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 NC Tech Awards Top 10 Startup Profiles

NC Tech Awards Top 10 Startup Profiles

The NC Tech Awards "Top 10 Startups to Watch" are selected from applications submitted earlier this summer. They must be a technology startup founded in NC within the past four years that has demonstrated a foundation for success. We asked each startup to answer a brief questionnaire to provide insight into their journey towards success. Below are their responses. The startups will be recognized at the NC Tech Awards Gala on November 21 at the Raleigh Convention Center.


 Silver Tree

Member Spotlight: Silver Tree Consulting & Services

Silver Tree’s roots began in 2000, when the talents of Richard Ricks, Founder/CEO, Tony Doye (President), Dan Larson (COO) intersected at Computer Sciences Corporation (now DXC Technology).


 MetLife

MetLife Guest Blog: Hacking to the Future of Innovation

Creating a culture of innovation is critical as companies compete for market share. Leaders are always looking for new, creative ideas to move the needle in this space. One way to think differently is to harness the creativity and great thinking inside your company through a Hackathon. At MetLife, we just wrapped a Global Hackathon event where more than 2,700 current employees across departments, functions, and geographies signed up to ‘Hack to the Future of Customer Care’. During the four-week challenge, participants ideated, finessed, and pitched innovative ideas to heighten the customer experience. The Hackathon teams developed 300+ unique, tech-forward solutions that have the power to drive business initiatives and increase efficiency.


 Noesis

Member Spotlight: Noesis

Noesis is an international tech consulting company with +25 years of experience offering solutions to support companies' businesses and digital transformation. Noesis has an extensive IT services portfolio working in several areas such as IT Ops& Infrastructure, Cloud & Security, Enterprise Solutions, Low-Code Solutions, Data Analytics & AI, DevOps & Automation, Quality Management, Enterprise Application Integration, and Professional Services. The company has +1000 highly specialized talents, operating in six countries: Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, Brazil, Ireland, and the US. Noesis is part of Altia Group, listed on the Spanish BME Growth stock market, with over 3,500 professionals operating in 7 countries and over 20 locations.


 Centri Business

Member Spotlight: Centri Business Consulting

Centri Business Consulting provides the highest quality advisory consulting services to its clients by being reliable and responsive to their needs. Centri provides companies with the expertise they need to meet their reporting demands. Centri specializes in financial reporting, internal controls, technical accounting research, valuation, mergers & acquisitions, and tax, CFO, and HR advisory services for companies of various sizes and industries. From complex technical accounting transactions to monthly financial reporting, our professionals can offer any organization the specialized expertise and multilayered skillsets to ensure the project is completed timely and accurately.


 Jim Roberts

We Invite You to Wilmington

We would like to welcome you to Wilmington on September 13 for the ABCs of New Technology Tools and Brews + Bytes. We hope you enjoy the BREWS of Ironclad Brewery and the delicious BYTES of the success of our new tech-based economy. 


 Hubzone

Member Spotlight: HUBZone Technology Initiative

Our founder, Matt Raydo, was looking for a way to give back to others. His for-profit company, Valiant Solutions, was unsuccessful in the beginning. As it grew, he decided to find a way to give back. Valiant already worked with technology in HUBZone communities, so that's how the idea arose.


 Spreedly

August Guest Blog - A Focus on Diversity from a Spreedly Perspective

At Spreedly, we strive to align our company values; Courageous Collaboration, Self-driven Leadership, Simplicity, Empathy & Mutual Respect, and a Culture of Transparency with our work on increasing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Intertwining our values with how we show up for one another and our customers is key to our success. How do we focus on DEIB? How do we promote belonging within our values? 


 Genesis 10

Member Spotlight: Genesis 10

In 1999, Harley Lippman asked 12 of his former colleagues to help him build a professional technology services firm that companies across the U.S. would rely on to deliver experienced, professional business and IT talent. Ten colleagues said yes, and the company was named Genesis10 in their honor.


 Bill Pappas

July Guest Blog with MetLife's Bill Pappas

The past few years have tested the flexibility and resiliency of leaders to overcome significant obstacles. This year is no different. We’re all facing challenges such as inflation, geopolitical pressures, supply chain demands, and increased cybersecurity threats. 


 Wayne Hippo

Take 5 with Wayne Hippo, Owner + Managing Partner, PS Solutions

The Take 5 series features brief 5 question interviews with leaders who are making an impact within their organization and in the community. The interviews are shared in the monthly e-newsletter, blog and through social media. Meet our next Take 5 executive, Wayne Hippo with PS Solutions.


 Patrick Hill

Take 5 with Patrick Hill, A Cultivated Mindset

The Take 5 series features brief 5 question interviews with leaders who are making an impact within their organization and in the community. The interviews are shared in the monthly e-newsletter, blog and through social media. Meet our next Take 5 executive, Patrick Hill of A Cultivated Mindset.


 Centri Consulting

June Guest Blog with Centri Consulting

In recent years, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technologies has significantly impacted many industries, and accounting is no exception. The use of AI-powered tools like ChatGPT allows accountants to automate routine tasks, gain valuable insights, and provide better service to clients. However, there are also concerns that AI could replace accountants entirely, leading to job loss and ethical issues. In this article, we will explore the impact of ChatGPT and AI on the accounting profession, accounting technology, and the potential for AI to replace accountants.


 Ascend Sales Solutions

Member Spotlight: Atomic Object

Atomic Object was founded in Grand Rapids, Michigan in August 2001, from the ashes of a dot-com startup where Atomic’s founder Carl Erickson was Vice President of Engineering. In 2007, Atomic began expanding its software development service offering with in-house design consultants. Around the same time, the company executed its first employee ownership sales, beginning a tradition of full employee ownership. Building on its success in Grand Rapids, Atomic expanded into Ann Arbor in 2013, followed by Chicago in 2020, and Raleigh in 2022. Over that time, Atomic formalized a third software consultant type: the Delivery Lead, who brings a product development mindset, makes sure everyone is aligned on priorities and goals, and keeps the team productive and focused on high-value work.


