Why DC
Washington DC is not a startup city. It's a city of institutions — government, think tanks, nonprofits, policy. But underneath that, it has one of the most quietly extraordinary founder ecosystems in the country.
People who build things in DC do it differently. They build in the hardest possible environment — slow bureaucracy, entrenched systems, stakeholders who don't want to be disrupted. And some of them win anyway.
That's the origin story we want to hear. Not "we moved to San Francisco and raised a Series A." But: "we stayed in DC, we fought the machine, and this is what actually happened."
Applications close April 1, 2026
We review every application personally. If your story is the one that belongs on the OЯIGO stage in Washington DC, we'll reach out within 3 weeks of your application.
Evening Schedule
Venue opens. Drinks available. No panels, no networking pitches, no conference energy. Just people arriving. Stream goes live at 6:45.
Brief welcome from the host. No slides. No sponsor intros. We explain the format, the rules, and what's about to happen. Then we start.
45-minute deep-dive with the first founder. No commercial breaks. No time limits on answers. Live audience Q&A in the final 10 minutes — best question in the room gets asked.
15-minute intermission. Stream stays on. Drinks at the bar. The first founder stays in the room.
45-minute conversation with the second founder. Same format. Same rules. Audience Q&A at the close.
Both founders stay for 30 minutes of open conversation. Stream ends. The room stays open. This is the part people remember most.
The Venue
Exact location revealed on ticket confirmation
Tickets
Every OЯIGO episode is capped at 150 people. That's not a marketing decision — it's a format decision. The room has to feel intimate enough that founders say things they wouldn't say on a bigger stage.
The live stream is always free. If you can't be there in person, you can still be in the room.
Full evening · seat in the room · drinks included
First 3 rows · priority Q&A access · 20 seats only
Watch free from anywhere · no account required
Every ticket purchase locks your seat. No resales, no transfers. If you can't make it, email us — we'd rather give your seat to someone on the waitlist than have it go empty.