Tech Rising Summit 2023
Tech Rising Summit
Today is the 3rd Annual Tech Rising Summit being held at the AvidXchange headquarters. Over the past 2 years this summit has brought together over 250 attendees and provided over $68K in seed funding to local nonprofits for grants that test out innovative new programs to foster digital inclusion.
Tech Rising, an initiative led by the AvidXchange Foundation in partnership with 20+ local corporations, strives to bridge the digital divide and make Charlotte the most digitally inclusive community in the U.S., through strategic engagement with the Center for Digital Equity, government, academic, and nonprofit partnerships.
The goal of digital inclusivity is one of the key components of the Mayor’s Racial Equity Initiative (MREI), which set a bold vision for Charlotte to set the standard as an American city for achieving racial equity, social justice, economic opportunity, and upward mobility through transformational public-private partnerships. This vision addresses inequities and removes barriers to opportunity through four key workstreams, two of which are:
- Bridging the digital divide and establishing a Center for Digital Equity
- Investing in Charlotte’s six “Corridors of Opportunities” neighborhoods
Tech Rising, in partnership with the CDE and the larger digital equity ecosystem, has an opportunity to create collaborative partnerships to address the pressing digital challenges within these six areas of highest needs in co-creation with its citizens.
The creation of the CDE has amplified Charlotte’s digital equity ecosystem and created a framework that provides opportunities for corporate partners, government partners, nonprofits, and community members to all play a roll in making Charlotte and Mecklenburg County the most digitally equitable community in the United States.
Goals of this event:
- Overview the CDE workstreams and other initiatives underway to reduce barriers for digital inclusion.
- Provide examples of transformational private-public partnerships and options for corporate partners and nonprofits to participate.
- Networking opportunities to meet community members and partners who are all focused on digital inclusivity to inspire collaboration.
- Opportunity for eligible nonprofits to participate in the Tech Rising “Tech Idea Incubator Fund” which provides $5K micorgrants to seed innovative ideas to foster digital inclusion within the Corridors of Opportunity.
We are excited to bring these parties together again this year for a day to focus on digital inclusion in Mecklenburg County!