 Bob Osmond

May Guest Blog: Three keys to achieving inclusive communications in your organization

How do you create an employee-first workplace?  A business where employees are treated as respectfully as customers? The answer is by using inclusive communications in all interactions, from top to bottom.  NCTECH hosted a webinar discussing inclusive communications with Kurt Merriweather, co-founder of The Diversity Movement (TDM); Dana Calder, senior vice president of people operations at Spreedly; and me.  The three of us discussed a framework that HR and DEI leaders can deploy to ensure inclusive communications—and consequently to help their companies thrive. 


 Ascend Sales Solutions

Member Spotlight: Ascend Sales Solutions

After 35+ years in corporate sales, traveling and being away from family and friends over the years, I decided there was a better path for me and to leverage my background and experience to work with companies in my local community trying to grow to their maximum potential. I discovered there was a need in the small to medium size business community to help these organizations build a solid foundation for growth and provide sales leadership, but doing so in a part time basis.


 Reggie Townsend

March Guest Blog with Reggie Townsend of SAS

One of the reasons I got involved with the trustworthy AI movement is because automated systems enabled by our past will hurt people – at scale – if we aren’t careful. Worse yet, and from a personal perspective, it concerned me that if such systems were deployed in justice and public safety settings and healthcare environments, based on historical precedent, the possibility of harm to African-Americans alarmed me. I knew something needed to change and I wanted to be a part of that change.


 CrushBank

Member Spotlight with CrushBank

CrushBank has built an AI engine and machine learning model to transform IT support. It provides data to enabling faster resolutions, fewer escalations, and unparalleled analytics. CrushBank unlocks proprietary and previously unsearchable content to provide invaluable support information and then uses that same technology to help categorize and classify client interactions for improved decision-making. CrushBank makes it easier to collect data, identify missing information to continually bolster a support team’s corpus of information Founded by industry leaders, CrushBank searches and categorizes more than 100,000 pieces of information per day for our customers.


 Jamie Howard

Take 5 with Jamie Howard, Allstacks

The Take 5 series features brief 5 question interviews with leaders who are making an impact within their organization and in the community. The interviews are shared in the monthly e-newsletter, blog and through social media. Meet our next Take 5 executive, Jamie Howard of Allstacks.


February Guest Blog: Prioritize DEI to Thrive During the Big Tech Downturn

The COVID-19 pandemic was a primary catalyst for Big Tech’s hiring spree in 2020 and 2021. Remote work took off in ways never experienced before and organizations began hiring in unprecedented numbers. The thought was this new era of remote work and economic prosperity would set a standard for ongoing growth. Fast forward to the end of 2022, with the threat of recession looming and a series of poor earnings reports, and organizations are responding with layoffs to improve financial results.


 Piper Companies

Member Spotlight: Piper Companies

Piper Companies is an elite staffing and human capital solutions firm specializing in information technology, life sciences, and clinical solutions. With a proven track record of delivering high quality talent, managed services, and consulting, we help our clients build high performing teams and drive long-term value. Our rigorous customer engagement process assures results in addressing a variety of people-centered challenges, whether it is helping teams reach maximum performance through comprehensive managed services, directly recruiting permanent employees, or staffing projects on a contract or contract-to-hire basis. When the need is sudden and critical, we specialize in identifying and onboarding the most qualified people in a rapid fashion.


 Kim Sneum Madsen

February's Take 5 with Kim Sneum Madsen, CEO with Umbraco

The Take 5 series features brief 5 question interviews with leaders who are making an impact within their organization and in the community. The interviews are shared in the monthly e-newsletter, blog and through social media. Meet February's Take 5 executive, Kim Sneum Madsen, CEO with Umbraco.


January Guest Blog: Black, Latina, and Native American Women Are Key to Cybersecurity Workforce Shortage in North Carolina

Cyberattacks continue to target our major employers, government offices, healthcare systems, and utility infrastructure. In 2021 alone, cybercrime damage cost businesses in the U.S. more than $6.9 billion, according to noted cybersecurity expert Chuck Brooks, president of Brooks Consulting International.


 Momentum

Guest Blog: How to Build Predictability in your Talent Pipeline Webinar

The increasing demand for top talent coupled with the lingering effects of the great resignation and the persistent talent shortage has created a sense of uncertainty in the tech industry. Yet, attempting to understand these factors along with trends in talent acquisition can help ensure your business is prepared for the future. Making your company an attractive option is key; as such, it is important to understand what candidates want in order to draw in the best talent and ensure predictability in your tech talent pipeline. Join the Momentum team and NC TECH on January 12 at 9:00 for a webinar to learn more about how to build predictability in your tech talent pipeline. Open to both members and non-members of NC TECH.


 Datamatics

Member Spotlight: Mettacool

Mettacool was co-founded in 2018 by Molly Dewey and Natalie Eicher. They met at Duke University during a coaching certification program and found they were both passionate about an equitable approach to coaching & talent development within male-dominated industries like technology --an industry they both worked in and witness firsthand the need for gender parity.


 Kate de Gutes

Guest Blog: Three Ways to Inoculate Your Company from Social Media Mayhem

It’s been quite a couple of months in the social media world. First Meta, Facebook’s parent company, announced its second quarterly decline in earnings and then laid off 11,000 employees. They also tempered the company’s outlook for the fourth quarter.  To compound matters, advertisers have reduced their spend on Facebook and businesses are removing the seemingly ubiquitous social login button from their websites. But the real news, of course, is Elon Musk’s purchase of Twitter which closed on October 27.


