Virtru Unveils New Headquarters and Cybersecurity Hub In DC
By Keith Loria September 13, 2023 4:53 pm
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Virtru, a data-centric security and privacy firm, unveiled its new headquarters at 1801 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., Wednesday.
The security software provider previously announced it had inked a 17,000-square-foot lease at the Pembrooke-owned building back in November 2022.
Virtru is the first recipient of the D.C. Vitality Fund, a city initiative to attract high-growth companies to the District. The company’s new headquarters, dubbed the Hub, is meant to serve as a center for the cybersecurity community.
“To be eligible for the Vitality Fund, companies must have at least 25 employees, agree to lease or own at least 7,000 square feet for a minimum of five years, do business in an eligible target industry, and be considering relocating or expanding its office in the District,” according to a statement.
Companies funded by the Vitality Fund must also agree to a few stipulations, such as having their employees on-site at least 50 percent of the time, providing workforce development programs or committing to local contracting, and complying with relevant District laws, per the statement.
The terms of the award allow Virtru to use the money toward rent, operating costs, workforce training or recruitment and hiring costs.
“Innovation has always been at the heart of Virtru’s mission, and the Hub builds on this commitment,” John Ackerly, co-founder and CEO of Virtru, said at Wednesday’s opening event. “We designed a space that can uniquely function as a collaboration center for the District’s thriving cybersecurity community. Cybersecurity is a team sport: We need to bring many partners and customers to the table, and we look forward to facilitating those conversations across the private and public sectors.”
The Hub occupies the entire fifth floor of the 13-story office building and almost doubles Virtru’s previous 9,143-square-foot space at 1130 Connecticut Avenue NW in Dupont Circle.
Pembroke, which has owned the Pennsylvania Avenue property since 2006, recently invested in a spate of capital improvements for the property, including a dual-height lobby with a lounge and coffee bar, and floor-to-ceiling windows along the Pennsylvania Avenue corridor.
“We’re proud to have incredible companies like Virtru that are choosing to grow and expand right here in the Capital of Innovation,” D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said at a ribbon-cutting for the space Wednesday. “At the heart of D.C.’s comeback is how we bring people back together — to live, work and play. And we’re using every tool at our disposal, including the Vitality Fund, to attract and support employers that will help us bring the people, fill the space, and create a thriving Downtown D.C.”
Update: This story originally misattributed source material. This has been corrected. We apologize for the error.
Keith Loria can be reached at Kloria@commercialobserver.com.
