As our organization grows, so do the programs that we provide to our members and the community. 2020 will mark some major milestones for TechBirmingham, and we are looking for some fresh and exciting ideas for our annual cyber conference. If your company is interested in helping us with our rebrand and revision for our conference, please check out this RFP and follow the instructions on how to submit your proposals. We are extending the deadline to submit proposals to November 5, 2019.
With the growth and success of Alabama CyberNow for the past 4 years, our committee is looking at building the future of this signature event beyond the state of Alabama. We are taking some first steps to get to this audacious goal by rebranding and changing the name to Cyber Now Summit. We are looking for some help to reimagine the marketing for this event. If you want to help our team imagine the possibilities of marketing this event, please read this Request For Proposal and consider submitting it by October 28, 2019.
Please contact Christina Smith at christina@techbirmingham.com
A membership with TechBirmingham is incredibly valuable. With over 300 member companies, our growing network of resources and thriving tech community provides an opportunity for growth for you and your company, but a membership with TechBirmingham provides more than just amazing education resources and community involvement. Here are 3 things you probably didn’t know you could get out of a membership with TechBirmingham.
We provide programs focused on education, networking and building up the tech community. Our programs include our monthly tech speaker series, programs focused on information sharing and tech education, member-only networking socials and multiple initiatives designed to improve and grow our technology ecosystem.
Additionally, TechBirmingham works to promote both member companies and the region’s tech ecosystem as a whole through local, regional and national media outlets.
It is two weeks after our Kids Code Camp, and I am still feeling so pumped about spending two insane weeks of technology immersion in the basement of Atlas RFID. I still am amazed that of how much we covered in such a short amount of time and blown away at how this came together because of the amazing community of TechBirmingham. This camp would not have been made possible without the financial contributions, and the time our members gave up from their busy work weeks to come and help us with operating camp.
The first week, we had 4 very unique devices prototyped by the kids, which included LED light shows, noise amplifiers, a thermostat, Arduino processors, and 80’s music. In the second week, the kids learned to program in Python to create their own unique games, by Friday we had games that resembled Space Invaders, a Zombie Role Playing Game, a Food Fight Game and a Platform Game. The kids learned how to brainstorm, work in teams, design, QA and so much more. Many of the kids shared that they want to return next year, and the kids who are now too old want to return to be volunteers next year.
Next year, our instructors have expressed that they would like to return as well, and we discussed the possibility of offering a longer game development camp so the kids can have deeper understanding of the material, expanding the program to include one week for upper elementary, and maybe using this year’s camp attendees as the first cohort for creating an academy that will run through the year.
Our team was l
ead Week 1 by Keiah Shauku and Vinny Chiaramonte who provided instruction on basic circuitry and programming Arduino processors the first week along with Team Leaders Amrita Lakhanpal, Robert Pique, Akili Shauku, Viraj Kaker, Hampton Walker, Anisha Ali, and Nicole Mubarak. Week 2 was lead by Nicole Mubarak, Shehzan Maredia, and Team Leaders, Akili Shauku, Andrew Gelderman, Viraj Kaker, Maya Leonard, Taylor Bowser, and Ami Gelderman in teaching the kids game development programming in Python. We also had over 40 volunteers that rotated throughout the week representing many of our member companies such as DST Health Solutions, BBVA Compass, Regions, Kinetic Communications,
We would like to recognize our sponsors for their generosity and their support of our program. Atlas RFID provided us for two whole weeks making us feel at home in their office space. DST Health Solutions awarded a grant that made it possible for us to purchase Elegoo Circuit kits for campers and develop curriculum to teach these campers, AND they sent eight of their interns who helped with organizing supplies and encouraging the kids. Shipt and Planet Fundraiser provided scholarships, meals, and funds to purchase supplies, and sent speakers to come and inspire the kids to continue growing in their thirst for learning technology skills. We had members of the Protective Enterprise Team rally together to provide scholarships for three students. Maynard Cooper & Gale, Seven Nine Foundation, McLeod Software, Sigao Studios, Groveland Baptist Church, Screenshots for Kids, and several private donors provided scholarships for campers. We had over 40 kids apply for scholarships, and we were able to award 27 scholarships. Hopefully next year, we’ll be able to increase that number and increase our impact on the community!
