5 Next-Gen Tech Companies Setting Up Shop In Crystal City
The folks at Bisnow partner Crystal City BID believe the most important factor to a successful business location isn’t a floor plan, amenities or lease terms, but the “overall urban ecosystem that attracts the very best of the region’s, nation’s and world’s talent.”
With LEED Certified buildings, top restaurants, a world-class theater and easy access to public transit, the 25M SF neighborhood has created an office environment where its many office tenants can interact and innovate, fostering “new ideas that can be prototyped, funded, incubated, and grown to maturity all without having to leave the neighborhood.”
Tech startups, for example, can set up shop in Crystal City’s WeWork, Eastern Foundry (an incubator that caters to the needs of small business federal contractors) or 1776, a global incubator and seed fund that assists startups that hope to solve the world’s most fundamental challenges.
Crystal City has been such a hotspot for tech development that we sat down with five interesting, impressive tech companies calling Crystal City home, asking them not just what they do, but what made Crystal City stand out as a place to grow.
To learn more about our Bisnow partner, click here.
Sandboxx
Operating at: Eastern Foundry
About Sandboxx: Sandboxx is a mobile app that enables military recruits, veterans, active duty, reserve/guard and their families to efficiently and securely communicate through an exclusive social network, as well as through their Letters Platform that sends physical mail for those in basic training or on deployment without access to regular Internet service.
Why Crystal City: "Relocating from Greenwich, CT, to the DC Metro area was a huge decision for Sandboxx. When we first looked at Eastern Foundry and Crystal City, it was evident how much everyone loves this place. If you're serving the government community in any way, Crystal City and Eastern Foundry are the place to be. The companies in Eastern Foundry are family. We all work together, rising the tides and under our company sails. Crystal City's highly efficient for our team with an easy commute via Metro, bike or car—offering the best commute within 15 miles in the DMV. The food and nightlife's on par as well. We at Sandboxx are blessed to be part of Crystal City’s ecosystem and carry a high flag for Eastern Foundry."
You can learn more about Sandbox by clicking here. You can download the app by clicking here.
Inspire: Virginia
Operating at: WeWork
About Inspire Virginia: Inspire Virginia is a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization that engages high school students in peer-to-peer voter registration for 17-year-olds (if they will be 18 by the general election), and 18-year-olds. In addition, the company guides high school students to network with local elected officials to improve communities and strengthen democracy.
Why Crystal City: "We're trying to make voting cool again, which Crystal City has been able to help with. For example, we held a phone banking event for Super Tuesday and requested a space in our WeWork office. Crystal City allowed us to have a communal area, hype up our phone banking event, and it was easily accessible for our students with the Metro so close by. In addition, Crystal City and WeWork have provided us amazing networking opportunities to help grow our efforts."
To learn more about Inspire Virginia, click here.
540.co
Operating at: 1776
About 540.co: 540.co (named after the sum of the degrees of the interior angles of the Pentagon) is a full stack technology services company with a passion for bringing the “spirit of Silicon Valley” back to the federal government. 540.co helps government clients learn “the art of the possible,” teaching them to innovate like startups. By combining cutting-edge technology with its core competency of open data discovery and an “API First” approach to development, the company helps the government reduce costs associated with traditional data management and web development.
Why Crystal City: "1776 and Crystal City provide the perfect work environment for 540. The biggest benefit is probably our proximity to the Pentagon, our primary customer, and other federal agencies, [which] facilitates the collaboration needed to support our rapid and agile development approach and attitude. The open, collaborative spirit of 1776 allows us to continuously engage with other startups, teaching and learning, enhancing our knowledge base while also helping others. 1776’s theme of creating a revolution inspires our effort and reminds us daily that there's a larger mission at stake here, and 540.co is proud to be a part of that."
To learn more about 540.co, click here.
Hatch IT
Operating at: WeWork
About Hatch IT: Hatch IT is a company on a mission—to connect the small businesses of today the with the tech talent of tomorrow. As a “developer-friendly” recruiting shop, Hatch IT helps local DC tech startups break out of their shell by providing specialized, scalable recruiting solutions focused on software engineering.
Why Crystal City: "We knew that Crystal City was the ideal location for us given its perfectly positioned in the heart of the local startup boom. Hatch IT was born entirely bootstrapped out of a garage in Leesburg, VA. Once we built our brand as a firm that specialized in growing the DC tech startup community, it was a no-brainer that we needed to make a move closer to our customers. It’s exciting to have our new headquarters in Crystal City, where organizations that share our vision—like WeWork and 1776—are right in your backyard."
To learn more about Hatch IT, click here.
Stone Security
Operating at: Eastern Foundry
About Stone Security: Stone Security Engineering is an internationally recognized small, woman-owned business specializing in protecting people and property from accidental and manmade hazards. Focusing on blast resistance, security and safety in engineering and design, the company offers a variety of services, including blast vulnerability assessments and training on how to predict and mitigate hazards from explosions, fires and toxics. Stone's engineers have participated in multi-hazard vulnerability, threat, and risk assessments for more than 200 facilities around the world and abnormal loading design for more than 300 buildings and structures.
Why Crystal City: "Stone Security Engineering had been operating in New York City for seven years when we decided that it was time to open an office in the Washington, DC, metro area. We looked at office space in DC, Arlington near Clarendon, and Crystal City. Hands down, Crystal City offered the most pleasant environment, easily accessible amenities and prime office space. Eastern Foundry has been the icing on the cake for us. Their knowledge, support, drive to connect the related businesses within Eastern Foundry, and outreach to government agencies and programs has been of immense help as we have grown our business. We wouldn’t think of having our operations anywhere else!"
To learn more about Stone Security, click here.
