Fairfax County, Virginia — The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA), in conjunction with Social Media Week, will present SWMFairfax on September 14 at Capital One headquarters in Tysons Corner.

This is the second year the FCEDA and SMW have teamed to bring together senior marketers, entrepreneurs, founders, influencers, bloggers and digitally connected consumers for a forum to consider how social media and technology are changing the shape of business, government, society and culture.

This year’s theme is “Closer,” focusing on the interconnection of all people in the marketplace while exploring conflicts between the community and individualism and examining innovations including artificial intelligence, virtual reality and wearable technology.

“Social Media Week is the kind of interactive event that shines the spotlight on Fairfax County as a hotbed for emerging technologies and digital growth,” said Gerald L. Gordon, Ph.D., president and CEO of the FCEDA. “The global nature of SMW is in line with our efforts to showcase the county as a place where innovation, creativity, thought leadership and diversity are assets that contribute to both the community and its economic base.”

SMW is a leading news platform that curates and shares the best ideas, innovations and insight into the ways social media and technology are altering the business and cultural landscapes. More than 300 attended the inaugural Tysons Corner event last year, prompting Brian Fanzo, the motivational millennial keynote speaker, to say he was “amazed” by the energy in the auditorium.

“This county has the brand, the technology and the people. It’s now about amplifying that social media message and sharing the lens,” Fanzo said.

Topics for this year’s event are set to include:

• “Future Tense: How Companies and Brands Inspire Innovation,” with Caitlin McKenna of Hilton, David “Rev” Ciancio of Yext, Jinnyn Jacob of Booz Allen Hamilton, and Neal Rothschild of Axios.

• “Hug Your Haters: The Art of Dealing with and Defusing Negativity Online,” with Molly Cain of the Department of Homeland Security, Laura Larrimore of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Joseph Gallo of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, and Christopher Dorobek of GovLoop’s DorobekINSIDER.

• “Playing with Matches: Does Digital Media Fuel or Burn Startups?” with Joe Falit of Yombu, Amelia Friedman of Hatch Apps, Ryan Croft of TransitScreen, and Ajay Kori of UrbanStems.

In addition to a keynote conversation and panel discussions, SMWFairfax will also feature an innovation hub, showcasing some of the latest tech devices, social media-focused contests, allotted time for networking and lunch.

To learn more and to register, go to www.SMWFairfax.com.

This year’s sponsors include: Capital One, QBurst, Microsoft, Zoomph, Amazon Web Services, Hilton, Yext, Booz Allen Hamilton, Avios, Hatch Apps, TransitScreen, UrbanStems, Big Parser, The Bridge, LSMP Video, DC Virtual Reality (DCVR), InsideNoVA, DC Inno, NextGov, Potomac Tech Wire, wework and wework lab.

The award-winning Fairfax County Economic Development Authority promotes Fairfax County as a business and technology center. The FCEDA offers site location and business development assistance, and connections with county and state government agencies, to help companies locate and expand in Fairfax County. In addition to its headquarters in Tysons Corner, Fairfax County’s largest business district, the FCEDA maintains marketing offices in six important global business centers: Bangalore, Berlin, London, Los Angeles, Seoul and Tel Aviv. Follow the FCEDA on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.