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Organized by and for the people who make the DMV's deep tech ecosystem run, from the labs and universities where ideas are born, to the startups, primes, investors, policymakers, and operators who bri

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Building the DMV New Space Economy

Name: Building the DMV New Space Economy
Start: 2026-04-29T12:30:00.000-04:00
End: 2026-04-29T16:00:00.000-04:00
Location: STATION DC

DMV Deep Tech Week

STATION DC

Washington, District of Columbia

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About Event

Led by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of Space Commerce in collaboration with regional partners, this event will convene leaders from government, industry, academia, investment, and the startup community to examine how the DMV (D.C., Maryland, and Virginia region) can strengthen its role in the new space economy.

With its concentration of policymakers, technical talent, research institutions, capital, and emerging companies, the DMV is uniquely positioned to support the next phase of space innovation and commercialization. This conversation, held as part of DMV Deep Tech Week, will spotlight the partnerships and regional assets needed to build a stronger, more coordinated, and more competitive space ecosystem.

Agenda

12:30pm - 1:00pm Registration
1:00pm - 1:15pm Opening Remarks
- Taylor Jordan, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Environmental Observation and Prediction & Director of the Office of Space Commerce
- Kelli Kedis Ogborn, Strategic Advisor for Global Markets and Industry Engagement - Commercial Space Federation
1:15pm - 2:05pm Building the Infrastructure: Local and state leaders discuss how D.C., Maryland, and Virginia are creating a stronger foundation for the new space economy through policy, real estate, workforce access, and strategic public investment.
- Moderator: Gabriel Swiney, Division Director, Policy, Advocacy and International Division, Office of Space Commerce
- Panelists:
  - Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Roosevelt "Ted" Mercer Jr., CEO and Executive Director, Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority
  - Georgie Brophy, Vice Chair, Maryland Aerospace and Technology Commission
  - George D. Thomas, President and CEO, Connected DMV
2:05pm - 2:50pm Building the Workforce: A conversation on how universities, community colleges, and technical schools are building the next generation of space talent and what it will take to attract and retain that talent in the DMV.
- Moderator: Dr. Scott Pace, Director of the Space Policy Institute, The George Washington University
- Panelists:
  - Dr. Sarah Stewart Johnson, Professor of Astrobiology, Georgetown University
  - Dr. Christine Bernhardt, STEM Coordinator, Northern Virginia Community College
2:50pm - 3:05pm Coffee Break
3:05pm - 3:50pm Building the Companies: Founders discuss what it takes to build and scale in the DMV and why the region is increasingly positioned to support new space companies across manufacturing, business development, government affairs, and strategy.
- Moderator: James Barlia, Executive Director, Station DC
- Panelists:
  - Ashley Pilipiszyn, CEO and Founder, BESXAR Space Industries
  - Marc Berte, CEO and Founder, Overview Energy
3:50pm - 4:00pm Closing Remarks
- Sam Chang, Policy Fellow, Office of Space Commerce

Location