South Florida Tech HubSouth Florida Tech Hub
19
Jul, 2017

By Nikki Cabus

Palm Beach Tech Appoints New Leadership

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Palm Beach Tech Appoints New Leadership

Cam Collins & David Bates to Co-Chair 2017-2018 Board of Directors

West Palm Beach, Fla. – The Palm Beach Tech Association has announced its new Board of Directors for its 2017-2018 organizational year, led by Co-Chairs Cam Collins & David Bates.

“Co-Chairing the Palm Beach Tech Association has special meaning for me as I grew up in West Palm Beach,” said Cam Collins, President of DockMaster Software, Inc. “When I graduated from the University of Florida, it was difficult to find technology positions here. Today, that’s changed considerably, with more opportunities and professionals interested in calling the Palm Beaches their home.”

“Palm Beach Tech has achieved more in the last two years then anyone could’ve imagined, and I’m proud to say we have quite a lot in store for this year,” said David Bates, Chair of the Technology and Entrepreneurial Practice Group at Gunster.

Bates is also a former Board Member of the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County, BioFlorida, South Florida Tech Alliance, and the former Chair of both the Gold Coast Venture Capital Association and Enterprise Development Corporation.

“Going into our third year, I’m proud to say we’ve assembled an unparalleled team of leaders to guide Palm Beach Tech to new heights,” said Executive Director Joe Russo.

Founded in July 2015, the Palm Beach Tech Association now has 127 Corporate Members representing $100’s on Million in economic impact to Palm Beach County. They also founded the Palm Beach Tech Space, a 3,500 square foot coworking space in downtown West Palm Beach, thanks to a generous grant by the James S. & John L. Knight Foundation.

The Palm Beach Tech Association will host its next Meetup, a joint event with the Broward-based South Florida Technology Alliance, on July 25, 2017 at FAU Tech Runway with AT&T Florida President Joe York.

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DROPBOX: (Link Here) Logos, Headshots, and Stock Photos.

The Palm Beach Tech Association is a non-profit membership association established in 2015, building the Palm Beaches into a Tech Hub. Members include MyTaskit, Levatas, Florida Power & Light, Achieve, ScriptSender, and Dedicated IT. For more, visit www.PalmBeachTech.org

27
Apr, 2017

By Nikki Cabus

Palm Beach Tech Launching Volunteer Initiative

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Serve With Us! Volunteering Looks Good On You

Studies show that giving back is essential to your happiness, and volunteering is a great way to help out your community. It’s a priceless gift to serve, and here are a few ways you can volunteer your technology skills and time:

  • Teach Computer Coding
  • Host a Workshop or Class
  • Present in a Classroom
  • Become an Adjunct Professor
  • Serve on an educational Advisory Board

“We have a huge shortage of IT talent in the US, so we started Coder Dojo Palm Beach to train up the next generation of coders,” said George Whitaker, VP of Technology at Hello Labs. “Hopefully, by the time they are 15, we can hire them to crank out some quality code,” he joked.

 

But it’s not just our next generation and local schools we must support, it’s our talent that’s right here within our local university’s like PBA, Lynn, FAU, and PBSC.

“It’s important that you not only make money, but make a difference. You need to be happy with your job,” said DedicatedIT‘s Adam Steinoff to Florida Atlantic University’s Management Information Systems (MIS) students in a class led by Jonathan Sweet. “It’s important to stay connected with the best and brightest coming out of college, to let them know there is opportunity here.”

Our very own Brian Dapelo, Palm Beach Tech Space‘s Community Manager, has gone further in becoming an adjunct at Palm Beach Atlantic University, teaching students in entrepreneurship and building businesses.

 

Moving beyond that, there’s a need to speak at Meetups, organize events, and simply serve our community.

“I volunteer because I want to be a part of something bigger than myself,” said Jeremy Lawson of Cosmic Strawberry who leads both the Palm Beach JavaScript Meetup & Palm Beach Tech Hackathon.  “I love the tech industry and the community I live in. Why not be a part of making it that much better?”

Looking to volunteer locally or need tech volunteers?

07
Apr, 2017

By Nikki Cabus

Palm Beach Tech launches new Resume Distributor

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Need a tech job? Get your resume in front of employers with one click!

Palm Beach Tech was established to help build our community and share connections together! We developed the resume distributor in house, allowing anyone to upload resumes directly to tech company executives across the Palm Beaches.

“Palm Beach Tech has helped us hire both staff and interns in the past year, and this makes it even easier for us and our candidates,” said John Studdard, COO at Achieve.

