News

AED is teaming up with Springboard Enterprises and Deloitte to bring Dolphin Tank® back to Arlington — offering an exciting platform for women entrepreneurs to pitch, connect and grow. Sponsorship of this event is part of AED’s broader efforts to support the tech ecosystem through the Arlington Innovation Fund (AIF). The 2025 DMV Dolphin Tank will be on Wednesday, June 11.

AED announced the first cohort of Arlington Tech Launchpad, a new soft-landing program that invites high-potential global technology companies to explore Arlington as a strategic gateway to the U.S. market. More than 60 companies from Asia, Europe, Central and South America and the United States applied.

This National Small Business Week, support small and local businesses and get rewarded for your purchases through Open Rewards. Launched in 2022 by BizLaunch, Open Rewards is an innovative platform, where shoppers can earn 5% in cash back rewards for purchases made at local businesses, shoppers can then redeem those rewards for purchases at other local businesses.

On April 30, 2025, 17 small business owners from Arlington and across Northern Virginia took the stage at the BizLaunch PitchFest Finale, held at Amazon’s Visitor Landing at HQ2. The event marked the culmination of the BizLaunch Transformational Challenge, a months-long program designed to equip entrepreneurs with critical skills to strengthen and scale their businesses.

Three entrepreneurs. Three powerful stories. One unforgettable conversation.
Join Arlington Economic Development’s BizLaunch team for an inspiring event — Brunch and Business: AANHPI Leadership and Their Unyielding Resilience — that honors the grit, passion and resilience of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) small business owners who turned dreams into reality.

The Arlington Innovation Fund is committed to strengthening our region’s innovation ecosystem by building strategic partnerships, expanding access to capital, and opening new doors for founders. We’re excited to share three new sponsorships that reflect this mission — and our continued investment in making Arlington a place where innovation thrives.

Arlington Economic Development (AED) Department, the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC), the National Landing Business Improvement District (BID), JBG Smith and Starburst, are proud to announce the opening of Starburst’s National Landing Launchpad. The initiative, supported by a $200,000 grant from VIPC’s Regional Innovation Fund (RIF).

In this episode of the Innovation Economy Podcast, host Susan Soroko discusses the value and impact of women-owned businesses. Joined by Mary Wong, Founder and Principal Consultant of EvaluCcraft Global, the conversation highlights the barriers women-owned businesses face and the various available resources and support systems.

CoStar Group Inc.’s $325 million acquisition of the Central Place office in Rosslyn was a win for the publicly traded real estate data giant, a win for co-seller JBG Smith Properties, a win for Arlington and the state of Virginia.

Mark your calendars for June 17 – 18, 2025, because the State of GovTech 2025 is coming to Amazon’s HQ2 in Arlington, Virginia. This groundbreaking event, organized by CivStart in partnership with Arlington Economic Development, Technologists for the Public Good, the National League of Cities and e.Republic, promises to be a game-changer for local government innovation.