The Premier Offsite for Founders and Funders
DI is a gathering of innovators and capital allocators. This is where capital finds its highest potential. Where ambition meets opportunity. Where the right conversations unlock extraordinary outcomes.
Speakers
Buddy Rizer
Executive Director, Loudoun County DED
Buddy Rizer is the Executive Director of Economic Development for Loudoun County, Virginia, where he helped build “Data Center Alley” and attract over $65B in investment. Named a Tech Titan and one of Virginia’s Most Influential Leaders, he serves on multiple regional and national boards and holds certifications and degrees in business and economics.
Adam Fazackerley
General Partner, Fortify Ventures
Adam Fazackerley is the COO and Co-Founder of Lay-n-Go, which designs patented organizational products for life, play, and travel. A serial entrepreneur, he previously founded design firm concept2creations and began his career at UUNET Technologies. Adam is also a General Partner at Fortify Ventures and co-creator of Distilled Intelligence.
Colleen Kardasz
Assistant Director, Loudoun County Department of Economic Development
Colleen Kardasz is a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) who supports business recruitment, retention, and expansion efforts for Loudoun County. With a background in marketing, communications, and international business development, she previously spent 12 years in Northwest Ohio. Colleen holds a JD from the University of Toledo and a BA from Hiram College.
Stacey Metcalfe
Executive Director and CEO, Morven Park
Stacey Metcalfe is the Executive Director and CEO of Morven Park, a 1,000-acre historic estate and civic hub in Loudoun County. With 35 years of leadership experience across tech, healthcare, and nonprofits, she previously served as VP at AOL and Director at Inova Health. Stacey sits on numerous civic boards and is a past Chair of the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce.
Kevin Ash
Co-Founder and CEO, Clay Construction
Kevin Ash is a veteran real estate developer with over 30 years of experience in residential and commercial construction. As former owner of Ellisdale Construction, he oversaw more than $2B in projects and developed $150M of his own ventures. His portfolio spans hospitality, multifamily, and adaptive reuse, reflecting a career built on quality and execution.
Natasha Ahmed
Private Equity, Cosmic Funds
Natasha Ahmed is an economist and deep tech investor focused on the future of space and defense. She leads Corporate Development and Strategy at Epirus and serves on the board of the Space Force Association DC Chapter. Previously, she led the Defense and Space portfolio at Disruptive and advised dual-use ventures bridging technology, policy, and national security.
Eugene Wan
Partner, Construct Capital
Eugene Wan is an investor and operator focused on how emerging technologies drive reinvention. He was on the founding team of The Engine, MIT’s venture fund, where he helped lead early investments in Zapata, Form Energy, Commonwealth Fusion Systems, iSee, and Kytopen. Eugene has deep experience supporting frontier-tech founders from lab to market.
Marc Pavlopoulos
Founder, Syndesus
Marc Pavlopoulos is the founder of Syndesus, which helps U.S. venture-backed startups build engineering teams in Canada with a focus on AI talent. After two decades in Silicon Valley leading sales and partnerships at VC-backed tech firms, he founded Syndesus in 2014 to bridge U.S. companies with Canadian engineers. Marc holds an MBA from Ivey Business School.
Angela Wilson
President and CEO, SeKON Enterprises, Inc.
Dr. Angela Wilson is President and CEO of SeKON Enterprises, a federal health IT firm she founded and led until its acquisition by Alpha Omega in 2025. With over two decades in technology and consulting, including at Oracle, she’s guided organizations through major digital transformations. She holds a PhD from Virginia Tech and serves on the Loudoun County EDA.
Haley Bryant
Partner, Hustle Fund
Haley Bryant is a General Partner at Hustle Fund, investing early in bold founders across B2B SaaS, fintech, digital health, and Web3. Formerly COO at Animalz, she scaled operations and built high-performing teams. An active angel investor with 50+ startups backed, Haley champions speed, experimentation, and inclusion in venture. She lives in Washington, DC.
Sriram Gollapalli
Co-Founder, Long Angle
Sriram Gollapalli is a serial entrepreneur and investor best known as co-founder of Long Angle, a global community for high-net-worth individuals. A five-time founder, he built and sold iLab Solutions to Agilent Technologies and later co-founded TBD Angels and District Angels. A Carnegie Mellon alum, Sriram mentors founders and helps bridge operators with early-stage capital.
Sharon Virts
Founder, Virts Miller Foundation
Sharon Virts is an entrepreneur, author, and philanthropist best known as the founder of FCi Federal, which she grew from a small consulting firm into a $150M government contracting leader before its sale in 2017. She now leads the Virts Miller Foundation, focused on preservation and education, and writes acclaimed novels inspired by leadership, history, and resilience.
