Heh DC, Put Up and Show Up !

Of course we all know of the local chatter revolving around the fact that DC is or is not a good place to bring up a budding business.  Many around, including me, like it here and think there are good things in the works.  However, others, especially VC’s, think greener pastures are elsewhere.  Well it is our chance to show them they may juts be wrong.

I was chatting with Keith Casey of Casey Software and WhyGoSolo a little while back and he was telling me about this business plan competition coming up in the area, and he said it would be a great opportunity for the local tech communtiy to stand up and be seen and heard.

The competition Keith was talking about is the Mid-Atlantic Business Plan Competition

That day is the no-holds-barred deathmatch of entrepreneur vs entrepreneur. There are presentations in the morning, a round of eliminations, and then the culmination of the entire contest… the finalists get to present in front of a public audience affectionately called the STARTUP SMACK DOWN.

The panel will include several VC’s, professors, and other local entrepenuers.  Keith makes a great point when he states :

I think it’s time to put up or shut up. If we storm the place… if we completely pack the final presentations with the best and brightest from the DC Tech community, people will notice. The VC’s will do a double take. The professors will take note. The students competing will reconsider immediately leaving for friendlier places.

I am all in as they say in Texas Hold’Em.  What about you ?  We would love to get everyone we can in that auditorium as Keith says to make people take notice that we are here and ready to flourish.  If we can start the create a minor shift in the perception of some of the panlists, they may take that back with them and start a little buzz.  And that would be good for all of us.

So here are the details:

Date: Saturday, April 26 2008

Time: 1-5 PM

Where: ICC Auditorium, Georgetown University (Building 26 on this map)

So what do you say ?  Stop by and join the Facebook Group I created: DC Technology Business Plan Competition Crashers if your interested.

Event: Refresh DC March Happy Hour

RefreshDC is having a Happy Hour this week in DC.  Many of you are aware of the great job RefreshDC does in the DC area
 

Refresh is a community of web designers, developers, and other new media professionals working together to refresh the creative, technical, and professional aspects of their trades in the Washington, DC, area. Our goal is simple: bring together the best and brightest new media professionals in the DC metro area so that we may learn from one another. Our industry is too rich for any one person to "know it all." That's where we come in.

They hold some great events and this month decided to have laid back happy hour for all to get together.  Here is the Upcoming Event page for the meetup and here are the details for you as well.

Capitol City Brewery