AZ Tech Council on 2024 Innovation & Governors Celebration w/ Steve Zylstra - AZ TRT S05 EP42 (258) 11-10-2023

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...