The US Ignite InnovateSLC team headed to Salt Lake City for Utah Tech Week earlier this year. Utah Tech Week is a week-long event that brings together the state’s tech community to engage in a mix of experiences and events hosted by startups, VC firms, and community organizations. We joined the Utah Tech Week fun and hosted two sessions – Innovative Approaches to Tackling Utah’s Environmental Challenges and The Future of Entrepreneurship in SLC + the Wasatch Front. Over 100 entrepreneurs participated in the events.

Utah Tech Week Recap

In the Innovative Approaches to Tackling Utah’s Environmental Challenges, audiences heard from Salt Lake City Mayor Mendenhall; Draper City Mayor Troy Walker; Brian Steed of the Institute of Land, Water, and Air at Utah State University; Jessica Elwell from OxEon Energy and Luigi Resta from rPlus Energies. Their discussion centered on the role of emerging technologies in unlocking energy efficiency. The panelists agreed on the importance for cities to support the development of energy solutions that drive down costs, mainly because emerging technologies addressing this challenge tend to involve a significant initial capital investment. The historical role of tech driving transformations and the absolute need for the state of Utah to foster entrepreneurship and small business growth in energy was also underlined through their discussion. 

At the Future of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in SLC + Wasatch Front, startup founders shared their experiences starting a new venture in Salt Lake City. They praised Utah as a great place for entrepreneurs because the local governments want to support innovation. The community is interested in helping entrepreneurs, and that creates a great vibe that attracts top talent. The entrepreneurs shared insights they’ve acquired, such as leadership and pitching as an iterative process. 

Utah Tech Week celebrated and uplifted innovation and entrepreneurship in Salt Lake City, and our two sessions gave participants valuable information and ample opportunities to connect with government and industry leaders.

On to the next one

If you missed the Utah Tech Week sessions in January or attended and want more, you’re in luck. On June 28, 2023, 5-7 pm MT, we are hosting Innovate & Succeed: Harnessing the Power of New Tools for Small Businesses.

We invite all Salt Lake City small businesses to join this FREE workshop, where we will demystify government funding streams and cutting-edge technology. Participants can also expect to forge connections with peers and potential clients and pick up new technical skills. 

Learn how your business can ride the growth sparked by technology trends and how to optimize your business with these solutions. Register now to secure your spot!

Register now!