Tech Conference 2021 is a day of practical learning, a time to virtually meet like-minded business owners and technology leaders. It’s a conference that’s interactive, where you’ll take away practical information that you can use in your business today. Tech Conference 2021 is a first-of-its-kind event that brings together minority small business owners, industry stakeholders, and technology leaders to ideate, innovate and connect and learn from one another. This conference arose from a clear need in the small business community for more education and networking around technology. 

VIRTUAL NETWORKING: Find new customers, new suppliers, and helpful experts. 

Who says we can’t network virtually? And what better way to kick-off Tech Conference 2021 than to use new and innovative technology to connect? - Powered by Digital Hollywood, Tech Conference 2021 is a virtual conference that allows attendees to connect with other conference guests through scheduled one-on-one digital meetings. Just sign in, and use our online platform to network… 

Technology is changing everything from sales to hiring -- you need to learn its lessons before your competitors do. The challenge for small business owners is how to bridge the technology gap and keep up with the competition. Cost keeps many of us from innovating, however there are guerilla tech moves and best practices that cost little and make a big impact. In this panel discussion, you will learn how minority news outlets, with small margins, use technology to vault ahead of their rivals – finding new customers, while cutting costs and quickening revenue.

Congresswoman Yvette D. Clark Representative from the 9^th District of New York since 2013 sits on the sub-committee on communications and technology.Ms. Clark will keynote on how the Congress is looking to create more opportunities for black and brown businesses across America.

The Congresswoman will host a special Roundtable: "Black Women in Tech." The transformative power of technology is the key to an even better future – a smarter economy, a healthier planet, diverse and inclusive communities, and a broader path to prosperity.” Learn from senior leaders about tech innovations that are changing the game for minority businesses and ask them your questions during this riveting cross-industry panel.

The pandemic, which has locked many doors for businesses, is opening new doors for some savvy minority business owners. Learn how they do it.

At Hyundai, Dana White is leading a team of innovators to help one of America’s largest automakers recruit small business owners for its global supply chain. With a multi-million-dollar commitment, Hyundai is making one of the largest efforts of its kind to find new suppliers and business partners among the African American and Latino communities.

Hyundai’s Ms. White will reveal what the automaker is looking for in new business partners and how to take part in its outreach programs. Her life story as the granddaughter of a black newspaper publisher who rose to senior positions at the Wall Street Journal and Renault, ultimately becoming the first African American woman to serve as spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Defense and the first African American woman to run communications for a major carmaker.

What are the opportunities for black and brown communities in 2021 and beyond.If you’re a kid from the inner city who didn’t go to college, can you have a career in technology? Absolutely! This panel will give you, your friends and family a “to do” list of how to super-charge your career and where the opportunities are in technology, data and innovation.

Well-known Silicon Valley recruiter Chris Miller knows how to find the best tech talent without breaking your budget. In this session, she leads a panel of experts to help you find the best tech talent – and not overpay. From CTO to Python coder tech talent salaries have been skyrocketing for years. Find out what the Pandemic has meant for: 1) the supply and demand of tech talent, 2) salaries, 3) the tactics you should use today to find the best people. Chris will also talk about creating, and leaning into internship programs, like Black Girls that Code. Chris has a specialty in immigration and has helped scores of talented, diverse tech talent deliver solutions for U.S. businesses.

Larry Irving’s pioneering work on the “digital divide” earned him a spot in the Internet Hall of Fame in 2019. Mr. Irving is also known for his work as Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information in the Commerce Department in the Clinton years. It was his work with Ron Brown in the mid-1990s that led to how a lot of America thinks about The Internet today

In this session, Mr. Irving talks about how the government can help you. He’s been involved in a powerful new study that measures the impact of small businesses that have grown out of social media and the gig economy. Want to tap into the power of Venture Forward for your small business? This is a “must-see” session for you! 

When HBO needed to market its comedy, soul, and jazz performances, it turned to Tony Rome. His efforts on “The Kings of Comedy” produced the highest-grossing African-American comedy tour in HBO’s history. Now he’s here to help you woo new customers and win new sales.

Jeff Joseph is president of the Software & Industry Information Association and from his unique perch, he can see what’s making money and what’s wasting time. Should your business move into digital publishing – and if so to what extent? Who’s having success? What are the pitfalls? See what the trends are from one of the leading technology associations in the U.S.

Join Sara Hale, an expert on the power of cloud-based technologies, when she discusses helping medium and small businesses be more efficient and poised for growth. Sara will present case studies of the affordability and impact of cloud based solutions, including CARE4COVID, a cloud-based solution to COVID19 vaccine distribution and tracking in Florida.