Mon, Oct 19
DC Startup & Tech Week 2026
Mon, Oct 19 – Fri, Oct 23 · Times in America/New York
Mon, Oct 19
2:05 AM
Founder as Creator: Building Trust Before You Build Scale
Chelsea Olsen, Owner, CLOHZ; Joshua Reid, Founder & CEO, LunchTable Inc.; Paige Kaye, Founder/CEO, PaigeKares
Creator Economy
2:05 AM–2:35 PM
Convene Hamilton Square
1:00 PM
AI, Copyright & Creator IP: The Future of Ownership
Gavin Gillas, CEO, Copymight Coalition; Abbey Fish, Founder, Tastemaker Conference
Creator Economy
1:00 PM–1:30 PM
Convene Hamilton Square
AI in Startup Due Diligence: A practical framework for turning a weak diligence package into a fundraising advantage Octavian Ionici
Octavian Ionici, Professor in Residence at American University
Growth
1:00 PM–1:45 PM
Convene Hamilton Square
Becoming Capital-Ready
Adam H Phillips, Managing Partner, AthletesInnovate Ventures
Early Stage
1:00 PM–1:45 PM
Convene (Room Forum)
More "I" in Our AI: What’s Missing In AI Adoption
Harold Hughes, Founder, CEO, NFNTE Capital
AI in Business
1:00 PM–1:15 PM
Convene DC - South Hub
Opening: From Lab to Launch — Setting the Stage
Life Science
1:00 PM–1:15 PM
Convene Hamilton Square
Why Most AI Startups Won’t Survive—and How to Build One That Does
Seema Alexander, CEO & Founder, Disruptive AI
AI in Business
1:00 PM–1:45 PM
Convene DC - South Hub
1:15 PM
Stop Flying the Plane and Get Your A** in the Control Tower
Debbie Irwin, Lighthouse Venture; Kristie K. Jones, Founder / Principal, Sales Acceleration Group / KristieKJones.com; Kristen Noelle, KN Digital Marketing & Co-Founder, Venture to Bloom, KN Digital Marketing, Venture to Bloom; Kareem El, Founder/CEO, 4rl; David Spears, Founder, Magic Box Co.
Early Stage
1:15 PM–2:00 PM
Convene (Room Forum)
1:20 PM
From Idea to Care Delivery: Building a HealthTech Startup in a Complex Healthcare System
Life Science
1:20 PM–2:00 PM
Convene Hamilton Square
1:35 PM
The New Path to Purchase: How Social Commerce Is Reshaping Consumer Buying
Colin Campbell, Sr. National Accounts Director, American Tuna Inc.; Anina Belle Giannini, Co-Founder, Anina Giannini Group & The Next ChaptHER Foundation; Tommy Lynch, Founder, Cult Content
Creator Economy
1:35 PM–2:00 PM
Convene Hamilton Square
2:05 PM
Beyond the Instructions: A Practical Guide to Navigating NIH SBIR/STTR
Life Science
2:05 PM–3:35 PM
Convene Hamilton Square
Board Management 101 for Startups
Paige Bolinger, Partner, Croke Fairchild Duarte & Beres
Early Stage
2:05 PM–2:50 PM
MLK Conference Center
3:00 PM
Build Your AI Chief of Staff: A Hands-On Lab for Founders
Angela Virtu, Professor, American University, Kogod School of Business
AI in Business
3:00 PM–3:45 PM
Convene DC- South Hub
From Term Sheet to True Wealth: What Founders Need to Get Right Before and After Liquidity
Joseph Coliton, Vice President, Merrill Lynch
Early Stage
3:00 PM–3:45 PM
Starting Up & Shutting Down: A Conversation About Failure
Danielle Vogel, Interim Director, American University
Early Stage
3:00 PM–3:30 PM
3:35 PM
Fund Without Giving Away the Farm: Non-Dilutive Capital Unlocked
Rashard Todd, Vice President - Business Community Manager, City National Bank; Ashlyn Holeyfield, Founder & Principal, Parapet Advisors
Growth
3:35 PM–4:15 PM
Convene Hamilton Square
3:40 PM
Dual-Use Discovery: Finding the Defense Application in What You're Already Building
Life Science
3:40 PM–4:25 PM
Convene Hamilton Square
4:00 PM
Vibecoding UX: How to Build AI-Powered Products That People Can Actually Use
Brady Starr, Founder / Senior Product Designer, Brady UX
AI in Business
4:00 PM–4:45 PM
Convene DC - South Hub
4:15 PM
Let Go to Grow: Building a Sales Team That Doesn't Need You
Laura Fredericks, Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer, Vannadium; Calvin V Arterberry, CEO, Flowbot Forge; Sonia Marie Johnson, Founder & CEO, HavanaCo; Hannah Romick, CEO, Conscient Strategies
Growth
4:15 PM–5:00 PM
Convene Hamilton Square
4:30 PM
Dual Use Startup Showcase
Life Science
4:30 PM–5:30 PM
Convene Hamilton Square
5:30 PM
Capital Connections Happy Hour
5:30 PM–7:30 PM
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