News

DC-based Last Energy tapped for federal nuclear programs D.C.-based nuclear startup Last Energy Inc. was named by the Department of Energy as one of 11 companies for a pilot program that aims to speed up deployment of advanced reactor projects. As part of this pilot, the Trump administration is vying to get at least three …

DC’s JotPsych lands $5M seed round to advance behavioral health with AI JotPsych, a D.C. startup developing an AI-based electronic health record tool for mental and behavioral health providers, has landed a $5 million seed round. The 2-year-old company plans to use the funding to build out additional capabilities for the EHR tool, which is …

GameOne bar + arcade opening first DC location on U Street GameOn bar+arcade, a Baltimore-based entertainment concept, is opening its first local location this fall on the U Street corridor in D.C. The business started by the husband-and-wife team of Casey and Eli Linthicum has signed a lease for 3,400 square feet at 1330 U …

DC Council Approves RFK Stadium Deal! The biggest news of the week arrived on a Friday, when the DC Council approved the RFK stadium redevelopment deal. Mayor Bowser put it best:  The era of a crumbling sea of asphalt on the banks of the Anacostia is finally coming to an end. In its place, we …

OpenAI plans to open first DC office next year The office will be home to OpenAI’s workforce in the nation’s capital, which is currently made up of about 30 people … OpenAI’s D.C. office will include a laboratory called “The Workshop,” where nonprofit leaders, policymakers and educators can test the company’s technology. The space will …

Little Sesame Closes $8.5M Series A Funding to Fuel Rapid Growth The funds will be used to significantly expand manufacturing capabilities, product development, and talent acquisition. Little Sesame plans to open a 23,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility by the end of 2025, complete with a test kitchen for product innovation and in-house High-Pressure Processing (HPP) capabilities. …

Lots of news to catch up on after the July 4th holiday! We are also moving our Capital Insights news roundup to Mondays going forward. Anthony Williams makes the case for Commanders stadium deal Great to hear former Mayor Williams add to the conversation around RFK. Two decades ago, as mayor, I fought to bring …

Lots of news to catch up on after the July 4th holiday! We are also moving our Capital Insights news roundup to Mondays going forward. Anthony Williams makes the case for Commanders stadium deal Great to hear former Mayor Williams add to the conversation around RFK. Two decades ago, as mayor, I fought to bring …

DC’s Enquire.AI Closes $3 Million Bridge Round to Expand Agentic AI Research. The capital will be used to scale the company’s proprietary multi-agent research platform and expand hiring in AI engineering, go-to-market, and institutional research sales. “Research today is too slow, siloed and reactive to keep pace with the markets. The world moves much faster,” Enquire.AI CEO and Founder Cenk Sidar said. "We believe the future of research is conversational. Enquire.AI’s clients include Microsoft, General Atlantic, EY, PwC, Teneo, and Activate Consulting, which use the platform to access expert insights on demand. Check out our interview with Cenk Sidar in our Executive Insight on AI in DC:

Silicon Valley cybersecurity firm opens DC office Qualys Inc., a publicly traded Silicon Valley cybersecurity company, is the latest outfit from outside the region to open a D.C. office to appeal to the federal customer base. The company, which specializes in providing risk management and cloud security services, has leased space at One Franklin Square …

Social Sports Concept Ballers Raises $20M, Eyes DC Expansion Ballers, a sports venue and exclusive members’ club, has closed on $20M of funding and plans to open more than 50 locations within the next 10 years. The funding comes as Ballers is slated to open its 55K SF Philadelphia flagship in July and a 30K SF location …