koretsky Kevin Morgan Elizabeth Packer, AICP Latin American Youth Center DC Bilingual Public Charter School Azalia H. Speight Zuzana Bujnova Academy of Hope Adult PCS Kortney Grant, MHR Philip Minardi Eliana Brice?o Emily Gibbs Lime Studio by Tishman Speyer and others. https://lnkd.in/euEx-Y9R Philip Minardi William L. Amy Millman Dundee Venture Capital DC Startup & Tech Week (Formerly DC Startup Week)

It's here! We're excited DC Startup & Tech Week (Formerly DC Startup Week) is officially kicking off today. Thanks for the helpful overview as we get the week started, Rachel Koretsky and Seema Alexander! We're especially looking forward to hosting #DCSTW24 this Thursday, 10/24, in Penn West with programming at DC's The Square and Studio by Tishman Speyer. We can't wait to spend the week with DC's tech community!

It's here! We're excited DC Startup & Tech Week (Formerly DC Startup Week) is officially kicking off today. Thanks for the helpful overview as we get the week started, Rachel Koretsky and Seema Alexander! We're especially looking forward to hosting #DCSTW24 this Thursday, 10/24, in Penn West with programming at DC's The Square and Studio by Tishman Speyer. We can't wait to spend the week with DC's tech community!

?? Check out these student entrepreneurs reminding us of what can be achieved with creativity and innovation! We were honored to recently sponsor Black Girl Ventures: NextGen. An amazing group of student entrepreneurs from HBCUs brought their big ideas to the pitch competition in the Golden Triangle Business Improvement District at the University of Southern California Capital Campus. We wish all the entrepreneurs success with their ventures. Penn West is here to support you as you grow your businesses! #HBCU #BlackExcellence #Innovation #Entrepreneurship ?? courtesy of DC Tech & Venture Coalition (DCTAV)

More big university news as Indiana University plans to create a satellite campus just south of Dupont Circle. Universities can expand and flourish in and around the Golden Triangle Business Improvement District, so we’re seeing more schools grow their presence here. This area offers students access to unmatched experiences and extensive networks, both academically and socially. As more universities locate around the Golden Triangle, the District’s talent pool is also continuing to grow. Bigger picture, the hope is that many students will stay and decide to live here, building their careers in DC. This Bisnow story by Emily Wishingrad has more details: https://lnkd.in/epp_bK4G

DC's tech community is thriving! This week, we kicked off the Penn West Global Innovation Series in the Golden Triangle Business Improvement District with the DC Fintech Summit powered by DC Tech & Venture Coalition (DCTAV). Thanks to Tishman Speyer for hosting us at DC's The Square. Highlights included a wealth of insights about how to navigate the fintech ecosystem and access available resources in DC, thanks to Tamara Zeidan of District of Columbia Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (DISB), Sara Adams and Adam Lattimore, MPA of Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, Meg Vorland of Dcode, and Emmanuel Smadja of MPOWER Financing. One big takeaway: DC is uniquely positioned as a hotbed for fintech innovation because of its proximity to the federal government and the many federal contracting opportunities that come with it. According to USASpending.gov there has been more than $500 million in federal contracts to DC companies for fintech and regtech over the past decade. DC is where you'll find regulatory and policy decision makers, a highly educated population, top-rated schools and universities, and many more advantages that offer promise for growing the fintech ecosystem. Follow us on LinkedIn and visit pennwestinnovation.com to keep up with what's happening in DC's tech scene, including upcoming events in the Penn West Global Innovation Series.