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30 events in, DC Tech Meetup recaps 10 things to know about DC tech

On Thursday, local tech enthusiasts convened for the 30th DC Tech Meetup. Nearing its fourth anniversary, the community staple also included its first "Hack of the Month."

About 500 tech enthusiasts gathered at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library for a DC Tech Meetup. (Photo by Lalita Clozel)

It has been three-and-a-half years already and DC Tech Meetup continues to evolve.
Last week, like over two-dozen times before, a handful of local startups showed off their latest projects to a crowd of 500 tech enthusiasts in the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library.
But first, let’s get caught up.
Here’s a great rundown of 10 things to know about the local tech scene, shared by DC Tech Meetup Co-organizer Shana Glenzer:
[slideshare id=39372521&doc=dctm-140922072524-phpapp01]
After that, the meetup launched into 10 demos, including:

  • Keith Cooperman’s Vouched, which will summarize people’s personality traits for the job marketplace.
  • Blake Hall’s ID.me, a single digital passport that has been recognized by companies like The Home Depot, Kohl’s and Hotels.com.
  • Misha Vinokur’s Openreporter, a platform for sources to communicate with verified journalists.

Other projects could help bridge the gap between the less technologically-inclined industries and the world of computer programs apps. Framebridge, which was introduced by project manager Julia Lovett, will allow you to snap a picture of a painting and order a fitting frame. Jeff Froikin-Gordon’s AgSquared will help farmers better track their crop.
Meetup co-organizer DJ Saul is chief marketing officer for iStrategy Labs, whose CEO Peter Corbett founded DC Tech Meetup in early 2011. He has been in D.C. for a decade.
“It has grown and changed a lot,” he said, adding that DC Tech Meetups now present a “mix of early-stage startups and more established tech companies unveiling their latest products.”
The 30th DC Tech Meetup also introduced its first “Hack of the Month.” Volunteer hackers at Code for Progress, Hear Me Code and Tech Lady Hackathon presented Buscando, a website that will help migrant children and their host families in Maryland find the community resources closest to them.
After the presentations, the horde of hackers migrated to Redline to mingle and talk more tech over drinks. Matt Martz, 30, said while nursing a cool beer that the meetup, the third he’s attended so far, “gives you a good insight what people are working on in the area.”

Companies: Framebridge / iStrategyLabs
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