 Laura Bishop Dueland

Inclusion Analytics Guest Blog

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) data analytics has long been lagging when compared to analytics in sales, marketing, and more. However, DEI is becoming a top priority for employees and potential job candidates alike and thus is essential for competitive recruitment and retainment. For example, in a 2020 study conducted by Glassdoor, about 76% of job seekers indicated that a diverse workforce is a priority when considering companies to work for (Click Title Above to Read Full Article)


 Donna Bishop

Hub International Guest Blog

It has been almost 30 years since monster.com launched the first online job recruitment website, a significant milestone for human resource technology. In 2018, 85% of all job applications were completed through similar apps, which has become an important recruitment tool for human resource departments. The increasing digitization of society – and HR departments – has transformed every facet of the function. Recruitment efficiencies are only the beginning. Tech advances are enabling a deeper understanding of what motivates employees and making it easier to deliver individualized benefits and perks that matter. It is giving employers the understanding of how to effectively leverage all these capabilities to their advantage when it comes to talent management. (Click Title Above to Read Full Article)


 Datamatics

Member Spotlight: Datamatics

We are one of the earliest pioneers of Information Technology in the World. Datamatics was founded in 1975 and since then has come a long way. We have always been quick to embrace new challenges and opportunities along the way and grow with the times. Today, we are a 170 Million USD company with offices across the world. They knew the system was broken, so they developed a different kind of security platform and service to truly protect organizations from cyber attacks. Since then, Red Canary has been a security ally to customers of all shapes and sizes—from the most sophisticated technology and finance companies, to healthcare and small businesses. And we haven’t looked back since.


 Kate de Gutes

Guest Blog: Women in Technology: On Finding Mentors, Your Voice, and a Seat at the Table

If people remember Edie Windsor, it’s typically because she was the lead plaintiff in the Supreme Court case that overturned the Defense of Marriage Act and paved the way for same sex marriage. But long before her landmark case to remove inheritance taxes on her late wife’s estate, Windsor received a Master’s degree in mathematics from New York University. In 1958, the year after earning her degree, Windsor started work at IBM. Within ten years, she attained the title of senior systems programmer, the highest technical title at IBM. At IBM, she programmed mainframe servers and was known for her “top-notch debugging” skills. (Click above to read the full article)


 Bill Pappas

July Guest Blog: Three Ways to Attract & Retain the Tech Talent of Tomorrow by Bill Pappas of Metlife

Three Ways to Attract & Retain the Tech Talent of Tomorrow by Bill Pappas, EVP & Head of Global Technology and Operations at MetLife. Now more than ever, as college students are returning to the classroom, it’s important for companies to ensure they’re meeting and exceeding the expectations of the tech talent of today and tomorrow. 


 John Samuel

Take 5 with John Samuel of Ablr

The Take 5 series features brief 5 question interviews with leaders who are making an impact within their organization and in the community. The interviews are shared in the monthly e-newsletter, blog and through social media. Meet our next Take 5 executive, John Samuel of Ablr 360.


 Steve Cobb

Take 5 with Steve Cobb with One Source

The Take 5 series features brief 5 question interviews with leaders who are making an impact within their organization and in the community. The interviews are shared in the monthly e-newsletter, blog and through social media. Meet our next Take 5 executive, Steve Cobb with One Source.


 Bob Osmond

May Guest Blog: The Power of Brand in a World Where Employees Hold the Upper Hand

The Power of Brand in a World Where Employees Hold the Upper Hand The great resignation. The reckoning. The big quit. Whatever you call it, volatility in the workplace is here to stay as people continue to quit their jobs in record numbers, presumably in search of something better. It’s not only about money, either. Employees care about things beyond numbers. Things like purpose, sustainability, flexibility, and how companies treat employees. In fact, a survey by Apollo Technical noted that 79% of job candidates said they would decline a lucrative job offer if a company is unethical or does not uphold its values.


 Anne Hungate

Take 5 with Ronnie Duncan, Timely Text

The Take 5 series features brief 5 question interviews with leaders who are making an impact within their organization and in the community. The interviews are shared in the monthly e-newsletter, blog and through social media. Meet our next Take 5 executive, Ronnie Duncan with Timely Text.


April Guest Blog: Exploring IT Degrees Positioned for Job Growth

North Carolina’s tech community has been abuzz since last April when Apple announced it was building a $1 billion campus in Research Triangle Park that could eventually employ 3,000 workers – mainly working on machine learning, artificial intelligence, and software engineering. On top of that, Google announced it was opening an engineering hub in Durham, potentially adding 1,000+ jobs.


 Anne Hungate

Take 5 with Anne Hungate, RTI International

The Take 5 series features brief 5 question interviews with leaders who are making an impact within their organization and in the community. The interviews are shared in the monthly e-newsletter, blog and through social media. Meet our next Take 5 executive, Anne Hungate wtih RTI International.


 Diversity Benchmark

Building Trust in the Misinformation Age: Be Like Einstein and Keep it Simple

Albert Einstein gets quoted a lot. Perhaps that’s because he was a genius. Or maybe it’s because he always kept it simple. For example, Einstein said* that “every kind of peaceful cooperation is primarily based on mutual trust.” When we trust someone, we believe that they will do the things they say they will. If you’ve ever been part of a team-building exercise, you understand the consequences of “trust falls” gone awry. (Click above to continue reading)


 Darin Soll

February's Take 5 with Darin Soll of Jackrabbit Technologies

The Take 5 series features brief 5 question interviews with leaders who are making an impact within their organization and in the community. The interviews are shared in the monthly e-newsletter, blog and through social media. Meet February's Take 5 executive, Darin Soll, COO with Jackrabbit Technologies


February Guest Blog: Ransomware Attacks – Should NC Companies Pay Up?

