Nov 13, 2024
AZ Tech Council on 2024 Innovation & Governors Celebration w/ Steve Zylstra
- AZ TRT S05 EP42 (258) 11-10-2023
What We Learned This Week
- Arizona Technology Council, in partnership with the Arizona Commerce Authority, honors technology leaders and innovators from across the state with the Governor’s Celebration of Innovation Awards.
- AZ Tech advocates for the entire tech industry
- New committee on Space, Satellites & Rockets for launches
- Major Investment$ in AZ for Semiconductor & Battery factories
Guest: Steve Zylstra, President / CEO AZ Tech Council
https://www.aztechcouncil.org/
Steve Zylstra of AZ Tech Council joins BRT to talk all things technology in the Valley. The Arizona Technology Council is one of the largest technology-driven trade associations in North America, with over 850 members and growing, the only organization specifically serving technology companies statewide. They protect innovators and truly believe that technology moves all of us forward; and are dedicated to the future of Arizona.
Steve Zylstra advocates for AZ tech, as well as his recurring writing about the industry. Steve, and the Council are a major source for updates on technology, business growth, and what legislation is being drafted.
The Arizona Technology Council, in partnership with the Arizona Commerce Authority, has announced the winners of the 2022 Governor’s Celebration of Innovation awards. Winners of this prestigious annual award program represent the best of the best in Arizona’s technology, science and education ecosystem. This year’s recipients were recognized tonight in a ceremony at the Phoenix Convention Center.
“The Governor’s Celebration of Innovation award winners represent the pinnacle of innovation and cutting-edge problem solving throughout the state,” said Steven G. Zylstra, president and CEO of the Council and its foundation, SciTech Institute. “It was a pleasure to celebrate our winners, as well as the many outstanding finalists, at tonight’s awards show. Each year we are so proud to see how far Arizona has come as a leader in technology, science and STEM education.”
“Each year, the Governor’s Celebration of Innovation awards showcase Arizona’s vibrant technology community,” said Sandra Watson, president and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority. “This year’s winners and finalists certainly carry on that tradition. We are proud to partner with the Council to highlight the entrepreneurs and local leaders making Arizona a magnet for innovative technologies.”
Notes:
Steve Zylstra of the AZ Tech Council joins the show to preview the upcoming Governor’s Celebration of Innovation
Seg 1
AZ Tech Council operates statewide with offices in Phoenix in Tucson. They do public policy advocacy for the technology industry in Arizona. Host events 3x a week, have a newsletter, and numerous programs members.
Council has 14 committees, with the prominent one being public policy.
Link: https://www.aztechcouncil.org/committees/
Tech Impact Report: https://aztc.eimpactv3.com/dashboards/6/techimpact/aztc
Tech industry is booming in Phoenix and Arizona with over $102 billion invested in the semiconductor industry alone. There are four Giga battery factories being built in Arizona.
Company looks selfish if they advocate to politicians in the state direct. Arizona Tech Council acts as a go-between to advocate for the whole technology industry. They also help with legislation through legislative reps. They’ve gotten priorities past like tech credits R&D invest plans and also lower corporate taxes. They review candidates to see who votes and how the candidates info align with technology goals.
Tech Council committees include AI with 95 companies involved. One of the biggest industries in technology and also Arizona is Optics and Photonics. This deals in light, lasers, lenses or managing light through devices like a telescope to a microscope. University of Arizona and Tucson is the No. 1 school for optics.
Some companies involved are Synapse Labs and Mercurio.
Consultants help companies to transform business on how to use AI. Can either use AI current tools like ChatGPT, or create your own large language model. AI can improve all aspects of a business, really upgrade efficiency.
The AZ Tech Council has added an AI bot called Ada named after Ada Lovelace (early computers) to their website. Over time, AI learns and grows. The company that helped the council with the AI bot is called Skilly.AI.
Seg 2
Clean Energy is a big topic and technology in Arizona. With the passing of the inflation reduction act during Covid, $12 billion has been invested in Arizona, which created 18,000 jobs.
Four Giga factories being built by companies like Kore Power, LG, and American Battery Factory. Deals in Transportation and energy storage for batteries.
You also got major EV car makers in Arizona ike Llucid and Nicola. Estimated over the next 7 years Arizona will have 40% more power needs. Arizona also number one and number two in data centers and growth.
Data Centers use lots of power and cost a lot. You also have a life science industry with organizations like AZ Bio. This is one of the fastest growing sectors. Another one is semiconductors.
Early discussion about mini or modular nuclear facilities for data centers. This could produce renewable power on site. This is long-term planning and might be 10 years away. An example of something being worked on as a nuclear plant loaded on a semi truck.
Governor Celebration of Innovation is a joint awards event between AZ Tech Council and AZ Commerce Authority. Celebrating startups, and small and large companies. Awards to stem students and teacher of the year.
Lifetime achievement award for execs in Boeing, and Phantom Launch (in Tucson) rocket company.
Link to Event: https://www.aztechcouncil.org/event/2024-governors-celebration-of-innovation-awards/
CEO Jim Cantrell of Phantom Launch (formally of SpaceX). rocket expert building a launch system for micro satellites or small satellites. He’s competing with SpaceX, his former boss, Elon Musk, and their Falcon satellite.
Satellite and rocket launch technology is a fast growing industry and technology. Future goals to see man return and colonize the moon, as well as mine meteors for resources.
AZ Companies involved in the space industry are Honeywell, Northrup, Grumman, Raytheon, Paragon Space, Viasat, Blue Origin, and Virgin, all operating in Arizona
Steve’s son works for Space Force, and also Steve worked in the Aerospace industry prior to the tech council. Arizona Tech Council 2024 is forming a committee on the space industry the end of 2024.
Biotech Shows: https://brt-show.libsyn.com/category/Biotech-Life+Sciences-Science
AZ Tech Council Shows:
https://brt-show.libsyn.com/size/5/?search=az+tech+council
*Includes Best of AZ Tech Council show from 2/12/2023
Tech Topic:
https://brt-show.libsyn.com/category/Tech-Startup-VC-Cybersecurity-Energy-Science
Best of Tech: https://brt-show.libsyn.com/size/5/?search=best+of+tech
‘Best Of’ Topic: https://brt-show.libsyn.com/category/Best+of+BRT
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