Huntsville hosts inaugural ‘Techs and the City’ event to shape its technological future

On a cold Tuesday evening at The Camp in MidCity, tech enthusiasts and industry leaders gathered for the inaugural “Techs and the City” event, designed to examine the landscape of Huntsville’s technological future as envisioned for the year 2035. The occasion fostered networking among local innovators, entrepreneurs, and government officials, who engaged in an informative panel discussion featuring prominent figures from the tech industry.

Despite the chilly weather, attendees enjoyed a lively atmosphere, complemented by flaming heaters and a selection of complimentary food, beer, and wine. Matt McKenzie of Alloy Digital, one of the sponsors of the event alongside First Horizon Bank, The Camp, Deploy, Apollo Foundation, Innovate Alabama, and gener8tor, remarked on the impressive turnout, saying, “This is a tremendously awesome turnout considering how cold it is.”

“Techs and the City” was initiated by local entrepreneurs from both Birmingham and Huntsville with the objective of fostering connections and inspiring innovation within the region. Chase Morrow, a Huntsville native and co-founder of Deploy Alloy, played a significant role in bringing the event to Huntsville, which is part of a series previously held six times in Birmingham. Morrow expressed his affection for the city, stating, “I love the hell out of this town… thank y’all for showing up.” He continued to highlight Huntsville’s potential as a technological hub, “I’m thankful that we get to have this and really celebrate not only how far we’ve come as a tech city, but where we’ll go.”

As part of the opening remarks, McKenzie recalled the early days of the IT field, reflecting on his first job in Tuscaloosa where IT professionals were often relegated to the basement. He observed, “We’ve now got a name for ourselves and that’s because everybody realizes technology is the future. But technology is not what drives the future. What drives the future is people and people are nothing without community.”

The panelists included key industry figures such as John Schmitt, co-founder and CEO of iXpressGenes; Angie Sandritter, founder and CEO of Rippleworx; Madison native Peyton McNully, a technology entrepreneur involved in cloud tech; and Steve Odom, managing director at Defense Tech Accelerator. The session was moderated by Valentina Iscaro, an Assistant Professor and Entrepreneurship Program Coordinator at Alabama A&M University.

Among the insights shared during the panel, Sandritter declared, “This year kicks off Generation Beta… AI as we know it today is gonna be a rudimentary type of technology to them,” underscoring the rapid advancement of technology and its implications for future generations.

Peyton McNully highlighted concerns surrounding electricity usage, stating, “We’ll use a hell of a lot more electricity by 2035,” and emphasised the need for awareness about the infrastructure required to support future technological demands. He added, “Right now I don’t think we have a mechanism (to support the future demand).”

John Schmitt pointed to the significance of small businesses in shaping Huntsville’s tech scene, expressing belief in the future potential beyond major defence contractors. He remarked, “I see so many faces of folks that have been on my journey… I think this is where only small businesses are gonna fill that.”

Steve Odom reflected on the evolving community of Huntsville, sharing, “Since I’ve been here it’s been amazing… But it’s been amazing how this city has evolved to and been given the opportunities to the companies here.”

The event underscored a shared vision among local leaders and innovators for the growth and advancement of Huntsville’s technological infrastructure and community, all while focusing on the collaboration necessary to realise these aspirations by the year 2035.

Source: Noah Wire Services