o CARFAX Relocating Headquarters to Reston
o Washington Post Cutting 4% of Workforce To Trim Costs
o Arlington-Based ExistX Lands Investment from Hale Capital Partners
o Proteus Enterprises Acquires Michigan-based Ricardo Defense
o Fairfax-based Xpect Solutions Acquires GovDefender
o Station DC Names James Barlia as New Executive Director
o Herndon-Based Exostar Bolsters Platform with Pair of Acquisitions
o Briefly Noted: Fiber Broadband Association, Akima, Guidehouse
CARFAX Relocating Headquarters to Reston
Reston, Va. – CARFAX, the automotive analytics and listing powerhouse, announced that it will move its headquarters to Reston from Centreville, Va. The new headquarters will take over three floors at 1906 Reston Metro Plaza in the Reston Station development. CARFAX joins Google, ICF International, Spotify and other tech-focused companies in the area. CARFAX maintains a massive vehicle history database, along with an online auto marketplace. “This move marks a pivotal moment in our company's journey, providing us with a dynamic space that will serve as the foundation for our next phase of growth,” said Bill Eager, the CEO of CARFAX.
Washington Post Cutting 4% of Workforce To Trim Costs
Washington, DC – Various news outlets reported that The Washington Post will cut about 4% of its workforce, affecting under 100 employees primarily working in business operations. The cuts were concentrated in non-newsroom positions, including marketing, sales and IT. "The Washington Post is continuing its transformation to meet the needs of the industry, build a more sustainable future and reach audiences where they are," a Washington Post spokesperson told Reuters in an email. The Washington Post New Guild blasted the move. “We demand leaders do the right thing: address workers during this time of upheaval and stop punishing hardworking Post employees for the decisions made far above their heads,” the Guild said in a statement.
Arlington-Based ExistX Lands Investment from Hale Capital Partners
Arlington, Va. – ExistX, an Arlington-based provider of advanced research and technology, founded as a spinout of Galois, said it has landed a new investment from New York-based private equity firm Hale Capital Partners. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Hale Capital recently raised its sixth pool of capital, focusing on spinouts, divestitures and federal and dual-use technology. The firm had previously backed other Galois spinouts such as TangramFlex, thatDot and Niobium. ExistX said it aims to transform technology research operational capabilities in the defense sector.
Proteus Enterprises Acquires Michigan-based Ricardo Defense
Washington, DC – In partnership with Gladstone Investment Corp., Maryland-based Proteus Enterprises, a government and defense holding company, announced that it has acquired Michigan-based Ricardo Defense, a defense-focused engineering services and systems firm. Financial terms were not disclosed. “We felt an immediate synergy with the Proteus team, and we look forward to leveraging Proteus's knowledge and expertise as an experienced government services and technology investor to expand our capabilities and continue delivering solutions that enhance warfighter effectiveness,” said Chet Gryzcan, president of Ricardo.
Fairfax-based Xpect Solutions Acquires GovDefender
Fairfax, Va. – Xpect Solutions, a Fairfax-based federal technology contractor, announced that it has acquired GovDefender, a provider of digital services to the government. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The move will allow Xpect Solutions, a portfolio company of NewSpring Holdings, to expand its offerings to federal law enforcement and national security agencies. The transaction is Xpect’s first acquisition since it was acquired by NewSpring Holdings three months ago. Over the last three years, NewSpring has created three platform companies – BCore, C Speed and Xpect Solutions.
Station DC Names James Barlia as New Executive Director
Washington, DC – Station DC, a non-profit tech hub backed by Austin-based Capital Factory in partnership with the City of DC and Washington Office, has named James Barlia as its new executive director. Barlia previously worked at Steve Case’s Revolution investment firm, where he worked with entrepreneurs from highly regulated industries like healthcare, housing, defense, transportation, and education. Located in Union Market, Station DC is focused on connecting startup technologists with policymakers. Joshua Baer, the founder and CEO of Capital Factory, said that Barlia’s “experience in venture capital and commitment to the innovation community both align perfectly with our mission.”
Herndon-Based Exostar Bolsters Platform with Pair of Acquisitions
Herndon, Va. – Exostar, a Herndon-based developer of business collaboration software for aerospace and defense companies, said it has acquired Ohio-based Robot Morning and Florida-based ComplyUp to help bolster its product offerings. Financial terms of the deals were not disclosed. Robot Morning’s SupplyLine, DemandLine and AXON products help manufacturers and suppliers to collaborate more closely, and ComplyUp’s tools will help its clients prepare for third-party audits mandated by the Department of Defense for CMMC accreditation.
Briefly Noted:
(Washington, DC) The DC-based Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) said that its board has elected Ariane Schaffer, the head of U.S. federal and state policy at GFiber, as its new chair for 2025. Schaffer, who has served on the organization’s board for two years, will serve a one-year term.
(Herndon, Va.) Herndon-based Akima, a provider of IT, logistics and aerospace products and services to the federal government, has named Russell Aldrich as the vice president of business development for its Mission Systems, Engineering & Technology Group. Aldrich most recently served as the vice president of business development at Leidos.
(McLean, Va.) McLean-based Guidehouse, a consultancy providing advisory, digital and managed services to the commercial and public sectors, has named Joe Shepherd as a partner. He will focus on the company’s efforts to expand its footprint across the Department of Defense. Shepherd previously spent 15 years at Booz Allen Hamilton, including the past five as a vice president.