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The Shenandoah Valley Connection top 
Sept 8th, 2017
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Startup/Early Stage Funding & Cyber Workforce Development Forum
SVTC Luncheon (9/21)
SVTC Tech Mixer -- Registration Open (9/28)
GENEDGE Webinars
Entrepreneurial Spark Speaker Series (9/28)
Tech Tuesday: Demystifying the Cloud
JMU X-Labs a winner of Governor's Technology Award
HDR Partners with Immerge
Job Opening: Software Engineer (Jenzabar)
Rocktown Tech Slack Channel Link
Welcome Our New Administrative Assistant: Lina Akopov
 
Lina is a long-time resident of the Shenandoah Valley and a recent graduate of JMU where she studied Graphic Design and designed for the university. With a former biology background, Lina has a soft spot for STEM and is very excited to meet the local technology community!

She will be the one communicating with you about membership, events, sponsorships, and more!
 
Feel free to send her a welcome email at admin@svtc-va.org. 

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Startup/Early Stage Funding & Cyber Workforce Development Forum 
(9/20)

In collaboration with Old Dominion University, Hampton Roads  Procurement Assistance Cen ter, HRCyber, Virginia Beach Economic Development, Tidewater Community College, and the Hampton Roads region, this special session will highlight programs available to startup and early stage tech companies in Virginia and provide some insights into how the state's Cyber Security workforce challenges are being met.  

Topics covered include
Funding Resources & Formation Panel:  
SBIR Intro, State Support for SBIR, Resources available from the ODU Center for Enterprise Innovation, Updates on the next Commonwealth Research Commercialization Fund (CRCF) Grant program, CIT's GAP Fund and the MACH37 Cyber Accelerator Program.
 
Cyber Workforce Development Initiatives Panel:
HR Cyber, Tidewater Community College, ODU Cyber 
   
Special presentations from: 
  • GENEDGE Alliance - Presenting Cyber Security Risk Management Tips for small tech firms;
  • Entrepreneur Spotlight - FOUR18Intelligence founder Mark Jaster will discuss hisexperiences growing his company, his participation in the MACH37 Cyber Accelerator, and how his product is helping to address cyber security workforce challenges. 
  • A special networking session will follow! 

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SVTC Luncheon (9/21)



September 21 2017, 11:45 am - 1:15 pm |  Wood Grill Buffet

Anthony Smith, President and CEO of Secure Futures, will be discussing the topic of Resilient Technology Solar Solutions. 

About Tony Smith
Dr. Anthony Smith is the CEO of Secure Futures Solar ( http://securefutures.solar), a Staunton Virginia based solar development company that serves as a Virginia market and policy leader in building, owning and managing  affordable  Resilient Solar Solutions® for public purpose entities. Tony brings over 30 years' experience in energy efficiency, solar energy, and community economic development in Vermont, Pennsylvania and Virginia. He serves as a board member of the Virginia Alternative & Renewable Energy Association (VA-AREA), and had previously co-directed EMU's MBA program. He earned his Master's degree in architecture from the University of Pennsylvania, and a PhD from the Wharton School of Management, University of Pennsylvania.

This event is sponsored by  Wharton Aldhizer & Weaver PLC
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SVTC Fall Tech Mixer | Registration Now Open
(9/28, Beyond Restaurant, Harrisonburg, 5:30 pm)



Join us on Thursday, September 28th for our annual Fall Tech Mixer. Hosted by the SVTC's Board of Directors, this is a premier networking event. Come out and join current members and potential members as they mingle and network.
 
It's our treat - appetizers are 'on us' ... the food is fabulous and coconut shrimp will definitely be on the menu again! :-) Drinks are dutch treat.
 
Come and find out what we're doing as an organization and what our members are doing individually. Let us know you're coming so that we'll have plenty of appetizers. Feel free to bring a buddy, a customer, a co-worker, or your spouse (please register each).