If you didn’t get to join us for the fun this year, please consider helping next year! There are so many kids in our community that need programs like this in order to gain the skills needed for a brighter tomorrow.
-Christina Smith
We are so glad to have you here today Wanda. Where are you from originally?
Atlanta, GA. I actually commute to Birmingham.
How long has the company been around?
We’ve been around for 35 years.
So tell us more about Pegasystems. What’s an average day look like for you and what kind of work are you doing?
I work with customers to discover opportunities to deliver process efficiencies and better customer engagement, so they can achieve breakthrough business results. Pega’s mission is to change the way the world builds software. We love software. It’s the lifeblood of business. It can transform customers into loyal fans. It can turn employees into productivity ninjas. It can make you a master of change and a disruptor of markets. But today’s enterprise can’t run on software designed for yesterday’s small or mid-size business – you need software built for scale and complexity, and that’s what we do.
What do you think is the biggest challenge in your industry?
The biggest business problem we see today are point solutions that were deployed years ago and still being deployed, that result in gaps between systems and processes.
What is the most exciting trend you see in the Birmingham Tech Scene?
The collaboration of tech leaders, as well as engagement from the next generation of leaders, is really exciting to me. A continuing trend is the formation and development of collaborative partnerships and alliances between established companies, educational institutions, and early stage start-ups to accelerate innovation.
How do you see the Birmingham Tech Scene evolving?
Birmingham ranks as one of the most important business centers in the Southeast and as one of the largest banking centers in the United States. Like most metropolitan cities in the country, significant investments are being made in technology, such as artificial intelligence and digital transformation in all industry sectors.
What exciting news or product/service announcements does your company have on the horizon?
Pega is making an exciting product announcement at our annual user conference PegaWorld 2018 in Las Vegas June 3-6; this is just a short time away, and it is unequivocally shaping up to be our biggest event yet. With Digital Transformation being at the forefront of this year’s program, you’ll spend four days listening, learning, and networking with over 5,000 business and tech leaders from the world’s most powerful brands. We’ll also be making the most exciting product announcement in Pega’s history and it’s going to be big.
What kind of impact do you want to make with your involvement in TechBirmingham?
I want to offer new ideas and a fresh approach to solving business problems that deliver results rapidly, cost-effectively, and that supports the need to change quickly. As a result, we can help Birmingham based enterprises achieve phenomenal business results, and gain a competitive edge. We can also help local tech talent develop new insights and skills.
What advice would you give to a person starting out in your industry or in the workforce?
Look for and maintain opportunities to network and learn from peers, mentors, and leaders. Groups like TechBirmingham allow you to expand your horizons beyond your current field. I have found that the many people I have encountered along my career journey have provided valuable insights.
Where can we find your company online?
www.pega.com, @pega on Twitter, and Pegasystems on LinkedIn.
And where can we find you online?
LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/wandaandrieni
Twitter @wandaandrieni
Anything else about you or your company you want us to share?
Pegasystems is the leader in software for customer engagement and operational excellence. If you’ve driven a car, used a credit card, called a company for service, opened an account, flown on a plane, submitted a claim, or performed countless other everyday tasks, chances are you’ve interacted with Pega. For the past 30 years, our technology – CRM, digital process automation, robotics, AI, and more – has empowered the world’s leading companies to achieve breakthrough results. Industry analysts Gartner and Forrester say Pega ranks •#1 in Digital Process Automation, Dynamic Case Management, BPM Platform, •#1 in CRM frameworks and Omni-channel Service for enterprise organizations #1 in Real Time Interaction Management Leading analyst say Pega applications are deployed 6.5 times faster than traditional methods and changes are delivered 8 x faster.
