Frannie Matthews president and CEO of
the Colorado Technology Association.
Welcome on the business brief.
Brian is great to be here with you.
It's such a delight to have you,
Franny, Franny, Colorado is a region
that is the definitive tech hub
between the coast and continues to be
a magnet for information technology,
startups and legacy businesses.
The technology sector is a
major force for good,
contributing nearly 15% more $48
billion to the state's economy.
The upcoming tech summit being held on
February 24th is a marquee gathering for
technology leaders and professionals.
The theme is tech for good.
Can you tell us more about what this
summit means for the industry and Colorado?
Well, we're really excited about the event.
On February 24th, it's really 2 components.
One is we're going to be celebrating the best
of the best in tech with our apex awards,
we'll be recognizing individuals and
organizations for some of the great work
that they've done in the last year.
And then we also have
the tech summit portion.
And that's where we're bringing leaders
together to talk about some of the.
Amazing.
Solutions that are available in tech
to really make a positive impact
on people's lives and we're seeing
some really rich things coming out
of the areas of you know,
artificial intelligence as
well as augmented reality.
And we're going to be exploring
some of those issues.
We also will have organizations
there that have boost set up to
talk about what they're doing in.
The tech and related industries and
how they're providing tech for good.
Yeah, the tech sector accounts for
more than 146,000 jobs in Colorado.
Workforce is such a critical
issues for so many Franny.
How does this summit support the workforce?
Well you hit it spot on that that the talent
aspect of tech is incredibly important.
I'm passionate about this because
I look at a tech centric economy
providing a lot of great jobs and.
So when we talk about what's going
on in tech at the tech summit,
it allows people in attendees to
take a look and see where things
are going and where they might
increase their skills or areas of the
industry that they'd like to pursue.
So I think that's really important.
It's just important for us to gather,
do a little networking,
and really share ideas and figure
out how we can really support.
A tech centric economy.
I couldn't agree more that just gathering
in exchange of ideas can really help
move industries and individuals and
companies or for any I think you're
spot on with your take on that.
Alright, let's turn again to
the focus or tech for good.
Technology has so much potential
to transform lives,
companies and the planet for better.
But we also know there are some
big public concerns over privacy,
environmental impacts workforce.
Conditions like burnout.
Now I'm a big believer in
data driven approaches,
especially when it comes to measuring
the impact of environmental,
social governance.
ESG issues that can actually have
a really impact on a big impact on
a lot of stakeholders training,
but I'd like you just to take a
moment to share with us more on
why the conversation on tech for
good is needed now more than ever.
When you you brought up a lot of
interesting topics and talk topics
that we need to be paying attention to,
privacy is a great example of that.
We need to be responsible.
And so as we you know,
our worlds transform as a
as a result of technology.
We need to be informed and and figure out
how we're going to do that responsibly.
But why I am so excited about
the concept of tech for good?
Is that it's really the underpinning?
In many respects,
for how we're going to move forward
and when I look at the last two
years if that if the pandemic and
what we experienced over the last
two years had happened a decade ago,
we would have struggled a lot
more because the technologies
were just not mature enough.
But in many respects we were able to pivot.
It was painful,
but it wasn't as bad as it would
have been had we not had that.
Those technologies,
and so I look at all the
opportunities that we have.
It's amazing,
I mean just we were able to,
you know,
have food delivered safely to our
drawers and businesses like restaurants.
Many times were able to pivot and
keep their revenue streams by having a
platform where they could deliver food.
That's just one example.
I don't know if anybody took
advantage of telemedicine.
I certainly did over the last two years,
so we're going to come out of this.
While it was painful,
we're going to come out with a sense.
Of what is possible because
technology can be the underpinning
to help us do a lot of things.
I love that I'm revved up as well.
Franny to to be there with you all.
I'm I'm I'm fortunate and
honored to be speaking at this
awesome event on February 24th.
I really do believe tech is for good.
It improves our lives and what
I love about this gathering is.
It's an exchange of ideas and
opportunity to bounce things off one
another to learn from one another.
To be more aware.
Perhaps of our appliance spots
being more conscious and our
approach to technology and business.
And I just love.
At this tech summit here in Colorado
is going to bring all that together.
Frannie Matthews of the
Colorado Technology Association.
Thank you for joining us and here's
to an awesome event on February 24th.