DC weekly roundup: Throwing snowballs for NASA; Katy Perry in space; $1.1B budget hole

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Spring is in full bloom, but some Arlington high schoolers still have cold weather on their minds. Learn more about their work with NASA scientists to understand snow’s role in different environments. Plus, a startup in Vienna landed a cool $18 million to keep developing tools for machine-to-machine authentication.

📰 News Incubator: What else to know

• Baltimore-based veterinary health tech startup Kubanda Cryotherapy won the people’s choice award at a recent investor breakfast. [Technical.ly]

• Blue Origin launched a celebrity-filled ship into space Monday, with Arlington startup founder Aisha Bowe traveling alongside the likes of Katy Perry and Gayle King. The former NASA rocket scientist created the STEM kit company Lingo to help kids get more access to science and tech. [CNN/Technical.ly]

• In case you didn’t see today’s Google Doodle, it’s World Quantum Day. Learn about the ways the tech is embedded in our everyday lives. [NIST]

• WeWork is moving its Arlington space to different floors in its current building on Wilson Boulevard in early 2026. [WeWork]

• Metro wants to bring automated trains to the entire train system, but the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission is raising concerns. [WUSA9]

• Virginia’s state tourism office declined to be a part of Michelin’s Southern restaurant guide. It would have cost $360,000 to be included. [Axios]

• Chevy Chase ride-share firm RubiRides Technologies, which offers services specifically for children and families, owes $50,000 in penalties. A settlement with the attorney general’s office requires the company to refund people who never received services. [DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb]

• House representatives adjourned for a two-week recess and DC still has a $1.1 billion hole in its budget. [Associated Press]

🗓️ On the Calendar

• DC’s Chamber of Commerce is hosting a small business summit and expo on April 15. The event will feature several panels and workshops on topics including AI and cybersecurity. [Details here]

• Grab dinner with Women and Gender eXpansive Coders DC at the La Cosecha food court on April 15. [Details here]

• Learn the basics of deal research and analysis on April 15 at a District Angels webinar.  [Details here]

• Chat about AI with execs and founders at an April 16 event hosted by the GenAI Collective. [Details here]

• Attend the Cyber Guild’s first book club in Reston on April 17.  [Details here]

• Join fellow developers for Python coding and food on April 21. [Details here]

• DC Code and Coffee is hosting a coworking session on April 26 at the West End Neighborhood Library. [Details here]

• Meet fellow geographic information system technologists in the DMV at a meetup on April 30. [Details here]