  • For Job Seekers: It’s Free! So send your resume off today and let us know if you hear back.
  • For Educators: Pass the link along to your students to find internships and maybe their first job!
  • For Employers: Join the Palm Beach Tech Association and we’ll add you to the list!


“This tool allows us to match talent with opportunity like never before,” said Joe Russo, Executive Director of Palm Beach Tech. “Our members benefit from having unlimited access to our tech community.”

The resume distributor allows candidates to apply to hundreds of companies with the click of a button. All Palm Beach Tech Association members receive the resumes, review skills and qualifications, and connect with candidates. It’s that easy!

“We employ literally hundreds of technology professionals, but we’re always looking for our next hire,” said Michael Fowler, Vice President of Information Management at NextEra Energy Resources and PBT’s Education Committee Chair.

The project was completed with the help and guidance of many, including:

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DROPBOX: (Link Here) Association Logo, Space Logo, Headshots, and Stock Photos.

The Palm Beach Tech Association is a non-profit membership association established in July, 2015 uniting and building the technology industry throughout Palm Beach County. Members include MyTaskit, Levatas, Florida Power & Light, and Achieve. For more, visit www.PalmBeachTech.org

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19
Dec, 2016

By Dana Fletcher

Nerd Night comes to South Florida Science Center and Aquarium!

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Calling all nerds! It’s time to break out your brainiac side for an after-hours, 21+ event just for you. Nerd Night guests are invited to explore the Science Center and Aquarium after dark, including the blockbuster traveling exhibit “Our Body: The Universe Within”, while enjoying food trucks, cocktails, hands-on experiments, nerdy trivia, planetarium karaoke and much more! For more information and discounted pre-sale tickets, visit www.sfsciencecenter.org/nerd-night.

When: Friday, January 20th, 2017 6pm-9pm

Where: South Florida Science Center and Aquarium; 4801 Dreher Trail North; West Palm Beach, 33405

Tickets: $12 for non-members and $10 for members and students (with college ID). Pre-sale tickets (before January 19th) $10.

Public contact: South Florida Science Center and Aquarium at www.SFScienceCenter.org or 561-832-1988.

10
Nov, 2016

By Rich Andrews

Announcing the Winners of the 1st Palm Beach Tech Hackathon

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The 1st annual Palm Beach Tech Hackathon kicked off Friday, November 4th at the Palm Beach Tech Space with over 30 attendees, plenty of beer, and an unveiling of projects supporting the South Florida Science Center and the Loxahatchee River Center.  

A “hacker” is often defined and portrayed in the media as “a person who secretly gets access to a computer system in order to get information and cause damage.” But few know that hackers can also be skilled programmers and problem solvers.

The Palm Beach Tech Hackathon had plenty of problem solving going on, as attendees formed teams and gathered at the South Florida Science Center Saturday morning  to begin hacking away at four topics to benefit both of these local non-profits:

  • Create a self-guided tour for the Loxahatchee River Center
  • Create a way to capture guest feedback for the South Florida Science Center
  • Create a way to track the results of the River Center’s 2017 Jr Angler Fishing Tournament
  • Create your own idea to benefit both organizations

On Sunday all coding and hacking stopped at noon, while hackers, guest and patrons gathered to see the final project presentations and hear the winners decided on by an elite team of judges:

  • Brian Dunnam, Executive Vice President Technology @ Levatas
  • Cecil Phillip, Senior .NET Developer
  • Jonathan LeBlanc, Head of Global Developer Advocacy @ PayPal.

In the end, it was a close call, but 3 projects came out on top:

1st Place: Rick Blalock

Created an application featuring a virtual tour and customer feedback system for the River Center & Science Center utilizing IBM Watson. View Project

2nd Place: Rich Andrews, Rishi Gohil, and Divyang Purohit 

This team of FAU graduate students & graduates created an interactive Facebook chat bot using ChatFuel for the Science Center. View Project

3rd Place: Melanie Kafka, Denis Zabavchik, Tedley Meralus, and Ed Janeczek

These “Wordpress Weekend Warriors” created a website and full blown iPhone application to help easily manage the River Center’s 2017 Junior Angler Tournament.

A special thanks goes to the Palm Beach Tech Hackathon Committee:

And a huge thanks to our sponsors:

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19
Oct, 2016

By Nikki Cabus

Palm Beach Tech Hackathon Coming to South Florida Science Center

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PALM BEACH TECH HACKATHON COMING TO SOUTH FLORIDA SCIENCE CENTER

PayPal, Microsoft, and Levatas will judge 3-day completion benefiting local non-profits

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla –The Palm Beach Tech Association and the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium have joined forces to host one of the first hackathons in Palm Beach County to be held November 4 through 6 in West Palm Beach.

