Startup Expo Brings Together New Businesses, Career-Minded Students

More than 200 students attended 4th annual George Washington University Startup Career Expo.

March 25, 2015

Students and startup representatives networked at the 4th annual GW Startup Career Expo. (Photo: William Atkins for GW Today)

Students and startup representatives networked at the 4th annual GW Startup Career Expo. (Photo: William Atkins for GW Today)

Two hundred students from the George Washington University and other D.C. area universities met representatives from across the spectrum of local startups at the 4th annual GW Startup Career Expo.

Gathered in the Marvin Center Grand Ballroom, the students networked—they met, mingled and opened doors to possible future career partnerships.

Startups from the nonprofit, technology, communications and other sectors were represented during the March 19 event. Several, like Social Driver and RuninOut, were founded or operated by GW alumni.

This year’s event doubled the number of attendees from outside the university, said Denitsa Rakitska, program manager and coordinator in the Office of Entrepreneurship, which organized the expo.

The Startup Expo attracts a wide range of participants. Startup companies—who need smart, adaptable employees across a range of positions—prize students from all areas of study, Ms. Rakitska said, especially since those employees may have to fill multiple roles.

“There’s something for everybody, coming to an event of this nature,” Ms. Rakitska said. “It’s not just for business majors. It’s for American history majors, computer science majors, art majors.

“The wonderful thing about startups as employers is that they’re looking for talent in every category, and they’re also flexible enough to see talent in people who don’t fit into a category,” she said. (All photos by William Atkins for GW Today.)