Ransomware Attacks – Should NC Companies Pay Up? Written by Steve Cobb, Chief Information Security officer, One Source Do ransomware victims need to pay when a hacker hijacks their IT systems? It’s a question more companies in North Carolina are facing as cybersecurity risks have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you’re a local business or IT leader, it’s also a question that should challenge you to evaluate your current cybersecurity strategy from the ground up. 


 Diversity Benchmark

Diversity Benchmark Initiative – Why Your Company Should Participate

NC TECH is partnering with The Diversity Movement, Racepoint Global and Inclusion Analytics on its first annual Diversity Benchmark Initiative.  This Initiative will aggregate data around Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) from participating tech and tech-enabled companies with a North Carolina presence. The results will establish a baseline of how these companies are faring in the areas of DEIand provide a broader picture of what is needed as they strive toward more diverse and inclusive workplaces.  While the results of the study will provide valuable information for North Carolina business leaders, government officials, economic developers, and others, some businesses may be hesitant make the initial investment to participate. To ease some of those concerns, here are the top reasons why you should participate in this inaugural DEI study: (Click above to continue reading)


 Red Canary

January Member Spotlight: Red Canary

Back in 2013, after leaving the intelligence community, our founders were helping organizations respond to breaches. These were good security teams who did “all the right things”, bought the right products, had the right services, and yet they were still breached. They knew the system was broken, so they developed a different kind of security platform and service to truly protect organizations from cyber attacks. Since then, Red Canary has been a security ally to customers of all shapes and sizes—from the most sophisticated technology and finance companies, to healthcare and small businesses. And we haven’t looked back since.


 Kurt Merriweather

January Guest Blog: Five Steps for Incorporating DEI into your 2022 planning

Five Steps for Incorporating DEI into your 2022 planning Written by Kurt Merriweather Kurt Merriweather, Head of Products at The Diversity Movement and a Certified Diversity Executive (CDE), is an accomplished product strategist and marketing executive with a passion for helping leaders and organizations identify and implement growth strategies. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) matters for organizations that want to create, maintain, or strengthen workplace excellence. The business case for DEI is clear, including increased profitability, broader innovation, more productivity, better retention, and higher overall employee satisfaction. 


 Fay Cobb

November Guest Blog: What’s Missing from the Push to Diversify Tech

Last year, in response to Black Lives Matter, many US organizations published diversity statements and made bold claims about fostering social change. As Black scholars in computing, we saw these statements and pledges as reactionary and largely ineffective. Click the blog title above to read the entire article re-published from MIT Technology Review.


 Raptek

October Member Spotlight: Talkdesk

Talkdesk, founded in 2011, is a global customer experience leader for customer-obsessed companies. Our cloud contact center solution provides a better way for businesses and customers to engage with one another. Our speed of innovation and global footprint reflect our commitment to ensure businesses everywhere can deliver better customer experiences through any channel, resulting in higher customer satisfaction, cost savings, and profitability. Talkdesk has global presence in 14 countries, with over 1800 employees.


 Jennifer Minella

September Guest Blog: Breaking Into InfoSec: Tips, Tricks and Hacks by Jennifer Minella

By Jennifer Minella, CISSP, Advisory CISO, Network & Cyber Security, Carolina Advanced Digital, Inc.  "How did you get in to cyber security?", that's the question most often asked of me with great enthusiasm by people interested in the industry. The inquiry comes from both adults looking to make a career change as well as younger students yet to claim their stake in the professional world. 


 Racepoint Guest Blog

August Guest Blog: Manage Reputation Risk with Purpose in the Age of Accountability

Written By: Bob Osmond, President, and Ashutosh Vats, Research and Insights Associate, Racepoint Global. For more than a decade, companies have been rightly focused on defining their purpose. While purpose sets intention, reputation judges action. In a new era of accountability, reputation risk is top of mind for CEOs. Customer trust is the currency gained when purpose and action align.


 Anoop Menon

July Meet A Leader: Anoop Menon, President + CEO - Confianz Global

Bill Gates inspired ‘Think Week’ I first learned about Bill Gate's 'Think Week' from the Netflix documentary Inside Bill's Brain. I liked the idea and checked with my coach, Kurt Graves, to get his opinion about it. He immediately said I should do it. It was a much more difficult task to explain it to my family :) It is funny that business trips and vacations are easily understood, but something like locking up inside a remote cabin and reading for seven days straight sounded weird when I explained it to my family.


 RPI

July Guest Blog: RTI International’s Commitment to Racial Justice and Equity

On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was brutally murdered, his last words and breath caught on tape. While not the first murder of a Black person at the hands of police to be recorded and exposed, this video in conjunction with the world being forced to pay attention at home because of the pandemic, ignited a turning point and exposed a truth that many were already aware of – racism is alive, and it is systemic. George Floyd was a father, a son, and a friend, but more importantly he was a human being whose life was taken without consideration for his humanity.


 NC TECH

NC TECH Summer Reading List

Looking for a good summer read? Check out these recommendations from NC TECH members.


 RapidScale

June Member Spotlight with RapidScale

For SMBs and enterprises in need of secure, predictable, and customized IT solutions and services, RapidScale provides a one-stop cloud platform and enablement team with which to outsource some, or all, components of an organization's IT. RapidScale sets itself apart from MSPs and other managed cloud services providers with its expertise in application delivery, focus on security and compliance, and commitments to the "people" side of technology. RapidScale is a subsidiary of Cox Business, the commercial division of Cox Communications.


