Sloss Tech is July 15 at The Lyric Theater in Downtown Birmingham; we can't wait to be there to celebrate the growth of Birmingham's tech sector!
I’m pretty excited about the tech scene here in Birmingham. It’s a surprise to a lot of people that Alabama has a healthy and growing technology sector, but Infomedia’s been working in this industry in the Magic City for over 20 years, and I’m proud to say we’ve seen this coming. So many companies and individuals have been doing great work here for a long time, and that groundwork seems to be paying off in big ways.
This Friday’s Sloss Tech conference is partly a celebration of that; I also believe it’s going to be the start of new ideas that will help us grow even more. Learn more about Sloss Tech, or grab your tickets to Sloss Tech here; I already have mine! Here are the top ten things I’m excited about:
Good Food
Birmingham’s becoming known as a foodie town, and the reputation is well deserved. Friday’s event will feature Dreamland and Zoe’s Kitchen, two of our favorites.
Rubbing Shoulders with Local Entrepreneurs
One of the biggest benefits of any good conference is networking, and Sloss Tech is attracting some of the most successful players in local tech; it’s also bringing in fresh voices, and that means some of the innovators and entrepreneurs of the future will also be around. Sloss Tech has planned several breaks designed around coffee, beer and snacks, so networking opportunities should be everywhere.
Local Tech Talks
We’ll be hearing from so many accomplished individuals in a variety of fields. There’s a neurosurgeon, a banker, and several entrepreneurs from companies like Shipt, Frios, Blondin BioScience, Theranest, Teklinks, Help Lightning, IllumiCare, Banker Advice, Compose, Daxko and S/ngular — I know they’ll be offering up solid advice and exciting perspectives on new technologies.
Gary Vaynerchuk
He’s one of Fortune’s 40 under 40, runs VaynerMedia and talks business and tech on The #AskGaryVee Show — I’m excited to hear his perspective on technology in the South.
Trim Tab and Royal Cup
Trim Tab and Royal Cup are both sponsors; I love this because I love local business … and selfishly, I’m happy to be able to grab a cup of coffee or sip from an excellent Trim Tab beer, for obvious reasons.
The Lyric Theater
The renovation of this theater is such a great achievement. I feel a personal connection to The Lyric because my dad owned a store there when I was a kid, and seeing its revival has been pretty incredible. But I also think anyone will be impressed with the beauty and attention to detail in this reclaimed space.
Andy Grignon
This guy has an impressive resume: work on QuickTime Conferencing, QuickTime Streaming, the iPhone, iChat AV and iSight. He’s helped develop some of my favorite products, and I can’t wait to see what he has to say.
Pops from Frios
Gourmet ice pops made with locally-sourced ingredients … do I really have to explain this one? It’s going to be delicious.
Robert Scoble
I’m intrigued by anyone who’s held titles of both “futurist” and “technology evangelist” (the latter at Microsoft). Scoble studies innovators and innovation all over the world, and now he’s bringing it all back to us here in Birmingham.
Your Next Big Idea
Sometimes, we get so caught up in our day-to-day work that we don’t take time to think about anything else; this means we’re not thinking about new ideas, and we get stuck in ruts. A conference like Sloss Tech is a great way to think bigger, to let your mind go to unexpected places, and to come away with new connections and ideas that wouldn’t have come out of the same old daily routine.
If you still need tickets to Sloss Tech, get them here. If you find me in the crowd, come say hello!
