“The goal of IE Tech Week, from May 11-15, is to bring technology events to the Inland Empire that show what government and financial resources we have available,” said Steven Reneker, executive director of SmartRiverside, an organization formed to attract and retain high-tech companies. “We also want to show that technology spending in the Inland Empire is strong and this is a great place to relocate a technology company.”
(RIVERSIDE, Calif.) Once renowned for its cheap land and picturesque landscape, the Inland Empire is going after a new image. Businesses and government leaders working are branding the Inland Empire as a great place for technology companies to grow.
“The goal of IE Tech Week, from May 11-15, is to bring technology events to the Inland Empire that show what government and financial resources we have available,” said Steven Reneker, executive director of SmartRiverside, an organization formed to attract and retain high-tech companies. “We also want to show that technology spending in the Inland Empire is strong and this is a great place to relocate a technology company.”
IE Tech Week features five days of events geared towards technology/software entrepreneurs. IE Tech Week sponsors include The Press Enterprise, the City of Riverside, AT&T, ESRI, Pivot 3, Dameron Communications, ITT Technical Institute, Shoretel and the Greater Riverside Chamber of Commerce.
The events include:
• The Tech Expo on May 11 at the Riverside Convention Center. This SmartRiverside-sponsored event brings together high technology companies and information technology professionals to discuss specific issues affecting their industries. The Tech Expo will also attract some of the 100 technology companies based in the Inland Empire.
• IE Tech Employment Trends, May 12, at the Riverside Convention Center. This will be a presentation on local IT hiring trends. The presentation is by Robert Half Technology, a leading a leading provider of IT professionals, and Protiviti, a global business consulting and internal audit firm.
• Tech Horizons, May 13, at the University of Riverside’s Bourns College of Engineering. This event features panel discussions and demonstrations on sensor and networking systems, artificial intelligence, and other emerging technologies.
• The IE Fast Pitch Contest, May 14, at the Hilton Ontario Airport Hotel, features a discussion with angel investors and concludes with a competition where 12 entrepreneurs pitch their business plans to a group of investors.
• The IE Software Summit, May 15, at Greer Pavilion, Riverside City Hall. The theme is “Getting Ready for the Smart Phone: How to make your websites ready for Smart Phones, PDAs, and iPhones.” The conference shows e-commerce companies how to make their websites compatible with mobile Internet devices. There will also be a panel featuring angel investors and funders.
“The Inland Empire is a great place to live, but residents often face three-hour commutes to jobs that pay them enough to live here,” said Carl Dameron, president of Dameron Communications, a leading public relations and advertising company. “By attracting jobs in the technology and software sector, IE resident can live and work in the same community, thus reducing congestion and increasing their quality of life.”
Reneker added that the large number of local colleges provide a great pipeline of potential technology workers. “There are about 60,000 higher education students in this area, who are a great source of intellectual capital for high-tech companies looking to grow,” Reneker said.
For more information about IE Tech Week e-mail smartriverside@riversideca.gov or go to http://www.riversideca.gov/ietechweek/
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