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Philly Tech Week: The top narratives so far and what to look for this week

Comcast’s Philly Tech Week has taken over Philadelphia over the past few days. The amazing innovative festival will conclude this Saturday. Organized into 7 different tracks (Creative, Access, Dev, Civic, Business, Media, and Sciences), this weeklong celebration has been a great annual showcase over the years.

Highlights From Philly Tech Week

(Philly Tech Week)

Cannabis Learn Conference: On the heels of Philadelphia’s first medical marijuana dispensary opening this week, the Cannabis Learn Expo brought together the  “largest gathering of cannabis business investors, technologists, researchers, healthcare professionals, and ancillary service providers on the East Coast.” Centered around the prowess women are gaining in the market, this panel has 80 exhibiting companies on the Expo Floor, 100+ speakers. The event features from Mayor Jim Kenney on Philadelphia’s approach to cannabis, addressed DEA enforcement and federal legislation updates, tackled professional athletes and cannabis use in sports.

Thinking Universa11y: Make Tech for Everyone: On Sunday, April 29 panelist came together for  Thinking Universa11y: Make Tech for Everyone. Developers, project managers, designers, and content managers discussed the limitations and improvements for devices for accessibility. The demonstration, presentation, and discussions are centered on assistive technology “for users with physical or mental limitations.”

Coded by Kids: The Coded by Kids’ CTO Roundtable tackled one of the main areas of disparity in the city, education. Attendees and panelists addressed the vision for education in Philadelphia. In order to drive growth in the local tech industry, Philadelphia’s tech companies need to enhance their ability to recruit and retain talent. Many kids in the community don’t have the tools or access to dive into this growing market.  The roundtable left guest “with ideas on the policy and program changes necessary to develop diverse tech talent in the Philadelphia region.”

Upcoming Events 

(Philly Tech Week)

Introduced by Technical.ly: Introduced by Technical.ly is a new addition to Philly Tech Week. It’s an engrossing one-day conference that highlights programming, demos, networking and personalized connections. The expo will show off new content, ideas, companies and more. Come out to #Intro18.

Clarip Data Privacy Roundtable: The Clarip Data Privacy Roundtable will be a panel discussion on the implications of the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica news and the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This free event will deal with consumer trust, personal data, privacy laws, and issues many businesses and startups in Philadelphia need to explore.

Beyond Bitcoin: Exploring Blockchain in Enterprise: Cryptocurrencies have swept through most major markets over the past few years. This Friday, Beyond Bitcoin: Exploring Blockchain in Enterprise will explore the benefits and drawbacks of the currency through the lens of commerce.  Financial experts will address how it impacts operations, security, and more.

Annual Philly Tech Week Signature Event: This Friday, May 4th the Reading Terminal Market will be hosting all of the Philadelphia technology community with all of Philly Tech Week’s attendees, sponsors, partners and event organizers. This will be the official after party of the technology expo. There will be an open bar, plenty of food sample, live entertainment, and more.

Youth Financial Reality Fair: This Saturday there will be a Youth Financial Reality Fair and a Money Management for the Family Workshop. May is officially Financial Capabilities Month. Children ages 7 to 17 are implored to come out to this event that discusses the best way to prepare young Americans in this economic climate and tips to aid families in enhancing their financial capabilities. Career choices and starting salaries will be at the center. This will be an interactive event where youths will be asked to create a budget sheet based on their monthly salary and bills.


You can follow Candis McLean on Twitter (@CandisRMcLean) and e-mail her at[email protected]. Follow Philly Influencer on Twitter (@PHL_Influencer),Facebook and Instagram.

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