A changing landscape creates great opportunity for Tech Titans in 2025

By Paul Bendel, Executive Director, Tech Titans
 
In February 2024, Tech Titans received word from the Internal Revenue Service that our application to become a 501(c)6 company had been approved. While the wheels had been in motion for some time, the news that Tech Titans was officially an independent non-profit company was met with great optimism and opportunity from the board of directors to our members.
 
What does being independent mean to an organization that has flourished over the past 30 years as part of the Richardson Chamber of Commerce?
 
Before the question is answered, it makes sense to review the accomplishments Tech Titans had in 2024 to gain some perspective.
 
2024 in Review
 
For starters, Tech Titans celebrated its 30^th anniversary. The anniversary was observed at the annual Tech Titans Awards Gala in September with a display of vintage cellphones and other memorabilia.
 
The awards gala, presented by UT Dallas, was again the largest event Tech Titans produces each year. There were 534 people on hand to enjoy networking with their peers and the presentation of 14 awards for excellence and achievement in the North Texas tech industry. Former telecom executive and founder of GlobeRanger, George Brody, was inducted into the Tech Titans Hall of Fame. A complete list of the 2024 awards can be found at Tech Titans Awards.
 
The Tech Titans Annual Golf Tournament at Stonebridge Ranch Golf Club in McKinney sponsored by Baker Tilly attracted 120 golfers, 20 sponsors and numerous volunteers for a beautiful day of golf and networking on the links.
 
Tech Titans programs led by the Tech Industry Luncheon were again a popular venue for networking and learning about the interesting trends taking place in technology. Attendance at the six Tech Industry Luncheons in 2024 topped 645 people, doubling the attendance the previous year.
 
The Cybersecurity Forum and the Artificial Intelligence Forum continued to take deep dives into their respective technologies. The Cybersecurity Forum attracted 107 attendees with four programs that explored how companies could be better prepared for cybersecurity breaches. The AI Forum attracted 136 people to hear best use cases on how AI is changing the business operation.
 
The Quarterly Member Connections networking event and a new event geared towards those who like to network early in the morning known as Coffee and Conversations drew excellent audiences.
 
The STEM Initiative continued to be one of Tech Titans most revered and successful programs. Building the workforce of tomorrow is critically important to everyone in North Texas. The STEM Team put in countless hours this past year to plan curriculums and go into classrooms in our partnering school districts. This past fall, the STEM program hosted a total of 14 events across 4 different school districts, including:

• 4 Panel Discussions
• 2 Company Tours
• 6 Speed Mentoring Events
• 2 UTD Makerspace Tours

These events impacted 450 students across the 4 school districts. Throughout the entire year, the STEM Team worked with over 6,000 students in area middle and high schools.

Looking Ahead to 2025
The accomplishments of the past year coupled with the changing backdrop in the operation of the new Tech Titans has energized the volunteers who serve on the board, the various teams and committees. Some exciting activities are planned for the coming year.
Among the most important undertakings for Tech Titans that is currently taking place is a board of directors' election. Under the new bylaws that govern the independent Tech Titans, this is the first time in our history that member companies will elect the board. The primary contacts for every member should receive a ballot this week with a slate of directors who have been nominated for a two-year term of office. Ballots must be returned by January 13 to be counted. The new board will be seated at a Board of Directors meeting on January 31.

The first of six Tech Industry Luncheon will take place on January 24. Comerica Bank Chief Economist Bill Adams will again give us a forecast of what the economy may do in 2025.

The Cybersecurity Forum will kick off its quarterly series on February 6 at SMU with a panel discussion on the training and certification programs in cybersecurity. The AI Forum’s first program will be on AI and robotics, scheduled for February 13 at RobotLab in Southlake.

The golf tournament will be at The Clubs of Prestonwood -Hills Course in north Plano on April 29.

The Legislative Advocacy Team is being reorganized and re-energized in time to track important technology and business-related legislation in the upcoming Texas Legislative Session.
The Innovation Team will explore new ways to engage investors with startup companies as it plans another Tech Titans Innovation Expo for later in the year.

The STEM Team has been busy lining up programs for the spring semester with our partnering school districts. One of the more exciting facets of the new programs will be an emphasis on how sustainability efforts are impacting technology.

Back to the question of what an independent Tech Titans means to its members.

The changing landscape has created one of the greatest opportunities for Tech Titans and its members: to chart its own future course.

There is an effort underway to collaborate more effectively with other regional tech organizations who have similar interests. Such collaboration will enable Tech Titans to recruit new members by holding programs in other parts of North Texas. Tech Titans is also benchmarking with technology councils across the country to learn how we can better service the industry and our members.

Never in our short history has there been a greater opportunity for growth and expansion than what awaits us in 2025 and beyond. There are always going to be challenges and like any business Tech Titans has its share. Yet, the opportunity to grow into a fully regional technology organization that helps drive the conversation into what the North Texas tech industry is and can become, is not only exciting, but also one of the many reasons Tech Titans exists.

Membership has always been and continues to be the key to Tech Titans success. All the teams and committees are comprised of volunteers from member companies who spend countless hours preparing, planning and staging our events. Equally as important are the companies who go beyond their membership to sponsor events. Tech Titans could not succeed without the dedication and work of these two important groups.

The landscape has changed and the opportunities that await us are vast. If your company is not a member, you are invited to join the many companies who are members and be a part of this incredible new journey.