DC weekly roundup: A longtime investor’s big changes; net neutrality ruling; CEO network seeks noms

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1863 Ventures restructures for growth

The DC firm focuses on investing capital in and scaling businesses founded by Black, Latino, and other historically underrepresented entrepreneurs. It also led its own accelerator.       

That overarching mission will not change, per leader Melissa Bradley. The existing venture funds will remain, but New Majority Ventures will now prioritize distributing its virtual educational programming for entrepreneurs to other organizations, rather than hosting it.  

“We are the new majority. We’re the fastest-growing segment of entrepreneurs,” Bradley told me. “It’s important that we’re using that to send a message to the world that says the role of people of color is instrumental in the economic security of the globe.”

➡️ Read more about the restructuring of now-New Majority Ventures here

Net neutrality ruling explained

The Sixth Circuit appeals court recently rejected the FCC’s efforts to treat internet service providers as utility companies. This was an essential component of net neutrality, which means all customers would have to be treated equally, with no slowed speeds and or filtered content.

The Biden administration attempted to solidify the rules before Trump moved into office, and judges are warning that the debate has become increasingly political. 

But this isn’t a new issue: Advocates have fought for net neutrality for more than a decade.

“With this decision, it is clear that Congress now needs to heed their call,” Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said, “take up the charge for net neutrality, and put open internet principles in federal law.”

➡️ Read about net neutrality’s history in editor Katie Malone’s report

News Incubator: What else to know

• The Washington Post’s editorial cartoonist Ann Telnaes resigned after she said the paper nixed her cartoon depicting owner and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos kneeling in front of President-elect Trump, along with other tech executives. [WTOP]

• Mindshare, an exclusive network of CEOs and founders in the region, is looking for nominations for its 2025 class. [Mindshare] 

• FiscalNote appointed Josh Resnik as its new CEO amid slowed revenue and complaints out of its subsidiary CQ Roll Call’s newsroom. Unionized workers filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board over the latest return-to-office policy in December. [Washington Biz Journal/Technical.ly]

• Amit Yoran, the CEO of the Columbia-headquartered cybersecurity firm Tenable, passed away from cancer. He took medical leave in December, and CFO Steve Vintz and COO Mark Thurmond took over as co-CEOs. [TechCrunch]

• Virginia’s minimum wage is now $12.41, a 41-cent increase said to combat inflation. [WJLA]

• Right after DC Council’s Trayon White was sworn into office, he apologized, but did not say why. White is currently under indictment for bribery. [Washington Post]

• ICYMI: Congress passed the long-awaited RFK Stadium bill, giving DC control of the federal land for 99 years. The mayor hopes there will be “sports, jobs, parks and housing” at the site. [Axios/X]

A note of gratitude

As we enter 2025, Technical.ly is kicking off our next 15 years. And the work is more important than ever:

• With so much concern about declining economic mobility, our guides help people access fast-growth careers.
• With so much confusion around AI use and resources, our ground-up reporting follows the people building the tech.
• With so much debate around immigrant contributions, our storytelling highlights people living the experience.

One thing we’ve learned about our business model: We need your help to keep our site paywall-free. Sending gratitude to all our donors — and all our readers. You’re our community, and we couldn’t do it without you.

➡️ Make a tax-deductible contribution to support local tech reporting

🗓️ On the Calendar

• Perfect your pitch at a workshop from Unstuck Labs on Jan. 7. [Details here]

• Civic Tech DC is hosting a project night with brainstorming, coding and researching on Jan. 8.  [Details here]

• Women and Gender eXpansive Coders DC hosts a virtual board game night on Jan. 8. [Details here]

• The AI Innovators Network is meeting up for pizza and conversation on Jan. 8. [Details here]

• Information security-focused professional group NoVA Hackers’ first monthly meeting of the year takes place on Jan. 13. [Details here]

• The National Institute of Standards and Technology explores quantum during a two-day event on Feb. 19 and 20. [Details here]