Arlington Wins IEDC Gold Award for Arlington Innovation Fund

August 28, 2024 | By MEDIA CONTACT: Destiny Esper, 703-228-0854, desper@arlingtonva.us

Arlington Economic Development (AED) has been honored with the Gold Award in the 2024 Excellence in Economic Development Awards from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). This award, presented in the Entrepreneurial and Small Business Development Excellence category for communities with populations between 200,000 and 500,000, acknowledges the outstanding impact of the Arlington Innovation Fund (AIF).

AIF has been pivotal in supporting Arlington’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, providing non-dilutive grants to startups such as Data Parrot, Dispatchr, Freely Payments, GenLogs, KnoNap, Phalanx, Pryze App, Seamless Transition, LLC, and SportAI. Additionally, it has strengthened the local tech community through collaborations with key partners, including Citrine Angels, DCA Live, George Mason University, Smart City Works Innovation Hub, Springboard Enterprises, Unstuck Labs and ZEBOX.

“The success of the Arlington Innovation Fund is a testament to the vibrant entrepreneurial spirit in our community,” said Michael Stiefvater, Director of the Arlington Economic Development Business Investment Group. “We’re proud to see how these grants and partnerships have empowered local startups to thrive. As we look ahead, we are excited to explore new avenues to drive innovation and continue making Arlington a leading hub for cutting-edge technology and business growth.”

This is the second significant recognition for the Arlington Innovation Fund this month, following its selection for the 2024 Fire Awards by the Washington Business Journal.

AED will officially accept the IEDC award at the Annual Conference in Denver, Colo., this September.

For those ready to innovate and grow in Arlington, explore opportunities with Arlington Economic Development today.