 LAMP

June Guest Blog: Op-Ed - A Blueprint for Expanding Broadband

As the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the migration of public instruction and areas of commerce online, it has also highlighted the digital divide between those who do and don’t have reliable high-speed internet. Currently, at least 14.5 million Americans, many in rural areas, lack access to high-speed internet. In North Carolina, it is estimated that 40% of homes don’t have high-speed internet, either because the areas they live in lack the infrastructure, or because they can’t afford it.


 ImagineX

May Member Spotlight with ImagineX Consulting

ImagineX Consulting is a business and technology consulting firm, with cyber security at its core.  Our goal is to help clients transform their businesses by embracing emerging technologies such as devops, cloud, and white glove technology consulting.  The ImagineX culture thrives on entrepreneurship, risk taking, mutual trust, teamwork, encouraging change, and letting our consultants own their way of working. Founded in 2015, the firm has six locations across the country, including two in North Carolina.  Raleigh and Charlotte are home to two of the company's co-founders and a handful of consultants.


 LAMP

April Guest Blog:  A 360º Approach to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Readiness

Racepoint and The Diversity Movement were involved in the recent virtual Diversity + Inclusion in Tech Summit held on March 24 and 25. After listening to all the informative discussions at the Summit, they walked away with ideas for incorporating DEI in their organizations’ plans. But, since every company is different, what is the best way to evaluate how to get started and where to begin? It may be time to bring in some experts. Click the title above to read the complete analysis.


 Larry Pickett

April Executive Spotlight with Syneos Heath Executive

Larry Pickett is the April Executive Spotlight and the CIO and Digital Officer for Syneos Health, an NC TECH member. Larry, born in Asheboro, has lived in North Carolina all his life and moved away to spend 20 years in New Jersey. He moved back in 2015 to start a company in Research Triangle Park. He is married with three kids, with the youngest attending UNC Chapel Hill as a senior. Click the title above to read our Q+A session with Larry.


 Jackie Ferguson

March Guest Blog: Privilege is Not A Dirty Word

Jackie Ferguson is an author, multicultural marketing consultant, certified diversity executive, global business specialist, lead course writer and human rights advocate. and the author of this month's guest blog - Privilege is Not A Dirty World. As a diversity professional and a teacher, uncomfortable conversations are part of my job. Every day is a new opportunity to explore the words and topics that make people feel awkward, to think about why that discomfort exists, and to lead the teams I’m working with toward more inclusive language and actions. We talk about racism, disability, unconscious bias, microaggressions, and exclusion. We talk about prejudice and otherness and identity. That is such vulnerable and emotional work. But I’ll tell you, privilege is the one word and topic that always elicits a strong allergic reaction.


 Mark Dirks

February Meet A Leader: Mark Dirks, Beacon Technologies

NC TECH Chair Mark Dirks, President of Beacon Technologies, is the inaugural participant in our new "Meet A Leader" series. Click to view the entire blog. Describe your day job. I get to be the head coach of a very talented team of creative, technical and business professionals that enjoy working together to help other businesses successfully utilize web technology.  After working 15 years with big corporations, I am part of a team that gets to see the direct impact and value of our work on a daily basis.  It really doesn’t get any better than that for the last 22 years.


 Raptek

January Member Spotlight: Raptek

Founded in 1996, Raptek is a boutique consulting firm. Rapid Technologies (Raptek) provides expert level ServiceNow implementation & services with a mission of building community in 3 areas: Community of Clients: Providing our clients with the highest level of service and expertise for ServiceNow solutions. Community of People: Taking great pride in the longevity and experience of our employees. Community to support a Cause: Partnered with the Children's Miracle Network to support Children's Hospitals across the US & Canada.


 Kurt Merriweather

January Guest Blog: DEI - The Missing Ingredient to Drive Innovation

Kurt Merriweather, Head of Products at The Diversity Movement and a Certified Diversity Executive (CDE), is an accomplished product strategist and marketing executive with a passion for helping leaders and organizations identify and implement growth strategies. Innovation requires exploring, and sometimes ignoring, what is around us and imagining a new future. Organizations and leaders that are able to blend proven product development practices with new ideas and perspectives are able to create breakthrough business ideas and outcomes. Building an engine for creativity requires cultivating multicultural, multigenerational teams that have access to information and possibilities to reach customers in new ways. This is the key to delivering sustainable business results and this is where diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and innovation intersect. The heart of diversity, equity and inclusion is to have the right people (diversity), supported by the right policies (equity) and integrated with collaboration practices (inclusion). Accessing the superior output of a diverse team requires inclusive leadership. 


 Bob Osmond

December Guest Blog: Accessibility Hackathon - Emphasizing The Importance of Digital Accessibility

Racepoint, an NC TECH member, provides a summary of the recent Accessibility Hackathon in partnership with their company Ablr. In October, our company Ablr had the opportunity to work with the North Carolina Technology Association (NC TECH) to shine a spotlight on digital accessibility. Together, we brainstormed to figure out how to engage NC Tech’s members in this effort. The big idea? Host an Accessibility Hackathon during the month of October, which coincided with National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Typically, a hackathon is an event in which developers or other IT professionals band together and, over the course of a short time period, set out to uncover bugs in a software project. In the case of the Accessibility Hackathon, we offered a website audit worth $5,000 to three randomly chosen NC Tech members. These website audits uncovered accessibility violations and identified barriers that would make it difficult for users with disabilities to fully utilize the site.


 UNCC SCHOOL OF DATA SCIENCE

November Member Spotlight with the UNCC School of Data Science

The School of Data Science is an industry-university partnership, committed to growing exemplary talent through research and education. As the only School of Data Science in the Carolinas, SDS offers several interdisciplinary graduate programs and the first data science undergraduate program in the state. The inaugural cohort of data science undergraduate students began classes in fall 2020.


