A Day of Foster.ly Attracts Entrepreneurs from Around the Region to Artisphere
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Rep. Jim Moran, AED's Jennifer Ives and Aneesh Chopra network during A Day of Foster.ly at the Artisphere
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Foster.ly Attendees
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Approximately 500 entrepreneurs descended on Artisphere last weekend to discuss, share and develop new business ideas. Arlington Economic Development (AED) and Foser.ly organized this sold-out event, for the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia entrepreneur community. Foster.ly was created earlier this year to help entrepreneurs in all industries connect and become more unified. A Day of Foster.ly, hosted in partnership with AED, was the group’s first all-day event highlighting the region's active entrepreneur community. In addition to the sold out crowd of entrepreneurs, the event drew keynote Aneesh Chopra, former White House CTO, as well as special guests Rep. Jim Moran and Commonwealth of Virginia Sec. of Commerce and Trade Jim Cheng to Artisphere’s vibrant atmosphere and provided a creative setting for imagining the next great thing.
Throughout the 12-hour event, entrepreneurs (not just tech focused) from the region participated in Study Halls, a collaborative co-working environment focused on enhancing community between its entrepreneurial members. They had the opportunity to hear multiple panel discussions on hiring the right people, learning about diversity in entrepreneurship, development and design and more. Entrepreneurs got to participate in a Media Match-up, a kind of startup speed dating session, the entrepreneurs had the option of facing a battery of reporters and delivering their elevator pitches in two minutes or less.
In addition, A Day of Foster.ly featured an entrepreneurship expo, multiple mentorship sessions with angel investors, serial entrepreneurs and journalists, a startup movie screening in the Artisphere's Dome Theater of the feature-length documentary CTRL+ALT+COMPETE which takes a revealing look at the startup and emerging business scene through the eyes of five founders and their teams. The event concluded with an after-party with the D.C. band Two Car Living Room.
If you missed A Day of Foster.ly you can view a recap of this fabulous event.
