Starting With Startups at 1776

By Dean’s Intern Claire Shriver at 1776

Claire at 1776.

Before joining the 1776 team I knew little to nothing about what a day in their office was like. I first got an email from one of the internship coordinators in the School of Communication office while I was aboard in Rome about the company. After a few more email exchanges and an interview later, I was given the opportunity to be a Media and PR Intern, as well as a SOC Dean’s Intern.

An incubator and accelerator for startups, 1776 is unlike any office I have worked on before. There truly is no “typical day” or routine on campus, the term used for the office space on the 12^th floor of 1133 15^th Street. The only consistency is that on a daily basis there are government officials, businessmen and women, and just about everyone else who cares about the DC startup scene that tour the space.

I have to admit, before coming in the office I did not know much about the startup culture of Washington, DC, and how much it was booming. 1776 is a surefire sign that technology companies can make it in the nation’s capital and that 1776 has the resources for them to grow.

The most exciting part of the working in a setting like 1776 is the energy of the startups that work in the office. Over 200 are members of 1776 that take advantage of the mentors brought into to help founders and the events. At night, most of the days I work the space transforms into an event setting where 1776 hosts other related companies’ networking and startup events.

As a member of the Media and Public Relations team, I work on conducting interviews, writing news pieces, helping with public relations initiatives, and working on event set-up.  Through my time so far I have gotten to interview countless winners from the Challenge Cup competition that traveled to 16 different cities before the culminating Challenge  Festival in May. The event will feature the winners from each city in each category (energy, education, smart cities and health).  All of my work will come to a head in May when I cover the Challenge Cup Festival, working with the media team to cover the massive event.

I only have a few weeks left at 1776, excluding the Challenge  Festival, and I have a lot more accomplish before I leave. I have several Challenge Cup interviews to conduct from San Francisco winners and tons of prep work to help promote and put together the Festival, which is coming up shortly.

Check out a few of my pieces I have written for the 1776 site, including a news piece on Obama Administration’s Call for Affordable Education and a member spotlight on Worn Creative.