 UNCC SCHOOL OF DATA SCIENCE

November Guest Blog: DEI Efforts at Blue Cross NC

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC) is a mission-driven organization. Every day nearly 5,000 of us show up with one goal: to improve the health and well-being of our customers and communities. To fully achieve this goal, we must have a more equitable health care system.  We know that racism and discrimination lead to health disparities. Simply put, no community can truly be healthy until racism no longer exists. Our diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) work focuses on three areas: within our company, the health care system, and North Carolina communities.


 Stacauto

October Member Spotlight with Stacauto

Stacauto, founded in 2020, is a digital platform enabling consumers to test drive vehicles on their own at local dealerships without requiring in-person contact. They are a distributed team, founded and organized in North Carolina.


 Racepoint Guest Blog

October Guest Blog: Time to Vote

In February 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued the first Presidential Proclamation declaring the Week of March 8, 1980 as National Women’s History Week. President Carter wrote, “From the first settlers who came to our shores, from the first American Indian families who be-friended them, men and women have worked together to build this nation. Too often the women were unsung and sometimes their contributions went unnoticed. But the achievements, leadership, courage, strength and love of the women who built America was as vital as that of the men whose names we know so well.”  Seven years later, Congress declared March as National Women’s History Month. The month is set aside to honor women’s contributions to American history. Since it is National Women’s History Month, it seems only fitting to take a look back at some of the amazing women who have made significant contributions to the world of technology.


 SFWIT

The Summit for Women in Tech Recap

Last week, we all learned of the news of the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsberg – a true leader, patriot and pioneer. Her death has given us the opportunity to reflect, especially as we at NC TECH launched our inaugural Summit for Women in Tech over the past couple of days. While opportunities for women have certainly improved over the past few decades, there is still a lag in job opportunities, promotion and pay – especially in the tech sector. North Carolina ranks 1st among the states in the percentage of women in IT positions, but the total percentage, 35.5%, is not where it should be. There is much work to be done to fill our tech jobs pipeline with more women, especially women of color.


 Apparo

August Member Spotlight with Linker Logic Technologies

Founded in 2014, Linker Logic Technologies is a software development company based out of Raleigh, North Carolina. We help startups and enterprises launch their products by providing award-winning consulting, design, development, and support services. Since its inception in 2014, Linker Logic Technologies has helped hundreds of founders bring their vision to life.


 Apparo

August Member Spotlight with Apparo

Founded in 2012, Apparo bridges Charlotte's corporate and nonprofit communities, enabling corporations to fulfill their corporate social responsibility priorities by delivering affordable, sustainable technology solutions to nonprofits. As a result, lives in Charlotte are improves, as nonprofits can do more towards fulfilling their missions.


 Tracy Sternberg

Diversity + Inclusion in Tech Summit Recap

NC TECH Director of Programs and Sponsorships Tracy Sternbig gives a recap of our June Virtual Diversity + Inclusion in Tech Summit.


 Haystack CRM

June Member Spotlight: Haystack CRM

HaystackCRM was originally created to manage our customer relationships for our software company. We quickly realized this fresh approach to customer relationship management would be valuable for other small businesses, particularly for sales professionals that tend not to work from an office. It offers a clean, intuitive layout that is approachable for users of all technical abilities.


 Network Services

June Guest Blog: Mind the Gap – Women in Technology Leadership, Kim Chapman

June's Guest Blog is written by Kim Chapman, President of Network Services Inc. on Women in Technology Leadership. The technology industry has historically been a difficult industry for women aspiring to executive positions. For those of us who started our careers in the ‘80’s, we have certainly seen a shift in the direction of more inclusiveness and a growing diversity in upper management. But there is still a long way to go. Read more...


May Executive Spotlight

May's Executive Spotlight is Keir Davis. He is President and Founder with Xtern Software and Haystack CRM. Click the title above to view our conversation with this month's executive.


April Guest Blog: Amid mayhem, making a big move

People are up to all kinds of things during the pandemic; perhaps even starting companies. Our April Guest Blog explores entrepreneurship in times of crisis -- from business considerations to mindset. Editor’s note: Billy Warden is a writer and the co-founder, with Greg Behr, of the p.r./marketing firm GBW Strategies.


 Stromasys

April Member Spotlight: Stromasys

Stromasys virtualizes and modernizes IT operations by migrating vital operating systems and applications to modern platforms or the cloud…and away from aging legacy hardware. Legacy systems pose an increasing cost and risk for organizations due to lack of support and parts availability. We were founded in 1999.


 Gig East Exchange

March Member Spotlight: Gig East Exchange

The Gig East Exchange is a space that seeks to create a home for inclusive innovation and entrepreneurship in our community. To provide low cost space to early stage businesses, and to bring together diverse people from within our community and across the region to share and collaborate.


 Racepoint Guest Blog

March Guest Blog: Women of Technology By Stephanie Styons, SVP at Racepoint Global

In February 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued the first Presidential Proclamation declaring the Week of March 8, 1980 as National Women’s History Week. President Carter wrote, “From the first settlers who came to our shores, from the first American Indian families who be-friended them, men and women have worked together to build this nation. Too often the women were unsung and sometimes their contributions went unnoticed. But the achievements, leadership, courage, strength and love of the women who built America was as vital as that of the men whose names we know so well.”  Seven years later, Congress declared March as National Women’s History Month. The month is set aside to honor women’s contributions to American history. Since it is National Women’s History Month, it seems only fitting to take a look back at some of the amazing women who have made significant contributions to the world of technology.


