"The model they have created with Eastern Foundry is an example of the growth-oriented, tech-focused, veteran-owned small business that will be an important part of bringing innovation into the area and into government."
Arlington, VA (PRWEB) December 16, 2014
Today, Eastern Foundry, a veteran-owned government technology and innovation incubator in Crystal City, held its official ribbon-cutting ceremony its new headquarters at 2011 Crystal Drive in Arlington, VA.
Eastern Foundry creates an important platform for the government-focused technology ecosystem by helping small tech companies succeed in the government contracting space, system integrators find qualified partners, and federal agencies meet their small business targets. The incubator’s Crystal City location provides natural synergies with major defense technology firms and the innovation hub that is now taking shape there.
Senator Mark Warner and Mitchell Schear, president of Vornado/Charles E. Smith, delivered remarks along with Eastern Foundry’s co-founder and CEO, Geoff Orazem. In his remarks, Orazem outlined the key benefits of Eastern Foundry’s three primary constituents:
1. Small Government Contractors: Provide reasonably priced office space and business services tailored to meet small businesses' needs; establish a community of fellow government tech innovators who mentor and coach each other formally and informally; provide affordable on-site business winning and administrative support functions; and a forum to accelerate partnering activities with large businesses.
2. Systems Integrators: Identify, engage, and contract with relevant, affordable, and innovative small businesses; ensure that small businesses have the administrative and financial resources to succeed; and identify, vet, and manage a pool of former government employees to meet full or part time level-of-effort or subject matter expert contract requirements.
3. Federal Agencies: A single point of access to a community of expert practitioners and clusters of relevant, affordable small businesses in one location; a large venue to share and receive information from one of the largest groupings of small businesses in the area, allowing for rapid collection of market data from multiple small businesses and in-person dissemination of procurement information.
“The inspiration for Eastern Foundry came from our own frustration breaking into the government contracting space,” said Orazem. “From registering our companies, to applying for our veteran owned designation, to finding open solicitations, to the arcane world of proposal writing, we found the administrative side of competing for government contracts bewildering. Eastern Foundry is the ecosystem we wished we had. We have assembled the top professional service providers, coaches, mentors, and BD support teams to provide structured and personal coaching, and provide it every day.”
Eastern Foundry will catalyze technology and innovation in government by creating a critical mass of companies in one place to attract the attention of the prime contractors and agencies.
"Eastern Foundry will not only have a major impact on helping our veterans and other entrepreneurs start their own companies, it will also help to reinvigorate Crystal City," said Senator Warner. "The model they have created with Eastern Foundry is an example of the growth-oriented, tech-focused, veteran-owned small business that will be an important part of bringing innovation into the area and into government."
We are delighted to welcome Eastern Foundry to Crystal City”, said Mitchell N. Schear, President of Vornado/Charles E. Smith. “Their concept is a natural fit with both the contracting community that has long made their home here, and the innovation hub that we are now creating.”
Eastern Foundry is seeing immediate response to its visionary concept, with over 75 percent of its space already rented to small and medium sized businesses.
Vornado and JLL were highlighted at the launch event as key partners who helped with the exhaustive search to find the right location for the incubator, and who continue to support Eastern Foundry as it builds out its programming and plans future expansions.
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About Eastern Foundry
Through the incubation of cutting edge technology, Eastern Foundry’s mission is to help small tech companies succeed in the government contracting space, help system integrators find qualified partners, and help federal agencies meet their small business targets. We are thrilled to be open for business and hope that you will come support us in this new endeavor. More information can be found at http://www.eastern-foundry.com