Anna Mason
Managing Partner, Ingeborg Investments
Anna Mason is Managing Partner at Ingeborg Investments, Olivia Walton’s family office. She was formerly co-Managing Partner at Revolution’s Rise of the Rest Seed Fund. Anna has spent a decade in venture, investing in overlooked founders and fund managers. She has been recognized by Fortune, Business Insider, and the Washingtonian, and was a 2022 Presidential Leadership Fellow. She holds degrees from Harvard College and NYU Stern and lives in D.C.
Timothy Chi
CEO, The Knot
Tim Chi is a seasoned board director and corporate executive. A 2x founder with successful public and private equity exits, he brings 25+ years of experience building and leading teams in online marketplaces and digital platforms. An EY Entrepreneur of the Year and Washingtonian “Tech Titan,” his work has been featured on CNN, CNBC, AP, Bloomberg, Fox Business, Inc., Yahoo Finance, and Fortune.
Jamie Marraccini
Founder, Inertial Labs
Jamie Marraccini is a seasoned entrepreneur and corporate leader. As founder and CEO of Inertial Labs, he scaled it to $50M in revenue and sold the company to VIAVI Solutions in 2025 for $325M. Earlier, on the board of Innalabs Holding, he raised $45M+ and guided its exit. A Virginia Tech alum, he has raised $30M+ and generated $150M across robotics, defense, semiconductors, media, and eCommerce.
Sam Pollaro
Founder, Venga
Sam Pollaro is a three-time entrepreneur, currently serving as the coCEO of PicassoMD, a digital health tech startup. Previously Sam was the SVP of Strategic Initiatives at Kayak-OpenTable after that company acquired Venga, his previous venture. Sam’s first startup, an online flower subscription business, was acquired by a Battery Ventures portfolio company.
Dan Berger
Founder, Social Tables
Dan J. Berger is an Israeli-American entrepreneur. His newest venture, Assemble Hospitality Group, is a new lodging concept for corporate retreats. He previously founded and led Social Tables, an event planning software company, which was acquired by Blackstone-owned Cvent in 2018 for $100 million. Dan is the recipient of numerous industry awards, including the Pacesetter Award from the Events Industry Council.
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Rohit Bhargava
Founder, Non-Obvious Company
Rohit Bhargava is a 3-time WSJ bestselling author of ten books and founder of the Non-Obvious Company. An adjunct professor of storytelling at Georgetown, he also leads Ideapress Publishing. A sought-after speaker and entrepreneur, Rohit is on a mission to inspire more non-obvious thinking and creativity in business and beyond.
Steve Case
Co-founder, AOL
Steve Case is the Co-founder of AOL and the Chairman and CEO of Revolution, a D.C.-based investment firm that backs entrepreneurs at every stage of their development and makes strategic investments in real estate and hospitality. Case is one of America’s best-known and most accomplished entrepreneurs and philanthropists, and a pioneer in making the Internet part of everyday life.
Brad Feld
Co-founder, Foundry
Brad Feld is a partner and co-founder of Foundry. He has been an early-stage investor and entrepreneur for over 35 years, since founding his first company, Feld Technologies, in college. Brad is also a co-founder of Techstars and, with his wife Amy Batchelor, runs the Anchor Point Foundation. Brad has written several books on entrepreneurship and venture capital and started blogging in 2004 before VC Twitter existed.
Speakers
Buddy Rizer
Executive Director, Loudoun County DED
Buddy Rizer is the Executive Director of Economic Development for Loudoun County, Virginia, where he helped build “Data Center Alley” and attract over $65B in investment. Named a Tech Titan and one of Virginia’s Most Influential Leaders, he serves on multiple regional and national boards and holds certifications and degrees in business and economics.
Adam Fazackerley
General Partner, Fortify Ventures
Adam Fazackerley is the COO and Co-Founder of Lay-n-Go, which designs patented organizational products for life, play, and travel. A serial entrepreneur, he previously founded design firm concept2creations and began his career at UUNET Technologies. Adam is also a General Partner at Fortify Ventures and co-creator of Distilled Intelligence.
Colleen Kardasz
Assistant Director, Loudoun County Department of Economic Development
Colleen Kardasz is a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) who supports business recruitment, retention, and expansion efforts for Loudoun County. With a background in marketing, communications, and international business development, she previously spent 12 years in Northwest Ohio. Colleen holds a JD from the University of Toledo and a BA from Hiram College.
Stacey Metcalfe
Executive Director and CEO, Morven Park
Stacey Metcalfe is the Executive Director and CEO of Morven Park, a 1,000-acre historic estate and civic hub in Loudoun County. With 35 years of leadership experience across tech, healthcare, and nonprofits, she previously served as VP at AOL and Director at Inova Health. Stacey sits on numerous civic boards and is a past Chair of the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce.
