DCist by Christina Sturdivant
A new entrepreneurial hub in D.C. opens today to promote an inclusive community in the tech and innovation industry during a time when the field is sorely lacking diversity.
The 8,000 square foot space is called the Inclusive Innovation Incubator, dubbed In3. The property sits on a commercial strip along Georgia Avenue NW that’s owned by Howard University.
It's open to small businesses, non-profits, and various types of entrepreneurs both in and outside of the tech field. And members pay rates (ranging from $40 to $600 a month, per person) to access about 60 workstations, 11 offices, five classrooms, and a lounge for working and hosting events.
While it might sound like other coworking spaces and incubators across the city, the District announced In3 last year as the first hub in the city to support minority entrepreneurs and people who provide resources to underserved communities.
This means that “not anybody can roll up and say ‘I’ve got the money, let me in,’” says Aaron Saunders, founder of the tech company Luma Lab—the company that the city selected to run the space.
Luma Lab and the city, which gave nearly $1 million to build out the hub, have an agreement that people who operate and host events in the space must apply, Saunders says, so everyone can be vetted properly and the space can be truly inclusive.
According to a new study from the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, 49 percent of all tech workers in the District are white men and 25 percent are white women. Just nine percent are black men and eight percent are black women.
This shows two trends, according to the study: about half of the D.C. tech industry “is dominated by white men” and within every racial and ethnic group, there are fewer female tech workers than their male counterparts.
Whether you're a tech entrepreneur or not, most businesses benefit from simple things like websites, Saunders says. But not all entrepreneurs have the means to create that kind of marketing material.
And as a black entrepreneur, Saunders says he understands the pain of launching a successful company in a space where minorities are underrepresented and lack valuable resources. But he persevered and his mobile development company, Clearly Innovative, now builds apps for entities as illustrious as the National Museum of African American History and Culture. And Luma Lab, the education arm of Clearly Innovative, provides opportunities for adults and children of color to learn about technology and innovation.
Saunders says that with In3, “we want to create a community of other folks who have been through the journey” and those who are just starting out so that mentorship relationships can form.
So entrepreneurs who may not be as tech savvy can get the resources they need. And they're encouraged to contribute to the space based in their skills and talents.
“That, hopefully, will be the value add and the reason why folks want to be a part of the community,” he says. "We always say come for the space, stay for the experience."
As the space fills up with companies and contractors, Saunders says he will seek out the right partners, sponsors, and programming "to continue to support the community to help it grow."