DC weekly roundup: Digital safety at protests; Tenable CEO remembered; federal contractors handle anti-DEI attacks, unpaid invoices

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Those attending recent protests against the Trump admin and Elon Musk’s dismantling of federal agencies told us what they’re doing (or not) to protect their digital footprint and avoid doxxing. Plus, several friends and colleagues of Amit Yoran discussed the late Tenable CEO’s passion for authenticity in work and his relationships.

Keep scrolling for Technical.ly’s weekly roundup of top news in the region.

News Incubator: What else to know

• DC isn’t the only region impacted by return-to-office mandates. [Technical.ly]

•  McLean-HQed Booz Allen Hamilton, a federal contractor, is pulling back from WorldPride 2025 in DC as other companies doing work for the feds face threats over DEI initiatives. [Washington Biz Journal]

• DC is pausing spending $140 million on green energy projects like EV charging stations and solar panels for low-income people because of the haziness of where federal grants stand. [Axios DC]

• Amazon will pay DC $3.95 million, marking the end of a lawsuit against the company for allegedly misleading customers about how tips were distributed to Amazon Flex delivery drivers. [Washington Informer]

• Participant advisory councils are key to developing tech for government agencies, writes staff at the government-focused consultancy and public benefit corporation Nava PBC. [Technical.ly]

• LA’s military-grade AI platform developer Atlas UP acquired Latch, an AI-based change management platform. Latch’s developer, SHIFT, was once headquartered in Baltimore’s Fells Point neighborhood but now operates out of Northern Virginia. [Atlas UP/Technical.ly]

• DOGE representatives at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are going through IT databases to find staff associated with DEI. [Axios]

• Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine’s social entrepreneurship accelerator, Ward Infinity, awarded $30,000 in prizes to DC region companies as part of its pitch competition. Tended, a DC-based organization working on ways to support educators’ mental health, won a $15,000 grant from CareFirst, according to an emailed announcement. [Johns Hopkins University]

• The Federal Aviation Administration is reducing its maximum rate of arrivals by hour at DCA. [Reuters]

• A trade group estimates that federal contractors, many of which are based in the DMV, are owed $500 million in invoices since Trump’s executive order pausing all payments related to foreign aid for 90 days. [Washington Biz Journal]

🗓️ On the Calendar

• Partner Event: Learn about how tech plays into disaster relief on Feb. 19 at the World Trade Center Institute AGILE Global Innovation Series. [Details here]

• Meet your match at this Valentine’s Day-themed event DC Tech Party’s hosting for developers, founders and VCs on Feb. 12. [Details here]

• Entrepreneurs: Hear about best fundraising practices from investors at a panel hosted by the Founder Institute on Feb. 13. [Details here]

• Cowork with fellow developers at the next DC Code and Coffee on Feb. 16. [Details here]

• Connect with founders and investors at VC in DC’s next Third Thursdays on Feb. 20, co-hosted by the DC Tech & Venture Coalition. [Details here]

• Georgetown Entrepreneurship is hosting its third annual venture capital summit on Feb. 21. [Details here]