Greater Washington RISE: The Regional Innovation Strategy Engine

The engine of next for Greater Washington’s economy.

Connected DMV isn’t just responding to trends—we’re building what’s next. RISE (Regional Innovation Strategy Engine) is how we do it together.

RISE is a bold, cross-sector initiative aligning the Greater Washington region around a shared economic vision—one that turns ambition into action, innovation into infrastructure, and opportunity into real-world outcomes. Built on the legacy of the DMV Regional Congress and REDS (Regional Economic Development Strategy), RISE brings a sharper focus and faster pace to the mission: ensuring Greater Washington doesn’t just compete in the future economy—it defines it.

From REDS to RISE: A New Chapter in Collaboration

Over the past four years, Connected DMV convened the region’s most trusted leaders through the DMV Regional Congress and REDS initiative to tackle our shared challenges—and build lasting solutions. Through those efforts, we launched a portfolio of transformational initiatives.

This isn’t a plan. It’s a launch sequence.

RISE is how Greater Washington leads at full throttle. It’s how we scale high-growth sectors, connect physical and digital infrastructure, and supercharge talent pipelines that put more people on paths to opportunity.

We don’t just facilitate conversations—we drive action. We don’t wait for industries to arrive—we build them. RISE is the region’s do tank.

greater washington’s assets

With unparalleled access to policymakers, industry giants, and research powerhouses, Greater Washington isn’t just participating in the space economy—it’s leading the charge.

  • Greater Washington is home to the nation’s top space-focused federal agencies, shaping the future of space exploration, security, and commercialization:

    • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) – Goddard Space Flight Center (Maryland) & Langley Research Center (Virginia)

    • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) – Space Weather & Satellite Operations

    • National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) – Space-based intelligence and surveillance

    • Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Office of Commercial Space Transportation – Regulating private sector space launches

    • Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Space Bureau – Licensing satellite communications & orbital traffic management

    • Space Development Agency (SDA) – Advancing military space capabilities

    • Office of Space Commerce – Coordinating U.S. commercial space policy

  • Some of the world’s most influential space and defense companies call the DMV home, driving next-generation spacecraft, satellite technology, and defense innovations:

    • Boeing

    • Lockheed Martin

    • Northrop Grumman

    • Raytheon Technologies

    • General Dynamics

    • MAXAR Technologies

    • Orbital Systems

    • The Aerospace Corporation

  • Greater Washington is home to some of the nation’s top research institutions, advancing space science, engineering, and workforce development:

    • University of Maryland

    • George Mason University

    • Virginia Tech

    • Howard University

join us to shape the future of space.