There are so many programs dedicated to social media and web technology development in this region, it is hard, if not impossible, to keep up with everything. This includes forums for showcasing new undertakings.

If you are not already on mailing lists (see info below), I suggest you check these out. You may get some new ideas and can also investigate what your competition’s doing. Even if your endeavor is unique, you’re still vying for a fixed pool of capital (and possibly some of the same target markets).

At a program last week, a representative of one of the five companies that presented their startup businesses asked ‘why did you come?’ Good question, especially since it came from the speaker’s associate who is focused on growing their business. I said I was interested in learning more about all the new ventures happening in our region (unfortunately, I was not a potential customer or investor). This is my areas of focus, qualitative research about the high tech industry. Indeed, in my quest to immerse myself in social media, I have learned about a lot of new undertakings, most of them Internet-based.

I am not sure that the DC region is getting the attention it deserves nationally. Just within the past four or five weeks, there has been:

• Making a Successful Mobile App: iPhone, Android & More, a Mobile Monday program hosted by the Finnish Embassy and featuring speakers Samuli Hanninen, Ovi Product Marketing, Nokia; Ken Burge, InfoMedia, creator of iFart; Jason Siegel, Qorvis; and Isaac Mosquera, PointAbout. Moderator: Viq Hussain, Intridea Inc.
  
• Mobile Tech 4 Social Change Camp hosted by Google (admittedly, this was organized by NY consultants) dealing with a plethora of new, creative mobile applications for the US and abroad.
  
• TECH cocktail DC 5, Frank Gruber and Eric Olson, founders. Sponsored by when.com and featuring demos by tweetmart, FitFeud, Diditz, InsideJob, PointAbout, Wegora, messagepub, BuddyCast, MPowerPlayer, Earth Aid, and Consumer Health Advisors.
  
• Social Media and Crisis Communications Panel, a Washington Women in PR (WWPR) program, hosted by Venable LLP. Speakers Gayle Weiswasser, TMG Strategies and Dallas Lawrence, Levick Strategic Communications. Moderated by Kathryn Holmes-Johnson, Nixon Peabody.
  
• Twin Tech IV, brought to DC by Peter Corbett of istrategylabs.com and sponsored by (various levels): KnowledgeBank; LeverPoint; George Mason University; Amplifier Network; Hoffman CFO Consulting; Red Shift Ventures; Rockcreek Strategic Marketing; London, Ink; Boalt Interactive Business; Aptmedia; Viszual, Inc.; Girls in the Know; Administaff; Starblurbs,; Bizcron; InsideJob; enCrisp; messagepub; NinjaTickets.com; MindGrub; ViaPlace; CapitolCommunicator; Tech Bisnow; DC Tech Events; Social Times; GBTC; The Capital Cabal; The Entrepreneur Center at NVTC; Chesapeake Regional Tech Council; TechCocktail; Washington, DC Economic Partnership; the Univeristy of Maryland Robert H. Smith School of Business; The Tower Club; Mid-Atlantic Venture Association (Mava); govloop; Social Web New Media Video 2.0 Web 2.0; Government 2.0 Club; gov2.0 Expo Showcase; and nonprofit beneficiaries Greater DC Cares and Equal Footing Foundation.
  
• socStardom3, short for Social Media Stardom, an informal and casual educational event covering digital marketing and social media topics. Organized by Mayra Ruiz and sponsored by mayraruiz.com, Network Solutions and Johns Hopkins University. Speaker: Jay Berkowitz, CEO, Ten Golden Rules.
  
• Search Engine Optimatization (SEO) meets Social Media Optimization (SMO) Meetup... a mashup of meetups & conversations. 
  
• Social & Startup Rockstars DC #5 Demos Night!, a New Media Technology - Web 2.0 - Video - Social Web Meetup program. Presentations by Contribune, ThinkTalk Networks, Genius Rocket, Legal River, and Revamped Media.
  
• Media Future Now program "Behavior Targeting: Advertising Where it Counts". Planned and moderated by Shana Glickfield of NextGenWeb, hosted by the New America Foundation. Speakers: Ernie Mosteller of Blattner-Brunner, Lee Brenner of MySpace and FastTWD Group, Andy Hunn, Resonate Networks, and Mike Zaneis of Interactive Advertising Bureau.

Coming soon: The Business Alliance’s Grubstake Breakfast on June 12 and Potomac Techwire’s Digital Media Conference on June 25, both at the Ritz Carlton in Tysons Corner.

What other upcoming events and programs do you know about?  Please let us know.