A technology incubator created to help small- to medium-sized businesses as they begin vying for federal contracts has opened its doors in Crystal City, Virginia.
Called Eastern Foundry, the facility held a grand opening ceremony on Dec. 16. The complex consists of 70 offices set aside for SMBs interested in developing and selling innovative technologies to government.
"The inspiration for Eastern Foundry came from our own frustration breaking into the government contracting space," co-found and CEO Geoff Orazem said. "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."
During Tuesday's ribbon-cutting ceremony, Orazem laid out three constituents the incubator hopes to assist:
■ 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.
■ 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.
■ 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; allow for rapid collection of market data from multiple small businesses and in-person dissemination of procurement information.
"Eastern Foundry is the ecosystem we wished we had," Orazem said. "We have assembled the top professional service providers, coaches, mentors and [business development] support teams to provide structured and personal coaching … and provide it every day."
As of Tuesday, more than 75 percent of the space available at the new center has been leased.
"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 Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va. "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."