We are looking forward to a wonderful talk from David Powell next week at our Tech Tuesday event. In this Tech Tuesday, held at Burr & Forman LLP, David will share his “Stories from the Road” and offer real-world insights about these hot topics and give some ideas about how we, as technologists, can embrace them.
David Powell is a twenty-two year veteran of the IT industry, the last seventeen spent exclusively in Managed Services. Named one of the “Top 250 People in Managed Services” by MSPmentor for over five years, Powell has worked for three of the Top 100 companies that rank in the MSPmentor 501 each year. He came to LogicMonitor from TekLinks, where he helped transition
the company from a traditional VAR to an integrated solution provider with a nationally recognized managed and cloud services portfolio, as evidenced when TekLinks received the Top MSP Award at the CRN SP500 Conference in 2012. Powell was a member of the Birmingham Business Journal’s “Top 40 under 40” in 2011, and in 2013, he was named to the publication’s first ever “#40 to Follow List” of executives to follow on Twitter. Powell is a frequent national speaker on technology and for three years he co-hosted an engaging “Tech Tuesday” segment that aired each week on the local CBS42 affiliate in Birmingham. Powell is actively involved in the Birmingham community as a Board Member of TechBirmingham, a Board Member for the Vestavia Hills Board of Education, and past President of the Vestavia Lacrosse Organization.
We are looking forward to hearing from David and hope you will join us! This event is free for members and only $10 for non-members. Lunch will be provided, so come hungry and ready to listen to great words from David! You can register here.
It’s Thanksgiving week and TechBirmingham would like to say how “Thankful” we are to be part of a community filled with volunteers to help us accomplish our mission of fostering and growing the Birmingham regional tech ecosystem. We are committed to expanding the opportunities for future generations and are proud to have some amazing volunteers who help us make it happen.
On November 7, we held our first Volunteer Appreciation Party, and recognized some of our key volunteers as our “Change Agents.” These volunteers have shown exceptional dedication and commitment to TechBirmingham’s Kids Code programs.
One volunteer we recognized, Darby Westfall, is a longtime member of TechBirmingham and has been a volunteer and workshop leader since we started offering kids coding programs in 2015. Darby is passionate about mentoring young women and spends hours creating teaching activities to share with the girls. When she isn’t teaching at our workshops, Darby is busy running her own consulting firm, Leapfrog Systems Consulting that provides customized technology solutions for businesses.
We asked her a few questions to help us understand what drives her to volunteer with TechBirmingham.
Darby, how did you get started “Coding?”
I started coding the day the first computer showed up at my high school in 1981. It was a TRS-80 and no one had figured out how to attach the tape drive to save a program; so I would stay there until 6:00 pm getting the program to work – and I loved it! Essentially, the teacher and I learned it all pretty much together.
Darby working on the early computers in high school, 1981
If you can code anything, what would it be and why?
I would love to create more resources to bring our youth into technology learning. There are some great programs out there already, but I think more could be done to inspire, demystify and invite young people (especially more girls) into the world of technology. I believe we need these sharp young minds in the field.
What is your favorite part of TechBirmingham’s Girls Code program?
My favorite moments are absolutely the ah-ha moments-the moment you see the light bulb click on in a young girl’s face as she understands some concept.
Thank you, Darby, for your contributions to TechBirmingham. We are so proud to have you as one of our “Change Agents” and making a difference in paving the way for more girls to find their love of technology.
We will be continuing to highlight our volunteers and recognize how they are actively helping TechBirmingham with our programs and influencing tomorrow’s workforce.
On November 7th, TechBirmingham recognized all of the volunteers who have unselfishly given their time and talents to help TechBirmingham provide programs for the community. In 2017, TechBirmingham hosted 11 Kids Coding events at the McWane Center and Samford University, reaching over 370 kids in the Metro Birmingham Area and beyond. This past summer was the first camp held at Innovation Depot, where 36 kids attended to learn app development. Other events where volunteers played a key role where the Alabama Cyber Now Conference and Sloss Tech.
