Ventures Pathway
As early-stage investors, our programming aims to provide founders with the curriculum, coaching, connections, and capital to launch an education venture in DC.
VENTURES PROGRAMMING.
CityBridge supports the creation of startups focused on solving pressing problems in DC’s PK-12 education ecosystem.
Programming in our Ventures pathway is paused for School Year 2023-2024. To stay up to date on program offerings, sign up for our emails below.
Design Studio
Design Studio is for educators and education entrepreneurs who have an idea for a venture and want to explore the problem and solution more. During this two-part virtual workshop, you’ll learn the fundamentals of equitable design, build equity-centered solutions, and connect with like-minded peers.
Design Fellowship
Design Fellowship is for very early-stage entrepreneurs ready to test their idea and gather data on need and demand. During this four-month immersive fellowship, you’ll learn how to design, implement, and evaluate pilots of your equity-centered solution.
Our Investment Criteria
CityBridge incubates education projects of all types and at multiple levels—the classroom, the school, the community, and the entire school system. Some are created within existing structures, and other projects are completely new. But they all provide positive, tangible, local impact and advance the national conversation about what’s possible for students.
To change the profile of those who typically succeed and lead in the city, CityBridge prioritizes investing in people of color, particularly Black and Latino/a leaders with relevant experience.
people and teams
We believe the strength of a school or venture is dependent on the leader. We seek out education leaders with a fierce commitment to racial equity, a demonstrated track record of leadership, a nuanced understanding of their own strengths and identity, and the vision and drive to make DC’s schools more equitable.
ideas and solutions
We invest in bold and innovative solutions that can move the needle for DC’s most marginalized students. We look for strategic alignment between the stated problem and solution, and sound research that supports its effectiveness. Most importantly, these solutions must be designed and developed with rather than for the DC communities they are intended to serve.
need and demand
We invest in people and teams that are addressing known problems in DC’s education ecosystem. Through our selection process, we require teams to demonstrate demand for their idea or solution.
Our Portfolio
Past Ventures entrepreneurs have launched education technology products and applications, nonprofits, and other educational enterprises.
