TechConnect: ‘Mini-themes’ are part of magazine’s move to blog

Bio. Fintech. Energy. Smart Cities. Those are just a few of the themes that have been covered recently in TechConnect, the magazine launched by the Arizona Technology Council nearly 15 years ago to cover the state’s science and technology industry.

But it’s time to hit the reset button.

The Council and its publishing partner, the Arizona Commerce Authority, are transitioning the publication to a blog format. That means the issue in the works—No. 60—will publish in the magazine format that readers have come to know, as well as a blog that today’s readers have come to expect.

After that, TechConnect’s content will be available only as a blog. That means new stories will be posted throughout the month instead of a span of several months between issues.

As for the themes that made up the majority of the content, they still will be included but only as two to three stories that debut over the course of a few months. For example, the latest “mini-theme” features venture capital.

Users will notice a new, clean look. An added feature is that visitors to the site will have the ability to print and share individual pages.

“TechConnect has moved through digital phases in an effort to continue to provide readers a unique experience,” says Jill Brownley, the Council’s director of marketing and communications. “Its progress continues with a dedicated page on our website featuring technology trends in a convenient and consumable way that’s now easy to read, as well as easy to share via social media.”

The look of TechConnect is intended to blend with the design of the Council’s refreshed website. The results can be found at https://www.aztechcouncil.org/techconnect/.

The update was triggered when the Council was approached by the leaders of Coplex, a startup accelerator in Phoenix that had taken on the publishing duties of the digital publication TechAZ. While they recognized what the Council and the Authority had accomplished with TechConnect over the years, the Council was intrigued by the look and following of TechAZ. That led to an agreement for the technology community to continue being served with the newer platform.

The TechConnect blog will continue under the guidance of Editor Don Rodriguez, who began his duties with the Council and TechConnect in 2006. Rodriguez is a veteran editor who has worked for other magazines and daily newspapers in several states.