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Virongy, which was started by Mason researcher Yuntao Wu in 2013, is one of the life science companies that is part of the Northern Virginia BioHub, which was recently established through Virgina Bio-Connect

����AV will host the Small and Minority-Owned Business Roundtable on Jan. 24 to inform regional and state businesses owners and operators how they can compete for contracts related to an infrastructure and jobs act recently passed by Congress.

Accelerate 2022, held on Mason’s Arlington Campus on Oct. 19-20, focused on showcasing up-and-coming startups throughout the greater Washington, D.C., region.

The National Science Foundation (NSF)’s I-Corps program is an accelerator that helps entrepreneurs and researchers work together “to bring invention to impact.” Mason serves as an official I-Corps site, supporting local grantees through the exploratory stages of venture-building, as well as preparing them to apply for the national-level program.

Mason Enterprise is partnering with Virginia Bio to establish a new network of life science business mentors to help startups across Virginia launch and scale their ventures.

Emergent Ventures, which looks for big and unique ideas, has raised $60 million and funded 200 projects. Mason economist and co-founder Tyler Cowen says the program grants are “something you can win that’s not about connections.” Push ideas, he said. “Make the world tell you no.”

Nine Mason teams are participating in PitchFest, the TiE DC chapter’s region-wide pitch competition for university students.