It’s been one year since Amazon first announced it’s proposed HQ2 plans – and, as we all know by now, D.C. is reportedly a serious contender in the race. There are so many compelling reasons why the D.C. metro area is the perfect place to grow and scale a tech company – I would know, I’ve grown and scaled three companies here myself. While we continue to play the waiting game here, I’ve had a moment to reflect on the broader impact and implications Amazon’s final decision will have on local entrepreneurs and startups, as well as our city overall.

As a D.C. native and fellow entrepreneur, here’s my take:

The impact Amazon will bring to D.C. is more than just an influx of jobs and capital investment – we have some of the brightest tech minds, and yet we rank 10th for venture capital investments only receiving 1.6 percent of total funding. With Amazon in our backyard, the nation’s capital will be known as much more than just a data center corridor (70 percent of the world’s internet traffic passes through the D.C. area now). HQ2 will bring valuable attention to our region as one of the top places to work and live, and could be the springboard for additional capital investment and a cycle of growth for startups in the region.