August 19, 2019 5:24pm
First Person: GLI Innovation Tour Day 1 Recap
Part 1 of a 2-part series from Alisia McClain, Founder/CEO of TECH-nique, Inc., who gives a first-person account of GLI’s Innovation Tour to Indianapolis to study the city’s technology sector.
At 11 a.m. on Sunday, August 18th, the Indy Innovation Tour, presented by The Software Guild began, pulling off from the back parking lot of the Marriott East in Jeffersontown.
Excited for the @GLIchamber #GLIevent #innovationindy tour! Bus is pulling out!
— Alisia McClain (@amjazz27) August 18, 2019
I think I’m sitting in the cool section! We are on our way to Indy! @louisvillemayor @GLIchamber #GLIevent pic.twitter.com/DeXbehomvP
— Alisia McClain (@amjazz27) August 18, 2019
Our first stop was Frost Brown Todd in Indianapolis, where Mayor Greg Fischer opened by speaking about the need for investment in the technology industry in order to radically scale talent to meet the tech needs of tomorrow.
First stop in Indy, Frost Brown Todd LLC, @KentOyler starts us off, talking about #techecosystem and #techcityevents. @GLIchamber #GLIevent pic.twitter.com/BLuKUUSTUA
— Alisia McClain (@amjazz27) August 18, 2019
He noted that 20% of jobs are expected to change in the next 4 years from AI alone while also emphasizing that the text sector is the fastest growing sector in the city. Within that vein, Mayor Fisher outlined place-making, equity and inclusion, digital inclusion, and community partnerships/programs as strategies to move Louisville forward into a city of technology and innovation. Mary Ellen Wiederwohl from Louisville Forward followed, noting that Louisville only has 79% of the jobs in tech that we should have for a city of our size.
Louisville was listed as an “up and coming tech city”, which is noteworthy, but the goal is to move off of this list and into a realm where are identified as an actual tech city. She lauded the technology partnerships currently happening in the city – Software Guild Program, Mayor’s SummerWorks, Academies of Louisville, JPMorganChase partnerships, and TechLouisville, to name a few.
The chamber of commerce of Indianapolis and the deputy mayor of Indianapolis were the featured panelists, speaking on the topic of tech ecosystems and community culture.
They drew direct parallels between building a system of public mobility and changing the culture of Indianapolis to a more innovative city, with initiatives like cultural trail and 16tech, to foster a more innovative culture and move the city forward into a thriving tech ecosystem.
Just heard from Fishers, IN Mayor @ScottFadness and @wechsler of Indiana IoT Labs about their work in bringing #technology and #innovation to their city! @GLIchamber #GLIevent pic.twitter.com/R7st0b0HGs
— Alisia McClain (@amjazz27) August 18, 2019
Next, we headed to Four Day Ray Brewing in Fishers, Indiana, to hear from the Fishers, Indiana mayor Scott Fadness and the founder and director of Indiana IoT Lab, John Wechsler and Jason Pennington, respectively, about how their small suburban town is creating a thriving tech and innovation industry. Fishers, Indiana has grown tremendously in size over the past twenty years.
Great to meet Indianapolis deputy mayor @ASmithJones and hear from the Indianapolis chamber of commerce on the important connection between transportation and innovation. #GLIevent @GLIchamber pic.twitter.com/RGZogjlD0G
— Alisia McClain (@amjazz27) August 18, 2019
They listed their creation of an IoT lab and coworking space, in addition to supporting local tech entrepreneurship rather than trying to recruit outside tech companies as initiatives they fostered that were aimed at contributing to their growing reputation as a tech suburb.
Nearly 40 high tech leaders from Louisville are spending time in Indianapolis, visiting with civic, business, and tech innovators from Central Indiana, and learning about our community’s investments in place-making strategies and collaborative ecosystems. pic.twitter.com/iZlc1ETuzd
— Mayor Joe Hogsett (@IndyMayorJoe) August 18, 2019
Afterwards, we all headed back to our hotel to check in and refresh. This was followed by dinner, drinks, and lively conversation at our respective restaurants (I chose Hedge Row), thus concluding our very robust and interesting day one of the Indy Innovation Tour.
ABOUT INNOVATION TOUR
Indianapolis has made significant investments in their tech and innovation culture resulting in the recruitment of new business, new talent, and new startups. Mayor Fischer and key tech leaders from Louisville are in Indy to learn more about the strategies and investments Indianapolis is making to create this transformation change. Learn more.
ABOUT ALISIA
Alisia McClain is founder of TECH-nique, a non-profit that uses research-based practices to disrupt the digital divide by providing computer science skills to underrepresented groups in an innovative and impactful way. Learn more at www.tech-nique.org.