The year 2023 was a challenging but rewarding one for the DC tech sector. Despite the uncertainties of the pandemic, the recession, and the political transition, the local tech community showed resilience, innovation, and collaboration. Here are some of the highlights and trends that shaped the DC tech scene in 2023.
Cybersecurity and data protection remained in high demand
Cybersecurity and data protection were among the most resilient and essential fields in tech in 2023. As cyberattacks increased in frequency and sophistication, the need for skilled and experienced cyber professionals also grew. According to CompTIA, the DC metro area had the second-highest concentration of cybersecurity jobs in the country, with over 60,000 openings in 2023.
Some of the local companies and organizations that made waves in the cyber space in 2023 were:
- Ey3 Technologies, a cybersecurity and systems engineering consulting group founded by Terry Bazemore, a former senior security engineer at Securion and Caci International. Ey3 Technologies helped clients in the government and private sectors with cyber risk assessment, penetration testing, and incident response.
- ThreatQuotient, a threat intelligence platform that enabled security teams to prioritize and act on the most relevant threats. Nigel Houghton, the director of marketplace and ecosystem development at ThreatQuotient, shared his insights on the limitations and challenges of AI in cybersecurity.
- National Fair Housing Alliance, a civil rights organization that conducted research and testing to remove bias in AI and generative AI for the housing sphere. Michael Akinwumi, the chief tech equity officer at NFHA, organized the organization’s first Tech Equity Hackathon in June 2023.
Dataflow automation and event-driven infrastructures became the new norm
Dataflow automation and event-driven infrastructures were the new technologies that revolutionized the way data teams worked in 2023. These technologies enabled data teams to access the information they needed when they needed it, without relying on scheduled or batch processes.
One of the local companies that led the way in this field was Prefect, a dataflow automation platform that allowed users to build, monitor, and manage data workflows. Jeremiah Lowin, the CEO of Prefect, compared the shift to dataflow automation to the shift from TiVo to Netflix in the entertainment industry. Prefect raised $32 million in Series B funding in July 2023 and expanded its team and customer base.
DC government and local organizations supported tech innovation and inclusion
The DC government and local organizations played an active role in supporting tech innovation and inclusion in 2023. Some of the initiatives and programs that they launched or continued were:
- Mobility Innovation District, a partnership between the DC government and the Southwest Business Innovation District to create the city’s first-ever testbed and infrastructure hub for transportation. The Mobility Innovation District aimed to foster collaboration among mobility stakeholders, such as startups, researchers, and policymakers, and to showcase and pilot new mobility solutions.
- DC Tech Awards, an annual event organized by Technical.ly to celebrate and recognize the achievements and contributions of the local tech community. The 2022 DC Tech Awards nominees were announced in November 2023 and included categories such as Startup of the Year, Technical Leader of the Year, and Impact Leader of the Year.
- DC Startup Week, a five-day festival that brought together entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, and experts to share their stories, insights, and advice. The 2023 DC Startup Week was held in September and featured over 100 events, workshops, and panels on topics such as fundraising, marketing, product development, and social impact.