The Palm Beach Tech Hackathon will provide a peek behind the scenes of our everyday mobile applications, allowing visitors to experience the process of coding rather than just the product.

Participants in this two-day competition will form teams, vet ideas, create a project, then present their work to an expert panel of judges. It also aims to be an educational opportunity for all ages, with young aspiring programmers welcome to visit the event to observe and learn.

Teams will consist of engineers, designers, developers and entrepreneurs with winning teams walking away with a combination of cash and in-kind prizes. High schoolers can even apply for a Junior Hackathon, a similar competition which will be open to 12 select students.

“Hidden behind the apps so many of us rely upon on a daily basis,” said Lew Crampton, CEO for the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium,“are the lines of code that allow the program to function flawlessly. Dive deeper, and you’ll discover that Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat and other apps are all made up of a special language – the language of computers. For those with a passion to pursue it, the ability to “talk” with our devices can be a hobby and sometimes even a career.”

The Hackathon will benefit the non-profit Loxahatchee River Center in Jupiter, FL, with potential projectspresented at the kickoff reception Friday, November4, 2016.The spontaneity of the projects, as well as the time limit, creates a sense of urgency andcollaborative environment conducive for great hacking, where intelligent minds with shared interests come together.

The Hackathon judging panel will be made up of three technology industry veterans – Daniel Bruce, Executive Director of Technology at Levatas;Ray Bango, Lead Developer Advocate at Microsoft; and Jonathan LeBlanc, Head of Global Developer Advocacy at PayPal. The Hackathon is also sponsored by Cosmic Strawberry, Arrow Consulting & Design, Levatas, Florida Power & Light,Duffy’s, and MyTaskit.

“The Palm Beaches are ripe for a technology boom, and with that, many talented technologists who can serve our community through their talents,” said Joe Russo, Executive Director of the Palm Beach Tech Association. “We’re honored to work with the Science Center to do our part – helping non-profits help their communities.”

“We’re delighted to partner with Palm Beach Tech to inspire a new generation of coders by providing them with a fun challenge. By witnessing first-hand the amount of teamwork, passion and intelligence that goes into the apps and technology we use every day, visitors will leave sharing the appreciation for coding, and we might even discover a future techie among our visitors.”

Kicking off on Friday at 5:00pm, The Palm Beach Tech Hackathon will run through Sunday at 5:00 PM. Registration is $10 per participant and is now open online at http://hackathon.palmbeachtech.org/. Tickets include registration, T-shirt and a Hackathon “swag bag.”

Regular Science Center guests are welcome to observethe competition and learn more about computercoding with on-site educators and local vendors. The South Florida Science Center and Aquarium is located at 4801 Dreher Trail North in West Palm Beach and is open Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., and on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Admission to the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium is $16.95 for adults, $12.95 for children ages 3 to 12 and $14.95 for seniors aged 60 and older. Science Center members and children under 3 are free. Planetarium shows are not included in general admission pricing.

For more information about Hackathon, or other Science Center programming, please call 561-832-1988 or visit www.sfsciencecenter.org. Like the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium on Facebook and follow them on Twitter and Instagram @SFScienceCenter.

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ABOUT THE SOUTH FLORIDA SCIENCE CENTER AND AQUARIUM:

The mission of the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium is to “open every mind to science.” Named the 2014 Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches’ Nonprofit of the Year, the Science Center features more than 50 hands-on educational exhibits, a 10,000 gallon fresh and salt water aquarium- featuring both local and exotic marine life, a digital planetarium, conservation research station, Florida exhibit hall, Pre-K focused “Discovery Center” and an interactive Everglades exhibit. In an effort to continue to meet the informal science education needs of the community, the Science Center will soon open an 18-hole mini-golf course, the “Conservation Course,” and more than 25 interactive exhibits in the Science Center’s “backyard.”

ABOUT PALM BEACH TECH ASSOCIATION:

The Palm Beach Tech Association is a non-profit 501(c)6 membership association uniting and building the innovation, entrepreneurial, and technology industries throughout Palm Beach County.As a countywide trade association, Palm Beach Tech promotes industry growth by working with business groups, educational institutions, and government entities to support the goals of member companies. The core focus is fixed on producing long-term economic impact by attracting new business, supporting startups, and building the talent pool.

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13
Sep, 2016

By Nikki Cabus

Palm Beach Tech Association Awarded $150,000

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Palm Beach Tech Association Awarded $150,000

Knight Foundation, West Palm Beach funding new downtown workspace

 

West Palm Beach, Fla. – The Palm Beach Tech Association has been awarded $150,000 to open a collaborative workspace for emerging entrepreneurs and early stage startups at 313 Datura Street in Downtown West Palm Beach.

