Member news: September 2022
Arizona Small Business Association announces partnership to help small businesses in Arizona mitigate cyber risk
CyberCatch jointly announced with the Arizona Small Business Association (ASBA), a strategic partnership to enable Arizona’s small businesses to quickly and easily implement necessary cyber security controls for digital success. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, there are more than 590,000 small businesses (those with fewer than 500 employees) in Arizona, and these businesses employ nearly 43.5% of the state’s private workforce. Read more >>
Digital Air Strike partners with leading automotive industry conference, AUTOVATE
Digital Air Strike, the leading consumer engagement and customer experience (CX) technology and services company, has a strategic partnership now with the AUTOVATE conference. AUTOVATE brings together visionary investors with progressive dealers, innovative vendor entrepreneurs, and cutting-edge automakers. After four years in Austin, Texas, AUTOVATE 2022 is moving to Scottsdale from Nov. 30-Dec. 2, 2022. Read more >>
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona’s partnership with AZ Technology Council brings big time benefits to local innovators
Growing Arizona technology companies can now get big business health benefits thanks to the partnership between Blue Cross® Blue Shield® of Arizona (BCBSAZ) and the Arizona Technology Council (AZTC). This partnership provides exclusive insurance plans available only to AZTC members. The AZTC association health plan (AHP) is for startups, smaller businesses and growing companies who want to focus on what they do best – expanding their mission. Read more >>
Certification Partners announces leadership change
Certification Partners, which creates vendor-neutral curriculum and high-stakes certifications for building skills and careers, has announced that the company’s Owner/CEO, Barry Fingerhut, has appointed Erik Barrantes as the new President of Certification Partners. “I’m delighted to announce a significant philosophical change within Certification Partners, LLC towards company revenue generation and product growth in contrast to our historical emphasis primarily upon product development,” says Mr. Fingerhut. Read more >>
TechFocus member spotlight: Khalid Al-Maskari, founder and CEO, Health Information Management Systems (HiMS)
In this episode of TechFocus, meet Khalid Al-Maskari, Founder and CEO of Health Information Management Systems (HiMS), a company committed to transforming the integrated health care experience. The constraints of the pandemic helped accelerate the implementation and deployment of telehealth options for health care providers and patients globally. Since then, health care communities have continued to embrace the power of technology to utilize digital care tools for integrated health solutions. Read more >>
WebPT introduces latest integrated platform for rehab therapists’ in-house billing teams
WebPT, the leading rehab therapy platform for enhancing patient care and fueling business growth, announces the general release of WebPT Billing, the latest evolution of its integrated billing solution for rehab therapy organizations supporting more than 2,000 visits per month. Used in conjunction with the WebPT EMR, WebPT Billing connects workflows throughout the practice in ways not possible with third-party add-ons. This means better data, cleaner claims, and faster reimbursements for rehab therapy practices. Read more >>
GateWay’s pro bono healthcare clinic makes lasting impression on community
When the Healthcare United at GateWay (HUG) Clinic opened in 2013, the faculty members at GateWay Community College knew there was a need for a specialty healthcare clinic in the community. But, they may not have realized just how extensive their impact would be. Now in its 10th year, the student-run HUG Clinic is the only pro bono specialty healthcare clinic in the United States, with services including respiratory therapy, physical therapist assisting, diagnostic medical sonography, occupational therapy assisting, and therapeutic massage. Read more >>
ASU named No. 1 in innovation for eighth straight year
For the eighth year in a row, Arizona State University is No. 1 in innovation in the newly released annual Best Colleges rankings by U.S. News & World Report. Over the past 20 years, ASU has grown from a regional desert university to a world-renowned public research institution of tremendous societal impact, an accomplishment reflected by its unchallenged designation as the most innovative university — ahead of MIT and Stanford — every year since the inception of the category. Read more >>
Barrett-Jackson and SciTech Institute launch new automotive STEM initiative for Arizona students
Barrett-Jackson, The World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions, today announced the launch of Gearing Towards the Future, the auction company’s new community, education and outreach initiative focused on STEM education. Created in conjunction with SciTech Institute, the program will serve a leading role in encouraging and developing future automotive engineers and technicians through learning modules focused on teaching young people how to solve problems and develop new skills using challenge-based contests related to automobiles. Read more >>
Atlassian marketplace platinum partner announces DevOps tool for Jira Software