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PowerAmerica and NextFlex Informational Webinar (9/28)



On Thursday, September 28th, GENEDGE invites you to an upcoming informational webinar which will introduce PowerAmerica and NextFlex, both Manufacturing USA initiatives.  If you, or a company that you know, is interested in learning more about wide-bandgap (WBG) semiconductors or flexible hybrid electronics (FHE), this webinar is for you!  Companies interested in WBG solutions using silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) or FHE  technology are also encouraged to participate.

About PowerAmerica and Wide Bandgap Semiconductors
PowerAmerica is a public-private partnership between industry, the U.S. Department of Energy, national labs, and academia. It seeks to save energy and create U.S. manufacturing jobs by accelerating the development and large-scale adoption of wide bandgap semiconductor technology.  Wide bandgap semiconductors operate at much higher voltages, frequencies and temperatures than conventional semiconductors. They are smaller and more energy efficient than the power electronics widely available today.

About NextFlex and and Flexible Hybrid Electronics
NextFlex was formed in 2015 through a cooperative agreement between the US Department of Defense (DoD) and FlexTech Alliance. NextFlex is a consortium of companies, academic institutions, non-profits and state, local and federal governments with a shared goal of advancing U.S. Manufacturing of FHE. By adding electronics to new and unique materials that are part of our everyday lives in conjunction with the power of silicon ICs to create con formable and stretchable smart products, FHE is ushering in an era of "electronics on everything" and advancing the efficiency of our world.

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Entrepreneurial Spark Speaker Series (9/28, 4:30 pm)



On Thursday, September 28th (4:30 pm) come hear how Aaron built the burger and Sticky Nugs empire, which now encompasses 11 restaurants - stretching from across Virginia and into Tennessee and Alabama!

Jack Brown's Beer & Burger Joint is the childhood dream of two best friends, Aaron Ludwig and Mike Sabin. While spending their youthful days skateboarding and collecting old beer cans, they often talked about opening their own bar. Flash forward to adulthood, and Aaron had spent 15 years in the business world operating a ski & snowboard shop in Harrisonburg. After one crappy day at work in 2008, Aaron called Mike to propose a "what if" scenario and the rest, as the saying goes, is history.

Oh, and win prizes! There will be a raffle of two $25 gift certificates to Billy Jack's or Jack Brown's.

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GARCC Tech Tuesdays
Demystifying the Cloud 
(10/3)

On Tuesday, October 3rd consider participating in Tech Tuesday, with the topic "Demystifying the Cloud." Brought to you by EN Computers and t he Greater Augusta Regional Chamber of Commerce,  Tech Tuesday is a new program dedicated to education in the ever changing field of technology and how it relates to you and your business. Tech Tuesday is a "bring your own lunch" event, and is FREE to attend for all Chamber members. These brown bag, lunch & learn style seminars will be available each month. This seminar is a hands on approach. You bring your laptop and you will be guided step by step through some area of technology for practical use in your business.
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JMU X-Labs a winner of Governor's Technology Award

SecTech Karen Jackson;  JMU SVP Administration and Finance Charles King; Governor Terry McAuliffe; Exec Director 4-Virginia, Nick Swayne; JMU Deputy Campus Coordinator 4-Virginia, Kelsey Tate; JMU AVP Information Technology, Dale Hulvey
A JMU maker space that encourages and facilitates cross-disciplinary courses where students address real world problems using a variety of technology has received a Governor's Technology Award.  The Governor's Technology Awards program recognizes public sector (IT) projects that have improved government service delivery and efficiency. Winners are determined by a panel of government IT experts.

  X-Labs, which is housed in JMU's Lakeview Hall, received one of two awards for innovative use of technology in education. 

In recommending X-Labs for an award, the staff stated, "employers want newly hired graduates to have hands-on experience, be able to start solving real problems on Day One, effectively work with others on a team, and produce value for their companies. The courses and student projects that come out of JMU X-Labs produce just that - experienced problem-solving teams that are trained in the latest technology."

In addition to technologies that students can use to craft their solutions, X-Labs is equipped with video conferencing technology that enables subject matter experts to teach classes from remote locations and for classes to be shared in real time between JMU and other Virginia universities with compatible technology.  "The right technology is an absolute requirement for JMU X-Labs," the award application states. "Many of our courses require knowledge and expertise from remote professionals or faculty. The only way to get them into our labs as regular participants is with video telepresence. We rely heavily on Cisco Systems TelePresence, WebEx and the Suitable Technologies Beam robot, which allows students to interact with remote experts as if they were talking face-to-face with them."