“This innovative project is a great example of how the City of West Palm Beach is not only open FOR business, but it is open TO business as well.  Our entrepreneur class is quickly becoming a cornerstone of our growing business economy,” said Mayor Jeri Muoio.

The PalmBeach Tech Space is currently operating in its soft opening with options for part time, full time, and 24/7 access. There will also be dedicated desks, private offices and perks like discounts at local businesses and free in-house Subculture Coffee. They expect to be fully operational by October 3rd.

“This is a great opportunity for entrepreneurs,” said Clay Williams, CEO of Achieve and Palm Beach Tech Board Member. “The workspace offers everything a start-up needs, and this collaborative environment will ultimately result in greater and more innovative ideas.”

Led by a $100,000 matching grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the City of West Palm Beach CRA ($25,000) and several private companies including Achieve ($25,000) have also stepped up to support the non-profit initiative.

“Creating public spaces that connect the community and add to neighborhood life is essential to building more successful cities. The workspace will help to do just that by supporting local talent and encouraging more collaboration between idea makers of all kinds,” said Lilly Weinberg, Knight Foundation director for community foundations.

They’ve also partnered with Palm Beach Atlantic University, the Palm Beach Code School, and FAU Tech Runway to offer students free access to the facility and its programming.

The Palm Beach Tech Association will host its next Meetup on Wednesday, September 28, 2016 at Palm Beach Tech Space. For more information and to join, visit www.palmbeachtech.org/space/

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DROPBOX: (Link Here) Logos, Headshots, and Stock Photos.

The Palm Beach Tech Association is a non-profit membership association established in July, 2015 uniting and building the technology industry throughout Palm Beach County. Members include MyTaskit, Levatas, Florida Power & Light, Achieve, and Arrow Consulting & Design. For more, visitwww.PalmBeachTech.org

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation supports transformational ideas that promote quality journalism, advance media innovation, engage communities and foster the arts. We believe that democracy thrives when people and communities are informed and engaged. For more visit,www.knightfoundation.org

29
Aug, 2016

By Daniel Lofaso

Startup Grind with Rocco from Rocco’s Tacos

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This Tuesday, August 30th at 6:00pm join us for an evening with Rocco Mangel of Rocco’s Tacos & Tequila Bar at The Fieldhouse at Old School Square.

About Startup Grind

Startup Grind is the largest independent startup community, actively educating, inspiring, and connecting 400,000 founders in over 200 cities. It nurtures startup ecosystems in 85 countries through events, media, and partnerships with organizations like Google for Entrepreneurs. The cornerstone of their global community is monthly events featuring successful local founders, innovators, educators and investors who share lessons learned on the road to building great companies. Founded in Silicon Valley, Startup Grind has now hosted 2,000 fireside chats since its founding in 2010. To date, Startup Grind has helped millions of entrepreneurs find mentorship, connect to partners and hires, pursue funding, and reach new users.

About Rocco Mangel

Famous for tacos and tequila, Rocco of Rocco’s Tacos will be joining us to talk about his entrepreneurial journey with the restaurant, how he became a successful restauranteur, and why he rocks white shoes when he pours free rounds of tequila to the delight of his patrons. Rocco is also highly philanthropic, having contributed $100s of thousands in fundraising to Susan G. Komen for the Cure as well as ALS Association; Leukemia/Lymphoma Society; YMCA’s Polo for Pedro fundraiser; Vanilla Ice’s Toys for Tots fundraiser; Habitat for Humanity; Genesis Work Dogs; Tri-County Humane Society; March of Dimes; Palm Beach Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and other organizations.

Rocco currently has restaurants in six cities across south and central Florida as well as Brokklyn, New York.

Your Host

Startup Grind is all about making friends, helping others before you help yourself, and giving, not taking. To help facilitate this vision and lead the conversation is Palm Beach County’s very own A.J. Ripin, the Director of Startup Grind Palm Beach and a Serial Entrepreneur, Strategic Thinker, Runner, Technologist, Craft Beer Enthusiast, and Boston Red Sox Fanatic.

Details

Date and Time
August 30, 2016
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Address
The Fieldhouse at Old School Square
51 N Swinton Ave
Delray Beach, 33444

Agenda
6:00 pm Networking
6:30 pm Fireside Chat
7:15 pm Audience Q&A
7:30 pm Wrap Up & After Party

 

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Palm Beach Tech Hosting Uber GM

Uber’s Kasra Moshkani to speak to local tech professionals

Delray Beach, FL – The Palm Beach Technology Association will host Kasra Moshkani, General Manager of Uber South Florida, on Wednesday at its first meetup in Delray Beach.