Jennifer Skjellum, President of TechBirmingham, recognized several key volunteers for their contributions in helping with Super Code Sunday, Kids Code and the 100 Girls of Code and Girls Only Code workshops. All of them have played major roles in the Kids Code Initiatives and in some cases helped launch the program. Val Atchison, Darby Westfall, Julie Lim, Daisy Wong, Vinny Chiaramonte, and Keiah Shauku all received the TechBirmingham “Change Agent” Award. Without these individuals, TechBirmingham would not be able to create and implement the quality programs currently offered to the community.
Darby Westfall, Vinny Chiaramonte, Jennifer Skjullum, Val Atchison, Juile Lim, and Daisy Wong. (not pictured is Keiah Shauku).
E.Builders shines a light on Birmingham’s rural entrepreneurship, millennial founders and ecosystem support, as keys to its economic development successes
Birmingham, AL. This week, 28-29 September 2017, Birmingham will host the International Association of Business Innovation (InBIA)’s annual Ecosystem Builders Forum, or e.Builders Forum. The event will be held at Innovation Depot, one of the nation’s largest and most successful business incubators serving the Appalachian region.
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Women Who Code is a global nonprofit with a set of programs to help women advance their knowledge of software development and advance their careers. Their organization consists of over 50,000 members around the world and located 60 cities, each representing a Network within 20 countries. TechBirmingham’s Christina is a member of the local Birmingham network and talked to the directors Nicole Mubarak and Kayla Harris to talk about their upcoming Hackathon.
Can you give us some background about Magic City Hacks?
Magic City Hacks is a 24-hour innovation hackathon designed to showcase hackers as they take on tech. The event is designed to push you to build great things and caps off Birmingham Business Alliance’s Innovation Week.
For two days, 50+ engineers, designers, mentors, and more will come together to create tech solutions. Harness the power of technology to build something artistic, solve a problem, design, develop whatever inspires you to change the world.
What can attendees expect to learn about that they may not know or be aware of?
Attendees will learn to collaborate on innovative ideas with other participants and explore new technology in a fun, competitive environment.
What are your thoughts on the efforts to recruit women into software programming careers? How will this impact Birmingham?
I believe we’ve come a long way in terms of recruiting women for tech careers. Companies are encouraged to tap into the pool of talented women here in Birmingham. There are more groups like Women Who Code Birmingham who are creating environments for young girls and women to explore technology without fear of criticism for not being at a certain level of tech-savviness. I’ve seen a huge initiative in getting young girls into coding by TechBirmingham and Girls Who Code, which is sure pay off in the future of Birmingham by bringing more people into the tech field who would otherwise not have.
What advice do you have for people who have never attended a Hackathon? Who can attend?
Anyone can attend our hackathon. If you are hesitating on going, my only advice is to DO IT! I completely understand the thoughts of “I only know a little coding I may not be able to contribute” or “I have no chance of winning.” But going to Hackathon is an experience, not just a competition. It exposes participants to teamwork, collaboration, networking, career opportunities and of course swag. Companies like Google, FaceBook, and Tech Crunch do these events so talent all over can network with others, learn new technologies, and simulate an environment for learning, innovation, and creativity. Women Who Code Birmingham wants to bring that experience to the Magic City and create a new platform for networking. Guys are also welcome to attend!
Why are you growing your organization in Birmingham?
As tech takes a center-stage in Birmingham, Women Who Code Birmingham recognizes the need for diversity in the industry. Diversity will serve not only businesses in the area, but enrich the tech community as a whole. For some of our members, it can be very intimidating to be a part of the tech culture. However, I have had the privilege to see members gain more confidence as they steadily make waves in the community. The goal of growing our organization is to create an epic network that connects women of all backgrounds so that we can continue to advance and empower hundreds of thousands of women in the field of technology.
Where can people who are interested in attending Magic City Hacks go to register?
Folks can register on Eventbrite by clicking this link: Register Here
1500 First Avenue North
Birmingham, AL 35203
205.918.7515
info@techbirmingham.com
Join the tech talk.