 RevelOne

February Member Spotlight: RevelOne

RevelOne is a marketing specialized talent advisory and recruiting firm. We are founded and lead by marketers. We help companies sharpen their marketing talent strategies and hire the best people to achieve their growth goals.


 WGU Guest Blog

February Guest Blog: MicroBachelors Programs - A Viable Solution for Upskilling

MicroBachelors Programs: A Viable Solution for Upskilling - North Carolina employers are acutely aware of the shortage of skilled IT workers in our state. According to NC TECH, there were 28,312 IT job postings statewide in December 2019. North Carolina’s overall job growth is on track to outstrip its population growth by 2024, and we can’t rely on in-migration of talent to solve this problem – we must train and upskill the residents who are already here.


 RapidOps

January Member Spotlight: RapidOps

Rapidops is a full-service and full-scale digital transformation and software innovation company. We’re digital partners to forward-thinking companies looking to build business value through the creative application of the latest tech by building digital products & platforms, business process automations and AI/ML data analytics.


 AfroTech Recap

AfroTech Event Recap

Pashara Black, Events and Community Outreach Manager for StrongKey, has written an event recap of AfroTech conference in Oakland. The groundbreaking, revolutionary experience for Black techies, startups and entrepreneurs.


 Women In Tech Spotlight

November Women in Tech Event Recap

NC TECH' held a Women in Tech panel on Friday, November 1 in the Triangle with a focus on female leaders on tech and entrepreneurship. Dr. Sarah Glover of RIoT wrote a in depth recap of the event. Panelists from Bandwidth, Metlife, NC State University, Mobile Reach and Cloud Giants all participated in the discussion.


 Women In Tech Spotlight

Women In Tech Spotlight: Kelly Pfrommer of Cloud Giants

NC TECH's November Women in Tech spotlight focuses on Kelly Pfrommer, CEO + Founder of Cloud Giants.


 November Guest Blog

November Member Spotlight: ColorTokens

November Member Spotlight: ColorTokens provides Zero Trust, simplified Micro-segmentation Security that gives granular Visibility into every interaction between processes, files, users and workloads. A new generation of agile Cyber Defense for the protection of Critical Enterprise Data, regardless of where the information resides.


 NC Tech Awards Top 10 Startup Profiles

NC Tech Awards Top 10 Startup Profiles

The NC Tech Awards "Top 10 Startups to Watch" are selected from applications submitted earlier this summer. They must be a technology startup founded in NC within the past four years that has demonstrated a foundation for success. We asked each startup to answer a brief questionnaire to provide insight into their journey towards success. Below are their responses. The startups will be recognized at the NC Tech Awards Gala on November 21 at the Raleigh Convention Center.


 October Guest Blog

October Guest Blog: Getting Back to Live Hands-on Training to Meet Competitive Demands

October Guest Blog: Getting Back to Live Hands-on Training to Meet Competitive Demands There are vast arrays of solutions currently that offer just in time eLearning. From YouTube videos, to MOOCs, to short courses on Pluralsight, CBT Nuggets or LinkedIn Learning. Each of these options will allow you a quick and easy way to curate the content you need, take it and move on. In reality pretty powerful but it does come with flaws. Click to read more...


 October Guest Blog

October Executive Spotlight

NC TECH features interviews with tech executives as part of our 'In the Spotlight' Series. North Carolina native, NCSU grad and CEO of Lithios DeShawn Brown is our Executive Spotlight this month. DeShawn shares insights about the company, business challenges and tells us some of his personal favorites and areas of interest.


 September Guest Blog

September Guest Blog: Every Company is a Technology Company by Racepoint Global

September Guest Blog - Every Company is a Technology Company:Embracing the Technology Imperative to Transform Your Brand and Elevate Customer Experience.


 September Guest Blog

September Guest Blog: DevOpsDays Raleigh Returns for Fourth Year at McKimmon Center October 1-2, 2019

September Guest Blog - DevOpsDays Raleigh Returns for Fourth Year at McKimmon Center October 1-2, 2019


 September Guest Blog

September Executive Spotlight

September Executive Spotlight


 August Guest Blog

August Executive Spotlight: Maurice Hagar with Solution Focused Agile

August Executive Spotlight: Maurice Hagar with Solution Focused Agile


 Women In Tech Spotlight: Phaedra Boinodiris - IBM

Women In Tech Spotlight: Phaedra Boinodiris - IBM

NC TECH's July Women in Tech spotlight focuses on Phaedra Boinodiris - IBM.


 June Guest Blog

June Guest Blog: Spurring high-tech entrepreneurship in rural North Carolina

June Guest Blog: Spurring high-tech entrepreneurship in rural North Carolina by Catherine Truitt, Chancellor, WGU North Carolina


 Chainyard

State of Tech Startup Showcase Spotlights Part Two

NC TECH is highlighting our State of Tech Startup Showcase participants. Each participant was asked to provide a spotlight on their startup and give our readers insights into their venture!


 Chainyard

State of Tech Startup Showcase Spotlights Part One

NC TECH is highlighting our State of Tech Startup Showcase participants. Each participant was asked to provide a spotlight on their startup and give our readers insights into their venture!


 Crown Castle

May Member Spotlight: Crown Castle

NC TECH's May Member Spotlight is Crown Castle


 Chainyard

May Member Spotlight: Chainyard

NC TECH's May Member Spotlight is Chainyard


 Blue Acorn iCi

May Member Spotlight: Blue Acorn iCi

NC TECH's May Member Spotlight is Blue Acorn iCi


 Racepoint

April Guest Blog: Rethinking the Systems of Cyber Security

NC TECH's Guest Blog is submitted by Racepoint Global's RJ Bardsley, Chief Strategist, Global Technology Practice.


