New District Brewing’s Mike Katrivanos toasts to a successful year in 2016 – Image via Facebook

50 on Fire will bring together D.C.’s best and brightest to recognize the disruptors, luminaries and visionaries that are pushing our city forward. Buy your tickets now and join us on Dec. 10 at Howard Theatre for the celebration and winners reveal.

50 on Fire is right around the corner. On December 10th some of the District’s most innovative people and businesses will be crowned and their work in 2015 recognized. This year, there were 150 very worthy contenders, and our judges have some tough decisions in front of them.

We have been profiling the nominees in all of our nine categories, but we also wanted to take a chance to recognize some up and comers that might not have quite caught fire this year, but should definitely be on your radar in 2016. Here are the names you need to know:

Civic / Smart City

Hecht Warehouse
  • Douglas Development – This year, Shaw was arguably the District’s hottest neighborhood for development of everything from numerous retail, to housing and restaurant openings. But a new neighborhood has been deemed D.C.’s next hot spot: Ivy City. The current home of Union Kitchen, Atlas Brewing, Compass Coffee and New District Distilling, the Northeast neighborhood is primed for a development boom. And leading the charge, with the beautifully designed Hecht Warehouse building is Douglas Development. The company behind the Wonder Bread Factory renovation is also set to develop The Advisory Board Company’s new DC HQ in Mount Vernon Square.
  • Split – A 1776 company, which launched this year, Split is hoping to shake up ridesharing in the District through shared rides that reduce user cost. Similar to UberPool, the company is determined to expand its reach and eat into Metro ridership with low-cost commuter trips.

Design

  • Suann Song – the creative mind behind design firm Simple Song Design, Song has branched out into physical products this year with the launch of Appointed. The company sells a line of practical, sleek and American-made desktop products from notebooks to pencil cases.

Education

  • MyQVO – Recognizing that kids spend hours on their smartphones, the team behind MyQVO decided that would be the best platform to help them learn. Partnering with schools across the country, the company uses its mobile app to gamify education, making learning competitive and addictive.

Government & Advocacy

  • David Garber – The 32 year old first time candidate for an At-Large seat on the D.C. City Council will be one to watch in 2016, as he vies to unseat longtime councillor Vincent Orange. Garber’s message of taking on corrupt and entrenched incumbents is one that resonated in the 2014 election and put Muriel Bowser in the mayor’s office, and he will no doubt rely on his youth and prolific social media presence to reach a younger sect of voters.

Healthcare & Medicine

  • LifeFuels – Scheduled to go to market in December, LifeFuels has been working on a “Personal Fueling System” that combines a health tracking app with a water bottle that dispenses vitamins and other supplements into your water as needed. Founded by serial entrepreneur Jonathon Perrelli, the company is one to watch in the coming year.

Investment

Jess Carson
  • Jess Carson – A former neuroscience Ph.D candidate who made a switch to the startup world, Carson has catapulted in the last year into the role of Director at NextGen Angels. Charged with developing systems to support national engagement and expansion, Carson is one to watch as NextGen expands its footprint nationally.
  • Lavrock Ventures – Lavrock Ventures launched this year as an investment firm focused on post-seed and Series A investments in tech startups, with a particular focus on cybersecurity and government-tech. Its managing partner is Jim Hunt, most recently a founding member of Blu Venture Investors and, before that, CEO of Ernst & Young Technologies. Look for them to make some moves in 2016.

Lifestyle

  • New District Brewing – The first Arlington brewery to open in over a century, Brothers Mike and Steve Katrivanos, along with a long-time friend and their father open the 11,000 square-foot brewery next month. New District (formerly known as Metropole Brewing) will be selling beer to local restaurants and offering regular tasting sessions with a rotating menu of beer.
Cotton & Reed Rum – credit: co.
  • Cotton & Reed – Former NASA consultants Jordan Cotton and Reed Walker are adding to the District’s nascent distilling scene with D.C.’s first rum distillery, coming early 2016 to the Union Market area. The duo’s custom designed still and production facility will be complemented by a front end tasting room. Look for Cotton & Reed to be a spirit you see at bars across the city in 2016.
  • Chaia – This local farmers market favorite and former Union Kitchen member recently opened its first brick and mortar store. Selling “farm-to-taco” vegetarian tacos, the company also focuses on sustainable and responsible business tactics, as well as partnerships with other local women-owned businesses.

Marketing & Advertising

  •  SilverStrategy – a boutique public relations firm in D.C., SilverStrategy represents a number of tech companies, and had a notable year with clients like cove and Getaround expanding in the District.
  • Taylor Bennett – as Uber’s Communications Lead for Eastern North America, Bennett will no doubt have a big role in the upcoming year as the company continues its quest for rideshare domination, and services like UberEats and UberPool take off in D.C.

Technology

  • Pockitship – Inspired by a conversation about how to move a backyard grill, PockitShip is an on-demand pickup and delivery company that specializes in large items greater than 50 lbs. The company uses technology to facilitate delivery services on mobile devices and computers to connect customers with licensed box truck delivery drivers. The company currently operates in the DC area with multi city expansion plans in the works.
Konrad Waliszewski
  • Konrad Waliszewski – After his former company, Speek, was acquired earlier this year, world traveler Konrad Waliszewski launched TripScout this summer. The app works to connect travelers with the knowledge and advice of verified, local guides in a number of metropolitan areas around the globe.
  • MomentSnap – MomentSnap helps train storefront employees engage more with their job through the gamification of daily tasks. Corporate operators create operational campaigns to focus their teams on key activities. Employees access the campaigns, or missions, through a mobile device and earn points for successfully completing a mission. Points translate to healthy competition and rewards for front line employees.

 

Tickets for this year’s December 10th, 50 on Fire main event:

Thank you to our event sponsors. 

 


Photo Credit: American Inno
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