DC Inno by Samantha Sabin

As midterm season reigns on, Howard University’s administration still has one question left to answer: when exactly is its upcoming tech incubator opening?

At the beginning of the school year, those close to the project said they would be opening the incubator in fall 2016. Now, as of Wednesday, that date has been revised; the incubator won’t open until at least early 2017.

In March, Mayor Muriel Bowser broke ground on the incubator, which is located in Howard’s Wonder Plaza on Georgia Avenue NW. Bowser’s office has partnered with Howard University to develop the incubator and provided nearly $1 million in grant funds to construct the space.

When Howard first announced the space, it was set to launch by the end of 2015. This first iteration was focused on attracting venture capital firms that invest in medium-to-late stage D.C. startups, and the District only planned to invest an unknown six-figure amount into the development of the space.

Since then, the project has come a long way, now focusing on minority entrepreneurs with startups that support underserved communities, and it will be operated by D.C.-based Luma Lab, the tech education arm of software firm Clearly Innovative.

"THIS HUB IS A GREAT FIRST START, AND I THINK IT SETS THE TONE FOR HOW WE APPROACH TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION."
Joaquin McPeek, a spokesperson for D.C.’s Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, said with a growing startup environment in the District, it’s smart to provide government support to help the tech community flourish and diversify the city’s economy.

“Technology isn't just for the select few,” McPeek said. “We want to make sure that technology, specifically entrepreneurs who have great ideas, that they have access to the same opportunities — whether it's a physical space or financially.”

So, McPeek says, it only makes sense for the District to invest in what the Mayor’s Office is calling “inclusive innovation.”

"The biggest cheerleader for this space and for inclusive innovation will be the Mayor and the District," he said.

So whenever the incubator launches, the hope is that it will provide that space for minority entrepreneurs.

“I think this hub is a great first start, and I think it sets the tone for how we approach technology innovation,” McPeek said. “It's telling the rest of the country that our focus is on inclusion.”