Editorial
Front Page - Friday, January 28, 2011
Chattanooga Technology Council promoting innovation, entrepreneurship
David Laprad
The Chattanooga Technology Council exists to promote technology in education and business in the Scenic City. Robert Phillips, executive director, says everyone is welcome to join and take part.
- David Laprad
Ever since man invented the wheel, he’s been preoccupied with technology. Yet, even though technology has become such an integral part of human life, touching nearly everything people do, it’s possible to take it for granted. When this happens, people fail to utilize its full potential.
The Chattanooga Tech-nology Council exists to make sure that doesn’t happen in the Scenic City.
Founded in 2003, the Council aims to promote technology in education and business. One of the ways the membership-driven organization is accomplishing this goal is through a decidedly non-technical activity most people enjoy: eating.
Once a month, the Council hosts a luncheon in which a specific group of professionals comes together and discusses the implications of technology in their field. For example, the topic in February will be engineering. In March, the Council is slated to partner with the local manufacturer’s association to talk about how technology can be used to improve their processes. And in a bid to appeal to young people, the Council is looking at partnering with the Young Professionals Association of Chattanooga in April for a forum on intellectual property and music.
Robert Phillips, executive director of the Council, says everyone is welcome to join the organization and attend its luncheons.
“These are informational forums, open to everyone in the community. For two hundred dollars a year, you commit to about a dozen lunches in which you’ll spend 30 minutes eating and networking and then one hour listening to a presentation,” he says.
The Council is also using talk radio to broadcast its message to locals. Listeners can tune in to 95.3 WPLZ Thursday nights from 6:00 to 7:00 to hear Phillips and others discuss relevant issues. They can also call in and share their thoughts. “That gives us 52 more hours each year to have a conversation about our local knowledge economy,” Phillips says.
New in 2011
Technology is always moving forward, and so is the Council, which in 2011 will implement several new initiatives. Phillips is particularly enthused about the Council’s upcoming newsletter.
“This city is growing, and it’s going to continue to grow. One of our biggest challenges will be managing the growth. We’re going to launch a newsletter that will highlight this and other technology issues in Chattanooga,” he says.
The newsletter will be published quarterly in printed form and possibly online as a PDF.
A question Phillips frequently hears is, “What is the Technology Council?” At a recent board meeting, one board member said, “We could call ourselves the Innovation Council, because we’re not just about promoting technology; we’re also about encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship.”
In 2011, the Council will be launching a two-pronged effort designed to do just that in Chattanooga. The first is an educational program, which Phillips likens to a work force development plan.
“A lot of new jobs are coming into the city, and the question is, will the companies hire people from Chattanooga or will people from outside the city get the jobs? We want our educational system to deliver the workforce,” he says.
While a committee is still working out how the Council will approach this issue, Phillips says it will begin with communication.
“We’re going to talk with our local employers to find out what kind of jobs are available now, and what kind of jobs will be available in a year. And we’re going to ask them if there are any local candidates for those jobs, and if there’s no match, what needs to happen for there to be a match?”
The Council will then engage Chattanooga’s educational institutions, from colleges down to pre-K.
“This community has a lot to offer, but important people believe there’s a disconnect of some magnitude, and if something isn’t done, it will increase,” Phillips says.
The Council is also planning to launch a business program.
“Whether you’re a small startup looking for venture capital or an established business, there’s innovation that can occur. Our organization wants to foster that,” Phillips says.
One of the ways in which the Council hopes to cultivate innovation and entrepreneurship is through a forum in April that will bring together people with ideas and investors looking for opportunities.
“The event will attract serious regional investors who will be looking for prospective businesses with a well-thought out plan – not starry-eyed people but innovators that have studied the market, taken some initial steps and are marketable, investment-grade material,” Phillips says.
Details on the event, which will be held at the Tivoli Theater in conjunction with The Enterprise Technology Center’s Technology Transfer Conference, are available at www.chattanoogatechnologycouncil.org.
Although the Council proudly claims a number of technology nerds among its ranks, it’s not a geek consortium. Rather, it’s a group of about 150 local citizens who want to see Chattanooga thrive in every way, and believes technology is one of the ways to make that happen.
The door for new members is always open, Phillips says. Just bring your appetite.
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