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Introduction Marie Brodsky is the founder of WISE Cities, a DC startup that is working to provide a platform to help collect resources for our aging population. This is an interview conducted by Reid Sudabby, our first staff writer at Petri Dish about her experience as a founder in the DC Area. Expect to see more stories about things happening at Petri Dish from Reid and other writers. -Ulisses Santamaria Interview Reid: As someone who has gone through a startup already and is already working on another, what advice do you have to give on the whole process of startups?  Marie: I don’t think there is or should be a typical ‘formula’ for startups. I would not have started Wise Cities if not for an external opportunity that pushed me to even consider it as a serious possibility. I saw my grandfather struggling to connect with his community through what few opportunities there were for him and he had just given up on the prospect of being involved in anything or having any kind of support and it was making me upset to the point of feeling like I needed to do something about it, and so he was the reason that Wise Cities happened.  Another reason for the creation of Wise Cities was through a competition I entered with a friend of mine who I met in 8th grade. We wanted to do a competition together and so we entered an open competition where you had to propose a solution for cities to consider as they moved in the direction of becoming smarter cities. One idea we had for innovation and city development was that they needed to become wiser in the sense of thinking about who’s in their population and how the demographic is changing and actually adapting the technologies that are being invested into it to cater to that changing demographic. After the competition, we got an email from the city saying that they felt that this was a major problem in our local community and that they would fund us to try to work on this in our city and I just remember this jaw dropping moment where I had this frustration in my own life finally had this validating external entity saying to me ‘we know this is a real issue and it’s not being solved right now, why don’t you try actually try doing something about it?’ Reid: What are some things you have learned about implementing Wise Cities in your community? Marie: Some big strategy questions of how we distribute it include engaging many different organizations, both those such as senior service providers, but also physical venues where we propose utilizing their space and services, and so those conversations are very different from conversations with organizations such as Home Care Agencies where all they think about is ‘how do we support older adults in different conditions’. The city government was the first to reach out to us. In particular, their economic development office said they were interested in seeing how we can bring older residents into local businesses while also reducing social isolation among the population.  We’ve also been fortunate to have collaborated with businesses that have either specific senior programs or businesses with intergenerational initiatives as well and basically it’s quite a huge ecosystem that we’re trying to loop in in order to make this platform truly be a place where the community values seniors and seniors can find community.  Reid: What would you say the next steps for Wise Cities is with regards to implementation in the DMV area and beyond?   Marie: Our mindset about our implementation is that if we can make a real impact for people and a real impact for local businesses, we can provide much value to the residents and the businesses through relying on those relationships within the community, and so we’re kind of waiting to expand beyond the DMV until we feel very solid about how we’ve implemented it.  Reid: How has Pitch Labs helped you on your journey with Wise Cities and entrepreneurship? Marie: I got involved with Pitch Labs through a presentation at the Mason Enterprise Center. I really appreciated how Pitch Labs fostered a supportive environment where everyone felt comfortable sharing ideas and asking questions. They also provided a platform for feedback, even anonymously, which was helpful for getting constructive criticism. Beyond being a community hub, Pitch Labs does a great job of connecting entrepreneurs in the DMV area. They have a unique approach of fostering collaboration and innovation, similar to an entrepreneurial endeavor. This focus on feedback and community building sets them apart from traditional pitch competitions. Reid: That’s insightful. What feedback or suggestions do you have for Pitch Labs, especially based on your experience and what you’ve learned over the past three years? Marie: One area I think could be improved is providing more resources and events specifically for early-stage entrepreneurs who are just starting to develop their ideas. It would be helpful to have workshops or mentorship programs that focus on brainstorming and prototyping. Additionally, I believe more transparency about the internal workings of Pitch Labs, such as challenges and successes, could help create a stronger sense of community and trust among the members. Summary Marie’s journey to founding Wise Cities began with a deep frustration over her grandfather’s struggles with isolation and lack of community within the DMV area. Witnessing his challenges, she felt compelled to take action. With unwavering determination and a mind brimming with ideas, Marie decided to enter a competition with a friend. Their goal was simple: to propose a solution for cities to consider as they embraced the concept of smart city development. Through their research, they realized that many cities were overlooking a crucial aspect: inclusivity for elders. Marie and her friend’s innovative idea resonated with the judges, and soon, the local city government reached out to her, offering funding to support her endeavors in building a stronger local community for seniors.