TECH cocktail 3 - Thursday, January 25th
I'd like to remind all Chicago-area techies that the next TECH cocktail is coming up this Thursday. It's a really high-energy crowd and a great mix of people, including entrepreneurs, bloggers, podcasters, digital artists, etc. It's free and open to just about anyone with an interest in technology, but visit the site and RSVP first.
Before I launched my consulting practice last year, I took some time to reacquaint myself with the Chicago tech scene and had the opportunity to connect with quite a few groups and associations. There are a lot of good groups out there and I'm an active member of the Illinois IT Association, but I still find that the Chicago technology crowd can be a little insular. Maybe we Midwesterners are just too used to keeping to ourselves, and yes, we techies don't always have the greatest social skills, but we also haven't fostered the tech community here in Chicago like some cities have.
TECH cocktail has been a big step towards tapping into the energy and excitement of Chicago's tech community, and it's a great introduction for anyone new to the scene or interested in local start-ups and entrepreneurial opportunities. I highly recommend it and hope to see you there!
Mike Maddaloni
· Monday, January 22So what would be the top-10 list of cities with strong tech communities? I am not putting anyone on the spot or being obnoxious... I simply want to know! mp/m
Dr. Pete
· Monday, January 22That's a good question, Mike. Here, we're always talking about Silicon Valley (of course) and Boston. I'd be curious to hear what you think of the Boston tech community. Realistically, I'm sure we've got a little bit of a grass-is-always-greener complex, and sometimes we judge a strong "community" a little too much by where the money seems to be flowing.