GitKraken, the world’s premier developer of Git tools for software developers, will be launching a free DevOps tool for Jira Software on the Atlassian Marketplace. As one of the first Platinum Partners to introduce a free extension for an existing Marketplace application, this announcement positions GitKraken as a leader in innovative product development for Git and Jira Software tools. Read more >>
13 ways to keep up to date with tech industry trends
Besides the AZTC resources, what is one way you can stay up to date with tech industry trends and innovations? To some, it seems like only yesterday that Apple launched its iPod Nano and Netflix only offered DVDs. The world marches ever onward, however, and no other industry feels like it’s going to leave you in the dust quite like the tech world. How is one supposed to keep pace with the latest demands and developments? Read more >>
The benefits of cultural diversity in the workplace
Organizations are increasingly seeking to diversify their workforce to tap into the many benefits of cultural diversity. A more diverse workforce can bring numerous advantages, including improved social awareness, creativity, and productivity. Read more >>
Leading through burnout
Burned-out leaders leading burned-out employees. Sound familiar? It’s estimated that 66% to 72% of leaders feel burned out. That’s significant and may be no surprise to you. In the past 24 months, leaders have had to grapple with significant disruption in their personal and professional lives while often being expected to put the well-being of others – specifically their family and employees – first. Read more >>
Positive change, amplified by Intel
Since 1968, Intel’s technology has been at the heart of computing breakthroughs. As an industry leader creating world-changing technology, enabling global progress and enriching lives, Intel stands at the brink of many technological innovations — technology that not only shapes our future but also shapes humanity. Read more >>
Interested in teaching at Per Scholas? Join the Instructor Academy!
Are you interested in learning best-practice educational skills that can help you launch a technical teaching career? Get paid to jump-start your technical education career! The Per Scholas Instructional Academy is looking for computer savvy, intellectually curious individuals with little or no teaching experience, but who are self-motivated to learn new concepts and are interested in a long-term career in technical education. Read more >>
TLA, FORGE and UACI Launch Service to provide top-tier mentoring to ecosystem startups
Tech Launch Arizona, FORGE, and the University of Arizona Center for Innovation (UACI) have partnered to launch the University of Arizona Venture Mentoring Service (UAZVMS). Through the program, entrepreneurs connected with the University of Arizona launching a new venture can get free mentorship from experienced, trained, vetted mentors to help them develop successful startup strategies. Mentors engaged in the program are selected based on their ability to provide advice to startups on the multiple issues and challenges that startups face, such as business planning, marketing, intellectual property strategy, raising funds, and human resources. Read more >>
The chip challenge: Growing a workforce for the semiconductor industry
According to the Arizona Commerce Authority, “Arizona is the best state in the nation for entrepreneurship, innovation and emerging technology.” At the end of August, Governor Doug Ducey capitalized on that sentiment with a five-day trip across the globe to visit the Republic of Korea and Taiwan for relationship building within the international technology industry. Reported by the Arizona Republic, the expedition was specifically focused on growing Arizona’s semiconductor industry and building relationships with high-tech manufacturing companies. Read more >>
Waymo introduces rider-only service on downtown Phoenix streets
Ride-hailers will soon be all alone when they hop into one of Waymo’s white electric Jaguars for a trip through downtown Phoenix. Starting Aug. 30, passengers who have become Waymo One Trusted Testers — the autonomous vehicle company’s name for its early research users — will be able to use “rider-only mode” to get around. Up until now, the cars have operated with a company specialist in the driver seat. Read more >>
From students to technologists: The student innovation journey
On Tuesday, August 16, 2022, University of Advancing Technology (UAT) students gathered in the UAT Theater to present their innovations to faculty, staff, peers and the community. Art Direction Professor, Dapzury Valenzuela, hosted the event and was excited to watch students she’s seen grow present all their hard work. Read more >>
August 2022 TechCast: Building the pipeline of STEM talent for tomorrow’s workforce needs
The August 2022 episode of the Arizona Technology Council’s AZTechCast podcast featured experts including Julie Bonner, director of communications at FreeFall Aerospace; Claire Conway, Arizona STEM ecosystem programs manager at SciTech Institute; and Betsy Hargrove, superintendent of the Avondale Elementary School District. These leaders joined Karen Nowicki, president and owner of Phoenix Business RadioX, and Steve Zylstra, president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council and SciTech Institute, in discussing the importance of STEM education in building the pipeline of technology talent for today and tomorrow’s workforce needs. Read more >>