“We’re excited to be here in Palm Beach County,” said Kasra Moshkani. “South Florida’s technology industry is growing quickly and we’re proud to be a part of it.”

Boca Raton based technology non-profit Child Rescue Coalition and West Palm Beach startup Cravy will also present their technologies during the event.

“Delray Beach is growing fast and technology entrepreneurs are helping lead the way,” said Ryan Boylston, CEO of Woo Creative & Palm Beach Tech Board Member.

The Palm Beach Technology Association hosts each free monthly meetup with one keynote speaker, two demonstrations from local companies, and free food & drinks from local small businesses. For more information, visit www.meetup.com/palmbeachtech.

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MORE ABOUT PBT: The Palm Beach Technology Association Inc., or “Palm Beach Tech,” is a non-profit membership association uniting and building the technology industry throughout Palm Beach County. For more information, go to www.PalmBeachTech.org

17
Sep, 2015

By Nikki Cabus

Palm Beach Tech Announces Meetups

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Palm Beach Tech Announces Meetups

First Free Monthly Event to Feature Top PayPal Developer

 

West Palm Beach, FL – The Palm Beach Technology Association announced their first monthly event to take place September 23rd, known as the Palm Beach Tech Meetup.

“These events will bring together the best and brightest of our community,” said Executive Director Joe Russo. “We’ve already confirmed speakers from PayPal and Uber, with more big names in the works.”

The first event, being held on September 23rd in Downtown West Palm Beach, will feature keynote speaker Jonathan LeBlanc, PayPal’s Head of Global Developer Evangelism.

Local technology companies MyTaskit and Source will also present at this event.

“There’s a technology hub forming in the Palm Beaches and events like this is proof of it,” said MyTaskit Founder & CEO Kevin Hutchinson. “This is my fourth software venture and I still learn something each time I attend events like this one.“

The Palm Beach Technology Association will host each free monthly meetup with one keynote speaker, two demonstrations from local companies, and free food & drinks from local small businesses. For more information, visit www.meetup.com/palmbeachtech.

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MORE ABOUT PBT: The Palm Beach Technology Association Inc., or “Palm Beach Tech,” is a non-profit membership association uniting and building the technology industry throughout Palm Beach County. For more information, go to www.PalmBeachTech.org

03
Aug, 2015

By Nikki Cabus

Palm Beach Tech Takes Off

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Palm Beach Tech Takes Off

Technology Industry Association Officially Founded

The Palm Beach Technology Association, Inc., a non-profit membership association of local tech companies and stakeholders officially launched today.

“This organization is the culmination of growth in the 21st century economy here in Palm Beach County,” said Executive Director Joe Russo. “As the voice of our technology industry, we’ll help pave a path to prosperity for our members and our local economy.”

Current members include 100-employee digital agencies to freelance entrepreneurs across the digital, software, and engineering professions.

“Technology is the next great economic engine in our county,” said Alan Murphy Jr., the Palm Beach Tech Chairman and General Manager of Pioneer Linens in West Palm Beach. “Our company has been around for 100 years, and adopting technology into our business will be keeping us here for 100 more!”

In addition to galvanizing technology industry stakeholders throughout the County, the organization will also begin holding the monthly Palm Beach Tech Meetup. This event will attract technology professionals from Jupiter to Boca Raton starting in September.

“We’re excited to begin this great new chapter for our company and our industry,” said Chris Nielsen, Founding Board Member and CEO of Levatas, a Palm Beach County-headquartered branding, marketing, and technology agency.

Just some of those involved include the Child Rescue Coalition, MyTaskit, Forte Interactive, Arrow Consulting & Design, and Levatas. Palm Beach Tech represents nearly 500 local jobs and tens of millions in annual economic impact to Palm Beach County.

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MORE ABOUT PBT: The Palm Beach Technology Association Inc., or “Palm Beach Tech,” is a non-profit membership association uniting and building the technology industry throughout Palm Beach County. For more information, go to www.PalmBeachTech.org

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Palm Beach Tech Appoints New Leadership
Palm Beach Tech Launching Volunteer Initiative
Palm Beach Tech launches new Resume Distributor
Nerd Night comes to South Florida Science Center and Aquarium!
Announcing the Winners of the 1st Palm Beach Tech Hackathon
Palm Beach Tech Hackathon Coming to South Florida Science Center
Palm Beach Tech Association Awarded $150,000
Startup Grind with Rocco from Rocco’s Tacos
Palm Beach Tech Announces Meetups