James Quigley, CEO of Canvas, a D.C.-area startup, predicts a boom in cyber businesses in the greater Washington region.

“Everything in cyber should be happening here,” Quigley told What’s Working in Washington. “Autonomous vehicle, cyber, personal cyber, personal protections — and not just government protections. There are a number of industries like that that are perfect offshoots of what we do well in this area.”

Canvas helps businesses digitize paperwork. Quigley said a primary reason he based his company in D.C. is because it carries the highest percentage of tech specialists per worker in the nation.

“I love the area, I love the capabilities of the area, and I guess eventually, you spend enough time in an area, it’s hard to leave.” Quigley attributed his love for the area to the success of his company, Canvas.

To convince potential employees to move to D.C., Canvas focused on culture.

“It’s become a buzzword now, but I like to think we were well ahead of the curve,” Quigley said. “And I would say that’s actually a cool thing about the area, too,” he said, “The people who do, from this area, join a startup and [say], ‘Man, I don’t ever want to work for the man again!’.”

Quigley acknowledged D.C.’s branding problems, and said it’s getting worse.

“We need more local successes, we need more exits, and exits where the exit stays in the area, it doesn’t just get acquired by someone else outside [the region],” he said.

Quigley predicts these kind of successes over the next few years. “I think the buzz will really get going around then,” he said.

To help startups in the area, Quigley founded Refraction, a co-working space where entrepreneurs can seek advice and mentorship from colleagues. Quigley said that for a startup to be a success, it needs capital, mentors, and a talent pool — all of which Refraction aims to foster and provide.

“Someone who’s starting their business … doesn’t need to talk to someone who’s just exited their business. They just need to talk to someone who’s a couple years ahead,” he said.

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