 Maria Thompson

Women In Tech Spotlight: Maria Thompson, NC Department of IT

NC TECH's April Women in Tech spotlight focuses on Maria Thompson with the NC Dept of IT.


 LogicBay

April Member Spotlight: LogicBay

NC TECH's April Member Spotlight is LogicBay.


 Melissa Wittner

Women In Tech Spotlight: Melissa Wittner, Inmar

NC TECH's March Women in Tech spotlight focuses on Melissa Wittner, VP of Software Engineering at Inmar.


 Fatma Mili

Women In Tech Spotlight: Fatma Mili

NC TECH's February Women in Tech spotlight will focus on Fatma Mili of UNC Charlotte.


Guest Blog: Technology as a Force for Good: The New Moral Code Every Technology Company Must Abide By

Technology as a Force for Good: The New Moral Code Every Technology Company Must Abide By - by Larry Weber, Chairman & CEO, Racepoint Global


Guest Blog: The Tek Raleigh - Password Management: The Struggle is Real

NC TECH's February Guest Blog by The TEK Raleigh on Password Management: The Struggle is Real.


 Jo Abernathy

Women In Tech Spotlight: Jo Abernathy

NC TECH's January Women in Tech spotlight will focus on Jo Abernathy of BCBSNC.


Member Spotlight: Dualboot

NC TECH's January Member Spotlight: Dualboot Partners


Guest Blog: Apparo

NC TECH's January Guest Blog: Apparo


 Blog

December Member Spotlight: VRG Components

December Member Spotlight with NC TECH member, VRG Components.


 Blog

December Member Spotlight: ROVE

December Member Spotlight with NC TECH member, ROVE.


 Blog

2018 Robot Rumble Recap

NC TECH partnered with First NC again this year to offer members the chance to compete in the 2018 Robot Rumble!


 Blog

3 WAYS TO GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR DATA

iCiDIGITAL Guest Blog: 3 WAYS TO GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR DATA


 Blog

November Executive Spotlight: Dan Brawley, Chief Instigating Officer - Cucalorus

November Executive Spotlight: Dan Brawley, Chief Instigating Officer - Duke University


 Blog

Guest Blog: ThinkFUL

In 2018, CBRE listed Raleigh as the eighth best city in North America for tech talent. For those of us who live or work in the area the accolade rubber stamped something that many of us already knew - Raleigh is a great city for tech.


 CLA

Guest Blog: CliftonLarsonAllen - R+D Tax Credit

Is your company performing research and development, but failing to claim a tax benefit associated with that activity?


 THINKFUL

Member Update

Our September Member Update is from Beacon regarding their efforts in helping the people of Rawanda.


 THINKFUL

Member Spotlight: Thinkful

Our September Member Spotlight is Thinkful.


NC TECH Reaches 150 New Member Mark

The Veracity Equation by the Racepoint Global team.


 AHEAD

Member Spotlight: Lockstep Technology Group (LTG)

Our August Member Spotlight is Lockstep Technology Group.


 AHEAD

Member Spotlight: Beaufort Fairmont

Our July Member Spotlight is Beaufort Fairmont.


 Ann Brooks

Guest Blog: Benefits of a Better Connected Community

Ann Brooks with Crown Castle submitted our July Guest Blog: Benefits of a Better Connected Community


 Cliff Reeves

Guest Blog: Cliff Reeves, NC Center for Economic Development

Our June Guest Blog with author Cliff Reeves of the NC Center for Economic Development on Riding the Tiger – a guide for cloud developers.


 Tim Humphrey

Executive Spotlight: Tim Humphrey - IBM

Our June Executive Spotlight is Tim Humphrey with IBM.


 AHEAD

Member Spotlight: AHEAD

Our May Member Spotlight is AHEAD, creating tailored solutions at all stages of the enterprise cloud journey.


 Richard Boyd

Guest Blog: Richard Boyd, CEO of Tanjo

Richard Boyd, CEO of Tanjo and an upcoming speaker at our State of Tech Conference focusing on Artificial Intelligence gives his perspective on the topic in our April Guest Blog post.


 Racepoint Global

Guest Blog: RJ Bardsley of Racepoint Global discusses Artificial Intelligence

RJ Bardsley of Racepoint Global submitted a piece on Artificial Intelligence for our April Guest Blog. NC TECH will host our annual State of Tech conference in early May focusing on Artificial Intelligence.


 aro marketing

Member Spotlight: aro marketing

NC TECH's April Member Spotlight is aro marketing!


Guest Blog: Ethics In Artificial Intelligence Panel Recap

NC TECH hosted an "Ethics in Artificial Intelligence" panel presentation during a Tech Talk Live event. Our moderator, Jonathan Kraftchick of Cherry Bekaert, put together a recap of the presentation.


 Dimensional Fund Advisors

Member Spotlight: Dimensional Fund Advisors

NC TECH recently had a Q&A with our March Member Spotlight, Dimensional Fund Advisor.


 Burk Wyatt

Executive Spotlight: Burk Wyatt

NC TECH recently had a Q&A with Burk Wyatt, Chief Legal Counsel with Commscope and NC TECH's 2018 Chairman of the Board.


 Sarah Levitt

Guest Blog by Sarah Levitt, author and founder of The Making Magnificence Project

An excerpt from Magnificent Leadership: Transform Uncertainty, Transcend Circumstance, Claim the Future by Sarah Levitt. Published by Business Expert Press, New York, NY, Copyright 2018. All Rights Reserved.


 IT Job Trends

NC Tech Talent Trends Report Released for January 2018

NC TECH has launched a monthly IT jobs snapshot, NC Tech Talent Trends Alert, that captures the environment for tech employment in North Carolina.


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