Kevin Ash
Co-Founder and CEO, Clay Construction
Kevin Ash is a veteran real estate developer with over 30 years of experience in residential and commercial construction. As former owner of Ellisdale Construction, he oversaw more than $2B in projects and developed $150M of his own ventures. His portfolio spans hospitality, multifamily, and adaptive reuse, reflecting a career built on quality and execution.
Natasha Ahmed
Private Equity, Cosmic Funds
Natasha Ahmed is an economist and deep tech investor focused on the future of space and defense. She leads Corporate Development and Strategy at Epirus and serves on the board of the Space Force Association DC Chapter. Previously, she led the Defense and Space portfolio at Disruptive and advised dual-use ventures bridging technology, policy, and national security.
Eugene Wan
Partner, Construct Capital
Eugene Wan is an investor and operator focused on how emerging technologies drive reinvention. He was on the founding team of The Engine, MIT’s venture fund, where he helped lead early investments in Zapata, Form Energy, Commonwealth Fusion Systems, iSee, and Kytopen. Eugene has deep experience supporting frontier-tech founders from lab to market.
Marc Pavlopoulos
Founder, Syndesus
Marc Pavlopoulos is the founder of Syndesus, which helps U.S. venture-backed startups build engineering teams in Canada with a focus on AI talent. After two decades in Silicon Valley leading sales and partnerships at VC-backed tech firms, he founded Syndesus in 2014 to bridge U.S. companies with Canadian engineers. Marc holds an MBA from Ivey Business School.
Angela Wilson
President and CEO, SeKON Enterprises, Inc.
Dr. Angela Wilson is President and CEO of SeKON Enterprises, a federal health IT firm she founded and led until its acquisition by Alpha Omega in 2025. With over two decades in technology and consulting, including at Oracle, she’s guided organizations through major digital transformations. She holds a PhD from Virginia Tech and serves on the Loudoun County EDA.
Haley Bryant
Partner, Hustle Fund
Haley Bryant is a General Partner at Hustle Fund, investing early in bold founders across B2B SaaS, fintech, digital health, and Web3. Formerly COO at Animalz, she scaled operations and built high-performing teams. An active angel investor with 50+ startups backed, Haley champions speed, experimentation, and inclusion in venture. She lives in Washington, DC.
Sriram Gollapalli
Co-Founder, Long Angle
Sriram Gollapalli is a serial entrepreneur and investor best known as co-founder of Long Angle, a global community for high-net-worth individuals. A five-time founder, he built and sold iLab Solutions to Agilent Technologies and later co-founded TBD Angels and District Angels. A Carnegie Mellon alum, Sriram mentors founders and helps bridge operators with early-stage capital.
Sharon Virts
Founder, Virts Miller Foundation
Sharon Virts is an entrepreneur, author, and philanthropist best known as the founder of FCi Federal, which she grew from a small consulting firm into a $150M government contracting leader before its sale in 2017. She now leads the Virts Miller Foundation, focused on preservation and education, and writes acclaimed novels inspired by leadership, history, and resilience.
Anna Mason
Managing Partner, Ingeborg Investments
Anna Mason is Managing Partner at Ingeborg Investments, Olivia Walton’s family office. She was formerly co-Managing Partner at Revolution’s Rise of the Rest Seed Fund. Anna has spent a decade in venture, investing in overlooked founders and fund managers. She has been recognized by Fortune, Business Insider, and the Washingtonian, and was a 2022 Presidential Leadership Fellow. She holds degrees from Harvard College and NYU Stern and lives in D.C.
Timothy Chi
CEO, The Knot
Tim Chi is a seasoned board director and corporate executive. A 2x founder with successful public and private equity exits, he brings 25+ years of experience building and leading teams in online marketplaces and digital platforms. An EY Entrepreneur of the Year and Washingtonian “Tech Titan,” his work has been featured on CNN, CNBC, AP, Bloomberg, Fox Business, Inc., Yahoo Finance, and Fortune.
Jamie Marraccini
Founder, Inertial Labs
Jamie Marraccini is a seasoned entrepreneur and corporate leader. As founder and CEO of Inertial Labs, he scaled it to $50M in revenue and sold the company to VIAVI Solutions in 2025 for $325M. Earlier, on the board of Innalabs Holding, he raised $45M+ and guided its exit. A Virginia Tech alum, he has raised $30M+ and generated $150M across robotics, defense, semiconductors, media, and eCommerce.
Sam Pollaro
Founder, Venga
Sam Pollaro is a three-time entrepreneur, currently serving as the coCEO of PicassoMD, a digital health tech startup. Previously Sam was the SVP of Strategic Initiatives at Kayak-OpenTable after that company acquired Venga, his previous venture. Sam’s first startup, an online flower subscription business, was acquired by a Battery Ventures portfolio company.
