What it is
DC Startup & Tech Week (DCSTW), formerly known as DC Startup Week, is an annual week-long startup and tech conference and community in the DMV. Its team describes it as an entrepreneurship conference "for founders by founders." It is led by founder and CEO Rachel Koretsky. The 2026 edition runs October 19 to 23, 2026, with events spread across Washington, DC and Arlington and Alexandria, Virginia. Past editions were held in late October in 2024 and 2025.
What it offers founders
The week combines keynotes, workshops, fireside chats, founder stories, live pitch competitions, expos and demos, investor meetings and nightly happy hours. Programming is organized into four main tracks:
- Early Stage Founders
- Growth Stage Founders
- Emerging Tech & AI
- Startups for Good
Subtracks have included Female Founders & Funders, Consumer Packaged Goods, Government & Innovation, Climate & Sustainability, Web 3.0, Life Sciences & Biotech, Workforce Development, Investor, Developer and Autonomous Tech/Dual-Use. The 2026 schedule also includes a CPG Showcase & Competition, "Workshop Wednesday" sessions, and a Startup Showcase & Business Resource Expo where startups and service providers can book booths. See the 2026 schedule for session details.
Who it is for
DCSTW is aimed at founders at every stage, from idea to growth, along with investors, students, service providers and other ecosystem partners. Registration offers separate ticket types for founders and professionals, investors, ecosystem partners, students and community sponsors. The Founder and Professional ticket covers general admission to conference sessions and free partner activations during the week.
How to engage
Attendees register through the event's Luma page, linked from the DCSTW homepage. Ticket prices were not listed on the pages reviewed, so check the registration page for current pricing. The site also links forms to volunteer, sponsor or partner, and paid booking links for Resource Expo and Startup Showcase booths. Venues change by day; the venues page lists 2026 locations such as Convene Hamilton Square at 600 14th St NW, the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library at 901 G St NW, International Square at 1875 I St NW, and Convene Arlington at 1201 Wilson Blvd. Sponsorship questions go to info@dcstartupweek.org.
Why it matters in the DMV ecosystem
Because it runs for a full week and moves across DC and Northern Virginia, DCSTW is one of the few moments each year when much of the regional startup community, including investors, support organizations and government innovation groups, is in the same rooms. For a founder new to the area, it is an efficient way to meet peers, find resource providers and investors, and learn which local groups are active in your sector. The team page lists the track leads, who are useful contacts for specific industries.