A second award in the same category was given to the  Virginia Cyber Range --where JMU faculty Dr. Edna Reid , an associate professor of intelligence analysis-- is a member of the Cyber Range executive committee.  The Cyber Range is a  Virginia initiative with a mission to increase the number of fully prepared students entering the cybersecurity workforce in operations, development and research. The Cyber Range provides an extensive courseware repository for educators and a cloud-hosted exercise area environment for hands-on cybersecurity labs and exercises for students. 

The awards were presented Wednesday, Sept. 6, in Richmond during the annual Commonwealth of Virginia Innovative Technology Symposium. Congratulations to all the winners!

Awards were given in several categories:
  • Cross-Boundary Collaboration on IT Initiative
  • IT as Efficiency Driver - Government to Citizens
  • IT as Efficiency Driver - Government to Business
  • IT as Efficiency Driver - Government to Government
  • Innovative Use of Technology in Local Government
  • Innovative Use of Technology in Education
  • Innovative Use of Big Data and Analytics
  • Innovative Use of Open Data
  • Best Citizen Portal

     Full list of winners COVITS 2017
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HDR Partners with Immerge on New Technology for Downtown Businesses

Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance (HDR) has partnered with Immerge, a Harrisonburg web design and development firm, to offer 360° online virtual tours to downtown businesses. Immerge is one of the few companies in the nation that is a Google trusted photographer and has access to its technology to offer this service.
 
What is 360° photography? Flat photographs are stitched together to create a 360° panoramic view of a space. Using a special 360° camera, Immerge will take photos of a business' interior, create a virtual tour, and then upload the images to Google StreetView so they are accessible through Google maps. So far, sixteen downtown businesses have signed up to participate in this initiative.
 
"360 photography is a great way to display your business online, and make customers feel as if they're physically at your location," says James Carter, Director of Quality Assurance of Immerge. "Research shows that 41% of customers who take a 360 "tour" of a business online follow up with an in-person visit. This is a great way to use a new form of media to attract new customers."
 
This cutting-edge technology enhances a visitor's online experience and allows them to take an online tour of a business before they arrive. They can virtually tour a shop, walk through a restaurant, or stroll a downtown street before making the decision to visit Harrisonburg. Mobile users can also enjoy the same immersive experience on their phone and tablets.
Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance developed a partnership with Immerge to increase web traffic to individual businesses and help sell downtown to new tourists, diners, and shoppers.
 
"There is strength in numbers," says Kim Kirk, Chief Marketing Officer of Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance. "The more businesses that invest in this technology, the stronger our online presence can be for downtown Harrisonburg."
 
About Immerge
Immerge Technologies is the web development division of  McClung Companies . Founded in 2005, Immerge became a part of McClung in 2010.  They on work as a fluid DesignDevelopment, and Marketing firm to best serve their clients. More information on Immerge can be found at  www.immergetech.com.

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Job Opening: Software Engineer
Jenzabar | Harrisonburg

Jenzabar (Harrisonburg) is looking for a talented and experienced Software Engineer to join our team of passionate people in designing and developing a high quality, user focused administrative software for higher education. This individual should be highly proficient with PowerBuilder and MSSQLServer and have a passion for software development as well as a keen eye for well-designed software solutions. The Software Engineer should have solid experience with programming techniques that will facilitate the use of our application. Solid experience and troubleshooting skills working with PowerBuilder applications in a production environment is highly preferred. If you enjoy working in a team environment to develop an application that will not just let users do their work but help them do their work, then please consider joining the Jenzabar team.

 

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Participate in the local tech conversation: Rocktown Tech (Slack)

Currently there are 18 channels and over 250 members. Please join in! 
Sign-up link:  https://rocktowntech.herokuapp.com/

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Shenandoah Valley Technology Council
800 S. Main Street MSC 4901
Harrisonburg, Virginia 22807
540-568-7882

 

 

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