DCTAV on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) Trading Floor: Strengthening Global Pathways from Inception to IPO

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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WASHINGTON, DC (February 18, 2026) - DCTAV on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) Trading Floor: Strengthening Global Pathways from Inception to IPO

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DC Tech & Venture Coalition (DCTAV) was represented on one of the most iconic stages in global finance: the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. Hosted by Aon, the event convened a curated group of innovators, growth-stage companies, and strategic service providers focused on a singular objective - supporting companies on the journey from inception to IPO.

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DCTAV was invited as a key ecosystem partner, recognizing our role in activating and supporting the innovation economy in Washington, DC and beyond. Our brand was prominently showcased on the NYSE trading floor - an affirmation of the strength and growing national visibility of the DC region’s tech and venture community.

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A special thank you to our host, friend, and strategic partner, Pierre Woozevelt, Aon Vice President, for inviting us to participate.

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‍A Strategic Partnership with Aon

Over the past several months, DCTAV has been intentionally building a partnership with Aon, a global leader in insurance, risk management, and regulatory advisory services across U.S. and international markets. This collaboration is rooted in complementary strengths:

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• DCTAV’s expansive network of 30,000+ founders, investors, operators, and ecosystem leaders

• Aon’s deep global expertise in insurance, risk mitigation, and regulatory navigation

• A shared commitment to helping high-growth companies scale responsibly and strategically

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For founders and scaling companies, access to sophisticated risk, insurance, and regulatory infrastructure is not optional - it is foundational. As companies move from early-stage development to growth capital, institutional investment, and ultimately public markets, the complexity of compliance, governance, and global expansion increases dramatically. Through this partnership, we aim to demystify and streamline that progression.

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Scaling Innovation Across Key Pillars

DCTAV’s work spans multiple high-growth sectors critical to the future economy, including:

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• Fintech

• Artificial Intelligence

• Healthcare and Healthtech

• Energy and emerging technologies

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By aligning our ecosystem infrastructure with Aon’s global capabilities, we are creating more robust pathways for companies to scale:

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• Locally - Strengthening the DC innovation economy and connecting founders to strategic partners

• Nationally - Expanding access to capital markets and institutional relationships

• Globally - Unlocking international opportunities through regulatory insight and cross-border expertise

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This collaboration is not transactional. It is ecosystem-level capacity building. It reflects a shared vision that high-growth companies need more than capital-they need coordinated support across legal, regulatory, insurance, governance, and global market strategy.

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DC on the Global Stage

DCTAV’s presence at the NYSE underscores a broader reality: Washington, DC is not only a center of policy and government - it is an increasingly powerful hub for innovation, venture creation, and global market connectivity.

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As we continue to build and strengthen this relationship with Aon, our focus remains clear:

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• Elevate DC-based innovators onto the global stage

• Connect founders to world-class infrastructure

• Accelerate companies from early traction to scalable, institutional growth

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The journey from inception to IPO is complex. It requires alignment across ecosystem actors, strategic advisors, capital providers, and global networks.

DCTAV is committed to being the connective tissue that makes that journey possible.

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We look forward to deepening this partnership and continuing to unlock global opportunities for our community.