Why Shahier Rahman left Orlando’s tech scene for ‘the major leagues’ of DC

Shahier Rahman’s LinkedIn reads like whiplash.

With a switch from law to tech, Rahman’s background is an example of how many find their way into the D.C. tech scene — from an international relations background.
Rahman, 28, spent more than three years working at the Florida Senate after he got his degree in international relations (IR) and law from Florida State University. Then he pivoted to tech: he helped launch an incubator in Orlando called Canvs. A year ago, Rahman moved to Bethesda to manage the campus for 15th Street-based incubator 1776, which has also made several executive-level hires in the past few months as it announced its expansion to Brooklyn and Dubai.
In his Entrance Exam, below, Rahman talked to us about why so many IR majors are converting to D.C.’s tech scene, the differences between the tech communities in Orlando and D.C. and where to find him performing his secret talent.
(This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.)

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Welcome to D.C.! Tell us about yourself. How did you come from the the Florida Senate to D.C. tech?
Thank you! I worked in state government for about three years, at the legal affairs committee of the Florida Senate. During that time, there was a group of folks from Orlando who came up to pitch the State for a project.
They wanted to launch an incubator in Orlando. It was something that fascinated me. So I introduced myself to the group and they asked me to join on as their first program manager. I left my job at the Senate and joined their founding team.
I helped get that off the ground for about a year and a half, during which I looked at other incubators around the country like 1871 in Chicago and Capital Factory in Austin for models to follow. I also got in touch with 1776, and that was the one which inspired me the most. I loved their structure and used them as a model for what we wanted to recreate for Canvs into.

I really enjoyed working with Canvs. I enjoyed the whole tech world and getting resources for entrepreneurs. So I’m excited to be doing that on a bigger scale here in D.C..
What do you mean by bigger scale?
Between the two communities, the difference is really all about scale. The reach of 1776 compared to what we’re doing with Canvs is massive. It’s like going from the minor leagues to the major leagues. When I came to D.C., I was blown away by the sheer size of the tech community. There’s a tech meetup for almost everything. It’s mind-boggling to me.
In Orlando, the tech community is small. Everyone knows each other and what everyone is doing. It’s the same people at the weekly meetings.
What inspired you to make that jump from Canvas to 1776?
The biggest reason was personal. My girlfriend got her dream job in D.C. and we both had a conversation about this being the career path we wanted to be on.
And [for my career path], D.C. just made a lot of sense. I did come from a government background. What better place to work on that stuff than the seat of political power in the U.S.? There are so many startups here that are focused on hard-hitting problems, like education, which is great because there are so many things technology can do in these traditionally ignored industries. If people can bring more tech solutions into these industries, we can solve so many problems.
Also, the startups in Orlando are smaller and related to things like the entertainment industry. I came here because I wanted to work on something bigger. I thought about going to San Francisco and working in Silicon Valley. But I thought, “That’s what everyone does.” I’d rather build something somewhere that’s not as known for it.
How does your IR degree and law background help you help startups?
We mentioned during Technical.ly’s stakeholder meeting earlier this month that it’s interesting so many of us in D.C. tech have IR backgrounds. I think it’s because for a long time we thought that working in law was how change was going to happen. But there’s a lot of bureaucracy. And so many other political considerations that hamper change.
Using technology instead of law can be a way of bringing progress instead, and that’s why we have so many startups here focused on hard-hitting issues. I can work with the different alphabets in D.C. and senators and other political people that entrepreneurs sometimes need.
Which is good news for the entrepreneurs that don’t have a political or legal background?
Absolutely.

I came here because I wanted to work on something bigger.

Is the tech scene’s focus on government partnerships a big change from Orlando’s tech scene?
Yes. The Orlando tech scene is geared towards sports and entertainment. Lots of gaming companies down there and simulators. It’s more consumer-based tech. Whereas in D.C., the tech scene is more government-focused.
On a typical day here, I can be meeting with someone from an edtech company. Then, half an hour later, it’s someone from Smart City asking, “What’s the awesome new solutions in this sector?” and then in the afternoon, we’ll deal with someone related to health or energy. The diversity is incredibly refreshing — although in terms of people, Orlando is actually a pretty diverse group.
Does D.C. tech’s umbrella ever seem too big? Is Orlando’s small-town feel sometimes better?
From my experience here so far, yes, it can be a little overwhelming. Especially an outsider, you don’t always know who you’re supposed to be talking with or meeting with.
But I will say that the leadership in the tech community here all know each other. They’re very connected. So that may not trickle down to everyone else. But their world still seems small enough that there’s a community feeling.
Besides, if you go to the events in D.C. and actually introduce yourself people, they go above and beyond to introduce you to their network. Everyone here is constantly ready to give you their business card, like, “So glad to meet you. Here’s my card, I’d like to introduce you to five other people.” Maybe that’s an offshoot of lobbying culture. But it means no matter how big the community is, you can always make it smaller.
A final question, then, to finish your exam. What’s one thing people don’t know about you?
Fun fact about me. I am a very, very amateur stand-up comedian.
Occasionally — late at night — you might find me at The Big Hunt near Dupont, with more people laughing at me than with me.