D.C.’s tech scene has seen a lot of growth over the last few years, and with the proximity to enticing government contracts and talent from top universities, more companies are opting to relocate their headquarters close to Capitol Hill.
While Silicon Valley may be the first place people think of when it comes to startups, its increasing cost of living and competitive market have pushed some companies east. The D.C. metro also has the added advantage of being near some of the best colleges and universities in the country, making attracting fresh innovators and employees that much easier.
For example, the fintech company Truebill relocated its headquarters from San Francisco to downtown Silver Spring in 2019. In the same year, Australian-based AI software developer Fivecast named Arlington as its U.S. headquarters.
This year, a number of tech companies have followed suit, packing up their headquarters or announcing plans to move to the D.C. metro area. Companies new to the DMV migrated from all over the world, some moving from as close as the next town over while others based in Finland opted to open a new U.S. headquarters in the region.
To keep track of the tech businesses opening headquarters in D.C., Built In created a running list, which will be continuously updated as more executives decide to give Capitol Hill a try.
In May, after waiting for more than two years, Cybrary was finally able to open its new headquarters in College Park’s Discovery District. Previously headquartered just up the road on University Research Court, Cybrary is a professional development platform for cybersecurity skills. The platform offers modules in a variety of security topics including IT, cloud security, data science and more, with practice tests and virtual labs to prepare for certifications and get hands-on experience.
Robotics company AeroVironment relocated its headquarters from Simi Valley, California, to Arlington in June. The company said it opted to move because its key customers are located in the D.C. metro area, though it maintains a presence in California for existing operations. The publicly-traded company offers technology solutions like unmanned aircrafts, tactical missile systems and high-altitude pseudo-satellites, among other products. With Arlington’s proximity to the Pentagon, AeroVironment’s relocation was a no-brainer.
The Finnish software company chose Reston for its North American headquarters, according to a September announcement. As its name suggests, Cloudpermit provides federal governments with cloud-based permitting processes for city developments. The company already had a handful of employees working out of Reston when it announced the relocation news alongside plans to double its local headcount by the end of the year.
“Virginia has the highest concentration of tech talent in the U.S. and thousands of tech companies have made Fairfax County home, so we are delighted to join this incredible and growing business hub,” Cloudpermit CEO Jan Pawli said in a statement.
Three years after announcing its plans to move from its previous digs at Columbia Gateway, the cybersecurity company opened its new headquarters in downtown Columbia in September. Tenable helps companies get detailed insights into what it calls “cyber exposure.” With a myriad of products and data analytic capabilities, Tenable allows security teams to see where enterprises are most vulnerable, allocate resources where they’re most needed and prevent attacks before they happen.
While technically already in the DMV, DXC announced in late September its decision to leave its previous home in Tysons for a smaller headquarters in Ashburn. According to the Washington Business Journal, the decision to downsize came from the company’s shift to a “virtual first” employment model. With more employees working at home, the larger office no longer suited the IT services provider. The company helps run the systems and operations of companies worldwide, modernizing IT, optimizing data architecture and scaling secure digital environments.
Currently based in Herndon, national security IT services company Peraton announced the location of its new headquarters in early December. Peraton plans to keep its roots in Virginia but will open its new headquarters in Reston sometime in September 2022. Peraton delivers technology solutions in cyber, cloud, operations and engineering primarily to the U.S. government.
“With the announcement of our new Reston headquarters, we are excited to remain in Northern Virginia, close to our customers as well as a robust and diverse talent pipeline and supported by world-class resources and infrastructure,” Stu Shea, Peraton chairman, president and CEO, said in a statement.
Currently based in Columbia, ANALYGENCE announced plans to move its headquarters to Howard County's Maple Lawn development. Still technically in the DC area, 20 of its growing team of IT services and consulting experts will make the move some time in spring of 2022, according to the Washington Business Journal. The new 9,054-square-feet digs include better walkability, proximity to a number of popular restaurants, a Harris Teeter grocery store, a Marriott Hotel for visiting partners and more.
The largest company opening a new headquarters in D.C. is retail, entertainment and tech giant Amazon. While the company hasn’t technically opened its second headquarters yet, construction of its much anticipated Metropolitan Park campus located in Arlington is well underway. More than 3,500 employees are currently assigned to the “HQ2” with more than 2,500 positions still open, according to a company statement. Completion of the whopping 2.1 million-square-foot construction project is set for 2023.