DC Startup & Tech Week 2026
A week of DC founders in one place, most of them hiring engineers quietly.
Washington, DC
What this event is
DC Startup & Tech Week runs October 19 to 23 across multiple venues in the DC metro with panels, networking and a resource expo of local startups. Early-bird tickets run roughly $37 to $49 for students and $77 to $89 for founders, with a community access pass for those facing financial barriers.
Roles you will actually see
Who should go
Engineers who want early-stage and growth-stage startup roles in DC rather than contractor or federal work.
There is no job fair here, and that is the point: founders at the expo and mixers are hiring but have not posted the role yet. Walk the resource expo and ask every founder 'who is your next engineering hire?' Small startups rarely sponsor H-1B because of cost and timing, so be honest about your status early and focus on Series A and later companies that have done it before. Buy the student ticket if you qualify; it is the cheapest access to this network all year.
Show up prepared
- 1Buy the early-bird ticket and watch for the schedule two to three weeks out
- 2Prepare a one-line answer to 'what do you build?' that a non-engineer understands
- 3Bring a phone-ready portfolio link, not a resume
Sponsorship reality
Sponsorship varies by employer. No organizer publishes sponsorship. Check each employer you plan to meet against H-1B disclosure data before you go, and ask in the first two minutes so neither side wastes the conversation.
Showing up is half of it.
The other half is being first to the roles these employers post, and having something real to show when you get there.
See roles the minute they go live, tailor one resume per employer, and reach the hiring manager directly. Walk into the event as a follow-up, not a stranger.
Start free13 weeks of building real AI agents and automations, so the answer to "what have you built" is a link, not a story.
Explore the program