Uncharted Territory

Entrepreneurs Break New Ground at a Startup Incubator in the U.S. Capital

Tech entrepreneurs talk so much about "making the world a better place" that the phrase has been satirized on the HBO series Silicon Valley. That didn't deter Evan Burfield and Donna Harris from dubbing their Washington, D.C.-based business incubator 1776, giving it the motto "Where Revolutions Begin" and dedicating it to "reinventing our lives as citizens." In this Q&A, Burfield and Harris discuss how startups use Washington as a base as they tackle some of the country's (and the world's) biggest challenges.

How has 1776 evolved since its start?

Burfield: The point of 1776 has always been about creating a community where the most promising startups could work with institutional partners, mentors, investors, and others to help develop those companies. Startups think they need introductions to investors most. What they actually need most often is to be connected with people who deeply