Mayor Muriel Bowser Presents WeDC Fest in the Capital of Inclusive Innovation
Three-Day Conference Celebrating the District’s Innovation Powered by Pepco and Exelon
September 20, 2018 (Washington, DC) – In support of Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser’s inclusive innovation priority, the Washington DC Economic Partnership (WDCEP) is hosting the first-annual WeDC Fest, a three-day conference to celebrate collaboration and innovation for innovators, entrepreneurs, makers and creatives, and government leaders that make the District the Capital of Inclusive Innovation. The conference will take place from Wednesday, Sept. 26 – Friday, Sept. 28 across three venues in Downtown, DC; the National Building Museum, National Union Building and Pepco Edison Place Gallery.
WeDC Fest is presented by the Executive Office of Mayor Muriel Bowser and powered by Pepco and Exelon. The conference will provide unique programming across three tracks; tech + innovation, makers + creatives and social impact. Attendees will have the ability to network with local makers, creatives, and social impact entrepreneurs.
“As a leader in tech and innovation, Washington, DC stands out for our diversity, our creativity, and our commitment to inclusivity,” said Mayor Muriel Bowser. “WeDC Fest is an opportunity to highlight the changemakers, entrepreneurs, and ideas that make Washington, DC the Capital of Inclusive Innovation, and we look forward to sharing our story.”
WDCEP is working with private and public stakeholders during WeDC Fest to host programming that includes panel discussions, interviews, podcasts, and more. Participants will gain insights and hear from more than 100 of the city’s brightest leaders while experiencing events that highlight DC’s creative economy including art and music.
Pepco and Exelon are foundational partners for WeDC Fest and will have an activation during the WeDC Innovation Marketplace in partnership with their EZ-EV program; it will include several electric vehicles (EV) and experts will speak about Pepco and Exelon’s goals for clean mobility and infrastructure. A series of sessions centered around the theme of “Connected Communities” will be held in the Pepco Edison Place Gallery featuring speakers to include the Greater Washington Urban League, Martha’s Table, DC Hunger Solutions, Kaiser Permanente, and more.
“We are proud to power WeDC Fest and help bring together the best and brightest innovators, entrepreneurs and enthusiasts from across the District as we continue the important discussion around technologies and initiatives essential to advancing our region,” said Dave Velazquez, President and CEO of Pepco Holdings. “We are advancing smart energy initiatives every day, building new and innovative energy options for our customers that continue to connect our communities. We look forward to displaying these innovations and having important discussions essential to achieving a clean, safe and reliable energy future for the District and beyond.”
In recent years, Washington DC has been ranked as the strongest economy in the United States and the top US city for growth entrepreneurship three years in a row by the Kauffman Foundation. In 2016, Mayor Bowser released a report entitled “Pathways to Inclusion,” which set Washington, DC on a course to become the nation’s Capital of Inclusive Innovation. The Washington DC Economic Partnership integrated the promotion of inclusivity and innovation as part of their WeDC campaign, launched in 2015, in collaboration with the Deputy Mayor’s Office for Planning and Economic Development.
“After launching the WeDC campaign successfully at SXSW in Austin, Texas, we thought it was time to showcase the innovation and energy in our own backyard. Our residents and communities continue to elevate DC’s prominence as a global business destination and using forums such as WeDC Fest allows us to highlight what makes our city the Capital of Inclusive Innovation,” said Keith Sellars, President and CEO of the Washington DC Economic Partnership.
For more information about WeDC Fest, visit www.wedcfest.com or contact the Washington DC Economic Partnership at (202) 661-8670. Follow WDCEP on social media @wdcep.
Contact:
Devin Zitelman
Washington DC Economic Partnership
dzitelman@wdcep.com
(202) 661-8679
# # #
About Washington DC Economic Partnership (WDCEP)
The Washington DC Economic Partnership (WDCEP) is a non-profit, public-private organization that drives inclusive economic growth and job creation, supports business and promotes Washington, DC as a leading global city. Our mission is to promote DC’s economic and business opportunities and support business retention and attraction activities. Our partners including private companies and public-sector organizations gives us access to variety of resources including signature, award-winning publications.
For more information follow Washington DC Economic Partnership on Twitter (www.twitter.com/wdcep), Facebook (www.facebook.com/wdcep) and Instagram (www.instagram.com/wdcep).