Understanding Washington and When to Engage

Many new entrants to Washington, DC face the same question - when is the right time to engage? For early stage startups, balancing cash flow against investor demands for growth keeps them up at night as they keep a close eye on their burn rates while maximizing potential future returns. However, for those focused on driving innovation in partnership with federal agencies such as the Department of Defense, Department of Commerce, and others, engaging early can serve as a growth accelerant.

For any company considering engaging in Washington, it is important to ask a simple, fundamental question: what is the overall goal? While the simple answer may be better and easier access to federal funding, that goal should be thought of as part of a larger objective. To be effective, we suggest companies focus on the following goals first:

(1) Building brand awareness - Fortune 500 companies have established offices in Washington with a dedicated team of in-house lobbyists as well as hired firms on retainer to expand their reach across town. Even without these offices, the average congressional and Administration staffer don’t need to be contact by a lobbyist to know that Coca-Cola makes soft drinks or that Hilton is in the hotel business. Startups engaging in Washington for the first time should do so with the main objective of building their brand awareness in town.

(2) Scouting out the competition - Many startups are founded on the principle of disrupting an industry incumbent.

(3) Lobbying for policy priorities -