Check it out: There’s a new women’s entrepreneurship initiative in town

D.C. has a good reputation when it comes to places to be a woman in tech and a female entrepreneur — but leaders aren’t set to rest on those sturdy laurels. And so, on Wednesday, a variety of #dctech leaders celebrated the launch of BEACON: The DC Women Founders Initiative.
The initiative is part of a campaign to make D.C. “the most supportive ecosystem for women entrepreneurs in the United States,” according to a press release.
BEACON is supported by Mayor Muriel Bowser and features a team of all-star #dctech ladies including Shana Glenzer, CMO at MakeOffices; Anna Mason of Revolution and The Vinetta Project and Joy Whitt from the D.C. Office for Planning and Economic Development.
“The innovation community in Washington, D.C. is vibrant and growing,” Glenzer said in a statement. “By amplifying the resources for women entrepreneurs and would-be entrepreneurs, we are making D.C. a leading hub for women founders.”
So what will BEACON do, practically? According to a press release, the group initially plans to host a bunch of workshops “to engage area innovators in a collaborative effort to understand the challenges and needs of women District entrepreneurs.”
The first such event was BEACON’s own kickoff, held on Wednesday afternoon at MakeOffices in Dupont. A bunch of members of BEACON’s board were present, as well as Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Brian Kenner and other members of the #dctech community. That cool logo unveiled? It was designed by one of #dctech’s own — Alisha Ramos, who works as a designer at Nava PBC.

Congrats on your launch @thebeacondc! Let's make DC the #1 place for women founders. #FacesofFounders #ent4all pic.twitter.com/hvOpdPUHyM

— Sarah Koch (she/her) (@sarahtkoch) November 30, 2016