Come Help Amplify D.C. Entrepreneurship

Of course we all know of the local chatter revolving around the fact that DC is or is not a good place to bring up a budding business. Many around, including me, like it here and think there are good things in the works. However, others, especially VC’s, think greener pastures are elsewhere. Well it is our chance to show them they may juts be wrong.

I was chatting with Keith Casey of Casey Software and WhyGoSolo a little while back and he was telling me about this business plan competition coming up in the area, and he said it would be a great opportunity for the local tech communtiy to stand up and be seen and heard.

The competition Keith was talking about is the Mid-Atlantic Business Plan Competition

That day is the no-holds-barred deathmatch of entrepreneur vs entrepreneur. There are presentations in the morning, a round of eliminations, and then the culmination of the entire contest… the finalists get to present in front of a public audience affectionately called the STARTUP SMACK DOWN.

The panel will include several VC’s, professors, and other local entrepenuers. Keith makes a great point when he states :

I think it’s time to put up or shut up. If we storm the place… if we completely pack the final presentations with the best and brightest from the DC Tech community, people will notice. The VC’s will do a double take. The professors will take note. The students competing will reconsider immediately leaving for friendlier places.

I am all in as they say in Texas Hold’Em. What about you ? We would love to get everyone we can in that auditorium as Keith says to make people take notice that we are here and ready to flourish. If we can start the create a minor shift in the perception of some of the panlists, they may take that back with them and start a little buzz. And that would be good for all of us.

So here are the details:

Date: Saturday, April 26 2008

Time: 1-5 PM

Where: ICC Auditorium, Georgetown University (Building 26 on this map)

So what do you say ? Stop by and join the Facebook Group I created: DC Technology Business Plan Competition Crashers if your interested.

This post was orginially posted on East Coast Blogging. Jimmy Gardner is founder of 2Plus11 Technology, a technology consulting firm, and a local entrepreneur. He writes the blog, East Coast Blogging and is a avid advocate of the local DC area technology community.

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