Dan Berger
Founder, Social Tables
Dan J. Berger is an Israeli-American entrepreneur. His newest venture, Assemble Hospitality Group, is a new lodging concept for corporate retreats. He previously founded and led Social Tables, an event planning software company, which was acquired by Blackstone-owned Cvent in 2018 for $100 million. Dan is the recipient of numerous industry awards, including the Pacesetter Award from the Events Industry Council.
Rohit Bhargava
Founder, Non-Obvious Company
Rohit Bhargava is a 3-time WSJ bestselling author of ten books and founder of the Non-Obvious Company. An adjunct professor of storytelling at Georgetown, he also leads Ideapress Publishing. A sought-after speaker and entrepreneur, Rohit is on a mission to inspire more non-obvious thinking and creativity in business and beyond.
Steve Case
Co-founder, AOL
Steve Case is the Co-founder of AOL and the Chairman and CEO of Revolution, a D.C.-based investment firm that backs entrepreneurs at every stage of their development and makes strategic investments in real estate and hospitality. Case is one of America’s best-known and most accomplished entrepreneurs and philanthropists, and a pioneer in making the Internet part of everyday life.
Brad Feld
Co-founder, Foundry
Brad Feld is a partner and co-founder of Foundry. He has been an early-stage investor and entrepreneur for over 35 years, since founding his first company, Feld Technologies, in college. Brad is also a co-founder of Techstars and, with his wife Amy Batchelor, runs the Anchor Point Foundation. Brad has written several books on entrepreneurship and venture capital and started blogging in 2004 before VC Twitter existed.
Facilitators
Eli Kia
Eli Kia is an Investor at Fortify Ventures. He combines creative ideas for growth with technical know-how and a strong ability for quantitative problem-solving. Eli has experience as both an operator and an investor. Before joining Fortify, he was an Associate at Seaside Ventures, Chief Growth Officer at Handle Delivery, and Supply at Duffl (YC W20).
Host Committee
Kari Ritacco
Kari Ritacco is Founder and Principal at RedIron Public Relations, a public relations firm with deep expertise in cybersecurity, critical infrastructure, and enterprise technology markets. She has spearheaded the communications efforts of hundreds of early-stage companies, as well as prominent global brands, over the course of her 30-year career. She brings creativity, drive, and thoughtful execution to deliver strong results with the highest level of client service and engagement.
Lisa Throckmorton
Lisa Throckmorton is Managing Partner at REQ PR, where she leads strategy and operations to help startups and growth companies own their narratives. A recognized leader in DC’s innovation scene, she brings market insight, creativity, and operational rigor to elevate brands, drive visibility, and fuel growth in competitive environments.
Chris Waldron
Chris Waldron is CMO of Baby Bathwater Institute and a founder coach at ChrisWaldron.com. Over 19 years he has founded or acquired 10 companies with 4 exits. As a coach, he’s worked with 120+ growth-stage founders, emphasizing core values and data-driven execution, and now helps select clients transform marketing with strong teams and clear processes.
Ann Marie Guzzi
Ann Marie is a cofounder of the Agora Initiative, supporting female founders in the DMV raising institutional capital. She also runs Dalmatian Ops, a consultancy for VC-backed startups on operations and strategy. Previously, she led product and GTM at Koalafi and worked in product at Mastercard and APT.
Amelia DeSorrento
Amelia DeSorrento is a cofounder and board member of the Agora Initiative and Director of Client Delivery at Solestiss, advising nuclear developers, utilities, and Fortune 100 firms. She previously co-founded Hatch Apps and has written for leading outlets. Amelia is a Forbes 30 Under 30 and Washingtonian Tech Titan honoree.
Callye Keen
Callye Keen is the CEO of Kform, a defense innovation company advancing technology commercialization. He has collaborated on hundreds of products for entrepreneurs, startups, and corporations, while also launching and selling his own ventures across industries. He additionally serves as CMO of Startups Ignite.
Jon Peyton
Jon Peyton is the Managing Partner of investment bank Sell Side Securities. He supports founders through the scale to sale process with capital raises, M&A, and secondary market transactions. Jon leads a founder-centric ecosystem of five companies - including Founders Accounting, Value Creation Consultancy, C-Suite Planning, and Different Investments.
Jonathon Perrelli
Jonathon Perrelli is Managing Partner and Founder of Fortify Ventures. A serial entrepreneur turned early stage investor, Jonathon has backed companies like Inertial Labs, Plaxo, and FormStack. He co-created the Distilled Intelligence pitch competition, where Fortify discovered companies such as Hinge, ID.me, and Social Tables.
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