DC weekly roundup: Your favorite LLM is probably unsafe; Homeland Security R&D; Trump bill threatens high-tech toilets

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This week, the founders of the startup Aymara discussed their comprehensive new analysis of how safe ChatGPT, Grok, DeepSeek and many other popular chatbots and large language models actually are. Spoiler alert: They’re all pretty unsafe. Plus, learn about a program for startups to work with federally funded technology from agencies like the Department of Homeland Security.

Scroll down for more news from throughout the DMV, then test your knowledge of the latest headlines by taking our latest news trivia quiz.

📰 News Incubator: What else to know

• 1776, an incubator that closed its doors in 2017, still has a lasting impact on the local economy, says one of its first entrepreneurs. [Technical.ly]

• DC’s public bathroom program is on hold, thanks to Trump’s sweeping budget bill. Throne, the Maryland startup behind the high-tech bathrooms, shuttered its free toilets in DC earlier this month. The firm was nominated in the 2024 Technica.ly Awards for product of the year. [Axios/Technical.ly]

• Robots are assessing Arlington sidewalks to identify weeds and cracks. [ARL Now]

• Mark Zuckerberg could be building a private compound in Northwest DC. [Washington Biz Journal]

• There’s a new food hall in DC, and this one is backed by serial entrepreneur and billionaire Marc Lore. He’s the founder of the food delivery and meal app company Wonder, which is also the name of the new food hub on 14th Street in Northwest. [Washingtonian]

• Data protection cyber company Virtru in DC raised $50 million in new funding. [Virtru/Technical.ly]

• Here’s how AI tools can help you improve your networking prowess. [Technical.ly] 

• DC lawmakers maintained much of the business-oriented initiatives in an initial approval for the next year’s budget, including fully funding $500 million in infrastructure costs for the RFK Stadium redevelopment (though not the deal itself). [Washington Post]

• Virginia lost its “Top State for Business” ranking from CNBC, largely because of federal layoffs. The Commonwealth is now ranked No. 4. [CNBC]

• Applications are open to pitch at the annual DataTribe Challenge during the Cyber Innovation Day 2025 in Navy Yard this fall. The deadline is Sept. 12. [DataTribe]

🗓️ On the Calendar

• Partner event: On July 16, Baltimore Climate Tech Meetup (involving organizers of DC Climate Week) reconvenes to celebrate its second anniversary at Union Craft Brewing. [Details here]

• Autonomous tech meetup LaunchT is hosting its next event on July 16. It will focus on how to secure early-stage funding. [Details here]

• Learn about the future of investing in defense technology at an upcoming panel on July 16. [Details here]

• VC in DC is hosting its monthly meetup on July 17. [Details here]

• District Angels is holding its monthly “deal room” session on July 18 to showcase how VC processes work. [Details here]

• Defense Tech DC is hosting its next meetup on July 22. [Details here]

• Looking for a career shift? Attend an open house for a new AI upskilling program on July 22 at MLK Library. [Details here]

• Seed2Table is hosting an event all about life sciences on July 23. [Details here]

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