If you ask Natalie Nelson, Wisconsin’s tech scene is electric right now.
“Between the Governor’s Task Force on Workforce & Artificial Intelligence and the recent data centers that are going in Milwaukee and the Fox Cities, there’s a lot of buzz around Wisconsin regarding technology in general,” says Nelson, who serves as executive director of Women in Technology Wisconsin (WIT). “I think some people may be surprised to hear that Wisconsin is such a tech force, but we are; there’s a lot of momentum.”
Wisconsin Tech Month, taking place the entire month of October, aims to celebrate that momentum. In 2021, Gov. Tony Evers proclaimed October as Wisconsin Tech Month, an initiative that works to advance technology and innovation throughout the state.
Jason Mathwig is the industry alliance director for New North, Inc. and oversees the Northeast Wisconsin (NEW) Digital Alliance. He says for the first time this year, NEW Digital Alliance is partnering with regional tech organizations WIT and Amplify Oshkosh to celebrate Wisconsin Tech Month, specifically in the northeast region. The committee put together a dedicated Northeast Wisconsin Tech Month event calendar highlighting tech-related events from across the region.
“There’s a variety of events that are happening throughout the state, whether it’s conferences, workshops or networking opportunities,” Mathwig says. “Everything is created to bring people together — whether you’re a student, an industry leader or a tech enthusiast — to share knowledge and opportunities for our state to either collaborate or just celebrate all things tech. We’re hoping to grow this in our region, between Green Bay, Fond du Lac to Sheboygan and everywhere in between.”
Milwaukee and Madison have been popular hubs of tech activity, but Nelson says it’s critical for the New North region to be represented in initiatives like Wisconsin Tech Month.
“It’s creating digital inclusion. It’s great that we’re starting to see that expansive tech talent, because it means we’re creating a spider web of opportunity across the state,” she says. “Anything we can do to create digital inclusion at every level will help us all be more successful.”
The New North will host several events throughout the month. On Oct. 15, NEW Digital Alliance will host its second-annual tech summit at the Best Western Premier Bridgewood Resort in Neenah. The summit will explore recent advancements and the current state of AI with industry leaders from Gartner, Microsoft and Google. Regional businesses will also discuss the ongoing impact of AI on their businesses and share successful strategies for piloting and implementing AI technologies.
In addition to artificial intelligence, cybersecurity is another major topic that will be addressed during the month’s events. These two topics, Nelson says, are inextricably intertwined.
“As we’re bringing AI more and more to the forefront, cybersecurity needs to be three steps ahead of it at all times so we’re prepared for every kind of possible attack and also to mitigate what happens when we do get attacked,” she says. “You’re going to see a ton of really great presentations throughout the month of October on that.”
For example, WIT will host CyberSN founder and CEO Deidre Diamond, a pioneer in the cybersecurity industry, during an event at FVTC’s Bordini Center Oct. 18. The Wisconsin Governor’s Cybersecurity Summit will also take place at the Fox Cities Exhibition Center in Appleton Oct. 28.
Nelson says, in addition to celebrating achievements and sharing knowledge, Wisconsin Tech Month events will foster talent development — an essential component of the state’s tech industry.
“We need to ensure that the state has a skilled workforce and make sure that we’re on top of meeting the demands of the tech industry,” she says. “As we’re building the ship, we need to make sure we have people to help sail the ship.”
Mathwig believes that the region’s amplified participation in Wisconsin Tech Month will increase awareness of its current tech success and future potential.
“It helps show people that there’s some great opportunities to work in the tech industry here, in a variety of different industries like manufacturing, construction and health care,” he says. “People are starting to recognize that our state has the infrastructure, the talent and the drive to be a key player in this.”
On the web: newdigitalalliance.org/wisconsin-tech-month
