DC weekly roundup: Inside VT’s Alexandria hub; quantum windfall; WMATA nixes DEI office

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This week’s DC newsletter features spotlights on Virginia Tech’s new innovation campus in Alexandria, as well as a bunch of deals, leadership moves and the early-stage companies the DMV should keep eyes on this year.

Keep scrolling for more.

News incubator: What to know

• Check out the 19 promising startups that we named to our 2025 RealLIST. [Technical.ly]

• The federal government wants to sell properties across the US. The latest list the General Services Administration (GSA) released before pulling it offline includes almost 30 between Virginia and Maryland. [Technical.ly]

• The University of Maryland, College Park has two new quantum residents. NanoQT, which also has offices in California and is connected to the international NanoQT Japan, opened an office and is working with the university’s Quantum Startup Foundry. Plus, the quantum computing company Xanadu signed a three-year agreement to be a part of the National Quantum Laboratory, also housed at the university. [UMD]

• House Republicans’ federal spending bill, introduced Saturday to avoid a government shutdown, would result in $1 billion of cuts to DC’s budget. [Washington Post]

• The Supreme Court of Virginia will hear a case from the cloud computing and software giant Appian in McLean, where the company alleges Pegasystems used a spy to amass trade secrets. $2 billion in damages is on the line. [Washington Biz Journal]

• DOGE staffers are sleeping in federal office buildings, and the GSA’s considering installing a washer and dryer for $25K. [Axios DC]

• DC is the second-best place for women to work in tech, according to a new report citing high earnings and employment rates. [CoworkingCafe]

• WMATA is nixing its DEI office following Trump’s executive orders. DC’s transit system receives federal funding. [WJLA/WMATA (see page 8 for a funding breakdown)]

• Here’s a roundup of the DMV’s cherry blossom-themed drinks and treats. [WTOP]

• It’s going to cost $610,000 and take six-to-eight weeks to remove the Black Lives Matter street mural outside the White House. [NBC4]

🗓️ On the Calendar

• Network with founders, investors and technologists at the next DC Tech + Startups Social on March 11. [Details here]

• Meet with fellow AI developers at AI Tinkerers’ meetup on March 12. [Details here]

• Want to break into the tech industry? Learn about Northeastern’s master’s program on March 13 in Arlington. [Details here]

• Johns Hopkins, Halcyon and Georgetown are hosting a mixer on March 19 that focuses on women founders. [Details here]

• Learn how local technologists use DC’s open data at a showcase on March 26 hosted by Civic Tech DC and the DC Office of the Chief Technology Officer. [Details here]

• Connect with technologists, founders and investors at DC Tech Party’s next event on March 26. [Details here]

• Get the details on how to navigate state and local government grants at a Johnson & Johnson Innovation event with the Washington DC Economic Partnership, TEDCO and the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation. It all goes down on March 27. [Details here]

• California defense technology contractor Saalex Corp is hosting a job fair in DC on April 8. [Details here]