THE ENGINE OF NEXT
ABOUT US
Collaboration at the speed of change
WHAT WE DO
Connected DMV unites Greater Washington’s unmatched assets—talent, innovation, influence—to build the industries, infrastructure, and partnerships that will define the next economy. We work across D.C., Maryland, and Virginia because the future doesn’t stop at jurisdictional boundaries, and neither do we.
We bring together government, business, academia, and community leaders to launch high-impact initiatives that cut through silos, accelerate innovation, and position Greater Washington as a global leader in the markets that matter most. We don’t just respond to change—we drive it.
Since 2019, we've done more than convene conversations. We've helped establish the foundation for cross-jurisdictional economic collaboration, developed shared strategies for growth, secured federal investment, and launched initiatives that are positioning Greater Washington to compete on a global stage.
Connected DMV co-founder and trustee and Fairfax County EDA President and CEO George D. Thomas (left) during announcement of the Regional Quantum Ecosystem Collaboration agreement with hubs from Europe, North America, and Australia at Quantum World Congress 2024.
BORN TO BUILD WHAT’S NEXT
OUR STORY
From Left to Right: NASA Chief Technologist A.C. Charania; former Fairfax County EDA President and CEO and Connected DMV Board of Trustees Chair Victor Hoskins; Connected DMV co-founder and trustee and Fairfax County EDA President and CEO George D. Thomas; Arkenstone Founder Preston Dunlap; and Connected DMV Founder and Executive Chairman Stu Solomon.
Connected DMV began in March 2019 when leaders from government, business, academia, and the community came together to develop a smart region strategy for socially responsible economic growth. By that summer, more than 400 volunteers from 200+ organizations were working in solution groups to shape the vision.
We officially launched the Connected DMV brand in October 2019, and in April 2020 became an independent 501(c)(3) dedicated to building cross-sector initiatives that transcend jurisdictional boundaries. When the pandemic struck, we mobilized the COVID-19 Strategic Renewal Task Force, bringing together 51 of the region’s top leaders to tackle urgent challenges and plan for long-term recovery. That collaborative engine proved so effective it evolved into the DMV Regional Congress—a 67-member body representing the region’s most trusted voices across sectors.
From our earliest days, the mission has been the same: unite the region’s strengths, act boldly, and deliver results that improve quality of life and economic opportunity across Greater Washington.
The Vision of One Region Didn’t Begin Yesterday.
FROM REDS TO RISE
“We are creating something new: a more economically equitable and collaborative region. Imagine what we could achieve by doing bigger and better things together, from developing a regional talent pipeline to marketing the region to the world. Only by collaborating regionally on economic development can the entire Washington region reach its full potential as a global technology and innovation hub.”
— Victor Hoskins
former President & CEO, Fairfax County Economic Development Authority and Chair, Connected DMV Board of Trustees, in the Regional Economic Development Strategy (REDS) 1.0 Report
Regional collaboration isn't a new priority for Connected DMV. It's why we exist. And it's work we've been doing since our founding.
In 2020, as Greater Washington confronted the economic and social consequences of the pandemic, Connected DMV mobilized 51 regional leaders through its COVID-19 Strategic Renewal Task Force and commissioned an ambitious effort: the Regional Economic Development Strategy (REDS).
The mandate was clear. Bring government, industry, academia, philanthropy, and community organizations together across D.C., Maryland, and Virginia to build a more competitive, collaborative, and equitable regional economy.
In June 2021, following months of work involving 23 organizations, Connected DMV released One: A Blueprint for Enduring Collaboration to Advance Economic Opportunity and Equity in Greater Washington. The landmark REDS 1.0 report laid out a regional economic development framework built around three priorities: equitable growth, unified regional branding, and a connected talent pipeline.
But the work didn't stop with a report.
Alongside REDS, the DMV Regional Congress brought together 67 leaders from across the region, establishing a lasting forum for cross-jurisdictional collaboration. Through REDS 2.0, regional leaders continued the work over the next several years, holding 12 documented steering committee meetings and conducting 14 regional stakeholder and equity-focused sessions involving representatives from more than 50 organizations.
In October 2021, Connected DMV secured a $1.1 million federal grant to advance the Regional Equity and Growth Playbook. That investment supported years of research, stakeholder engagement, and institutional analysis, culminating in a comprehensive, 93-page Playbook completed in March 2024. The work went beyond identifying shared priorities. It assessed regional capabilities and gaps, examined models for institutional collaboration, and developed recommendations and a roadmap for putting regional cooperation into practice.
And the strategy was already producing tangible results. In 2022, Greater Washington: Build Here launched as a unified regional brand developed in collaboration with the region's economic development organizations, demonstrating what was possible when jurisdictions worked together to promote their collective strengths.
Alongside that work, Connected DMV's broader regional collaboration model helped advance initiatives in quantum technology, hydrogen, space, workforce development, and other high-growth industries. Those efforts have grown into a portfolio of regional and global partnerships, innovation centers, major convenings, and workforce programs, including NEXTversity, designed to connect more people to the opportunities of the emerging economy.
Today, that legacy continues through the Greater Washington Regional Innovation Strategy Engine (RISE). RISE isn't a new mission. It's the next evolution of one we've been building for years.
The strategy established the foundation. The partnerships created the capacity. Now we're turning that collective strength into the industries, infrastructure, and opportunities that will define Greater Washington's future.
THE RECORD REGIONAL COLLABORATION IN ACTION
A REGION-WIDE MANDATE.
A DOCUMENTED RECORD.
Before RISE had a name, Connected DMV was laying the groundwork for a more competitive, collaborative, and equitable Greater Washington. The record speaks for itself.
The Strategy
Regional Economic Development Strategy (REDS) commissioned to advance regional collaboration and equitable growth.
The Coalition
Organizations represented across the REDS 1.0 Steering Committee and Working Group that developed the original regional blueprint.
The Investment
Federal funding awarded in 2021 to advance the DMV Regional Equity and Growth Playbook.
The Regional Brand
Greater Washington: Build Here launches, bringing economic development organizations together under a shared regional identity.
THE ORIGINAL BLUEPRINT · JUNE 2021
ONE. A Blueprint for Enduring Collaboration.
Explore the original REDS report that helped establish the foundation for Connected DMV's regional economic development work.
IMPACT YOU CAN SEE
WHAT WE’VE BUILT
Connected DMV’s collaborative model has already delivered initiatives that have elevated the region’s profile on the global stage:
THE FUTURE RUNS ON CONNECTED DMV
OUR NEXT CHAPTER
We’re doubling down on what works: bold ideas, executed collaboratively and at speed. Our focus is on the next-generation industries and infrastructure—quantum, space, AI, and beyond—that will determine not only the future of Greater Washington’s economy, but its role in the world.
Greater Washington is one of the most strategically positioned regions on the planet. Together, we can ensure it rises to the opportunity—and leads what comes next.
The future isn’t something we wait for. It’s something we build—together.