TechFounders Use Trump's Inauguration for Policy Access and Networking
Tech founders flocked to D.C. over the weekend of President Donald Trump’s inauguration, mingling with his inner circle at parties and events. Isaiah Taylor of Valar Atomics secured Mar-a-Lago invites to network and lobby for changes to nuclear regulations. Founders celebrated at events like David Sacks’ Crypto Ball and Curtis Yarvin’s “Coronation Ball,” hosted by his colleagues.
Tyler Sweatt of Second Front Systems noted that the rare alignment between government, Big Tech and startups has the potential to streamline federal bureaucracy. Crypto investor Jacob Martin lamented the lost profits from a meme coin that was sold during the Crypto Ball, and he awaited Trump’s promised pardon for Ross Ulbricht.
Startups hope Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency will make it easier to get government contracts. James Layfield of Samplify.ai offered tools to reduce unnecessary software costs, while Rabi Alam of Counter Health sought to shed light on Musk’s plans.
During the parties and networking, the founders focused on their own activities, pushing for regulatory change. Taylor summed it up: “Some are in the right rooms; others are doing the work.”