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Staying on Top of Technology

Technology is rapidly changing all industries, reshaping the future of work. Foremost, companies must seek to understand how these changes will affect their industry, which requires constant reflection and learning. Companies will have to assess whether they are using the right technology tools, adopt transformative technologies, and change the way they hire and support employees to ensure qualified candidates get matched with the right opportunities and have clear pathways for career advancement.

We asked Matt Adamczyk, Technologist in Residence for Microsoft at TitletownTech, how a business can know for sure that it is at the top of its game when it comes to technology and innovation. “These are big questions and Microsoft TechSpark is working with the local community to try to answer them,” he told us. For example, last year, TechSpark funded a survey of 104 local companies to study current and future technology needs, skills and talent for manufacturers in Northeast Wisconsin. One of the big takeaways was that in the next two-to-three years, manufacturers plan to focus the greatest investment in automation and robotics, cybersecurity and cloud computing. The survey also revealed that most of the companies surveyed don’t have an implementation plan in place to help them succeed in an economy increasingly driven by artificial intelligence, automation, and big data. Companies that can close that gap will set themselves up for success.

Leaders and innovators in any sector must make investments in software and technology to move businesses forward. Those investments won’t just be in traditional productivity software, but also in engineering and applying new technologies to disrupt entire industries.

Matt provided some insights on how Northeast Wisconsin businesses can most improve via a stronger commitment to technology and innovation. “Based on that same survey of 104 local manufacturing businesses, we know that many local businesses want to invest in tech and innovation, but don’t yet have a plan in place. This is a moment of uncertainty, but it presents a big opportunity for growth for these businesses. In my role as Technologist in Residence for Microsoft at TitletownTech, I look forward to meeting with local businesses to learn more about how we can help businesses bridge that gap,” he said. Cloud computing and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) have been transformational for both startups and established businesses. IaaS is essentially renting server capacity in someone else’s datacenter rather than building and managing a datacenter. The ability to start a company or experiment with new technologies without the expensive capital expenditures of local hardware enables more rapid innovation. The next phase, which we’re in the middle of, removes even more of the overhead through Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Azure Functions, allowing the engineer to achieve more and focus more energy on the actual problem, all while the platform handles server management and scaling. PaaS abstracts away the complexity of managing servers and instead allows the engineer to manage the solution. Looking further to the future, different forms of artificial intelligence will contribute to the implementation of more complex technologies at relatively lower engineering costs. Here’s how Fox Cities businesses can benefit from TitletownTech. As a part of Microsoft TechSpark, TitletownTech seeks to grow the entire technology ecosystem, including developing new talent, building new ventures, and sparking innovation in established businesses. They envision different models of engagement for established businesses, ranging from partnerships with other startups, to bringing small teams from large companies into their studio to work in their startup atmosphere. They also have a multi-pronged approach to venture building which includes a Venture Studio, $25M Venture Fund, and an Innovation Lab. The Studio invests in startups and brings them in-house, where they can work on building their business and technology. With the Fund, they look to make strategic capital investments in early stage startups that will benefit most from a larger capital investment, potentially from a large group of investors. Continued on next page

TitletownTech is located in the Titletown District of Green Bay.

At TitletownTech’s Innovation Lab, they bring together industry leaders, tech experts and others to explore market challenges. “Anyone with an early stage business in one of our five verticals – Sports, Media, & Entertainment; Digital Health; Agriculture, Water, & Environment; Advanced Manufacturing; and Supply Chain Technology – is invited to reach out and pitch their business,” Matt told us. “Our combined strengths at TitletownTech amplify startup success by providing expertise, customers, mentors, talent, and capital to our portfolio companies,” Matt added. TitletownTech’s doors officially opened this past Fall, but they’re already excited to be working with entrepreneurs like those at Oculogica, a digital health company which has developed the first FDA authorized non-invasive, baseline-free technology to aid in diagnosis of concussion.

Michelle Schuler, Microsoft TechSpark Wisconsin Manager, helped put the local tech skills gap into perspective. “There are many reports that show how the skills gap may impact the economy. One recent study shows that the skills gap could leave an estimated 2.4 million positions unfilled between now and 2028. This is a serious problem nationally as well as here in Wisconsin,” she confirmed. In Wisconsin there are more than 6,400 open computing jobs but only 1,190 computer science graduates to fill them, and only 42% of the state’s high schools teach any Computer Science courses. Yet, more than 50% of jobs today require technology skills, and that will increase to 77% in less than a decade. Limited access to digital skills threatens to widen the income gap between those who have the skills to succeed in the 21st century and those who do not. To reduce the gap, all young people need the opportunity to learn computer science, especially those least likely to have access. Michelle went on to say, “At Microsoft, we’re working to ensure every person can build the skills and access the resources needed to succeed in a digital economy.” As the skills required for high-demand jobs change, so must our education systems. And yet, despite growing demand, schools have faced barriers to integrating computer science curricula. 73% of all new STEM jobs are in computing, yet only 53% of 12th graders in the U.S. have access to any computer science classes. The gap is even greater in rural areas where just 30% have access.

Here in Wisconsin, Microsoft TechSpark is partnering with nonprofits, schools, volunteers, government and more to boost access to digital skills and computer science education. For example, Wisconsin doesn’t have enough computer science teachers to teach high school classes, so Microsoft brought in its TEALS program to 21 high schools in Northeast Wisconsin, focusing on training teachers by partnering with industry professionals to deliver computer science curriculum in the classroom. This school year, they have over 1,200 TEALS computer science students, a 37% increase from last year. They’re also working to produce a new type of technology talent in the region and are partnering with local companies to provide young professionals work-based learning opportunities starting as early as their junior year of high school. “Our goal is to ensure all young people have what we call future-ready skills—those most in demand by employers—and keep them here in Wisconsin,” Michelle added. “Microsoft TechSpark is connecting companies with Wisconsin’s Department of Workforce Development’s Youth Apprenticeship program. It has been successful in the trades of welding, engineering, and nursing but lacks that same success in computer science and STEM, which is where we think we can help,” said Michelle. “We welcome the Fox Cities Chamber’s assistance in helping Microsoft to shift company culture to hire this new technology talent pool that is in the region.”

Matt Adamczyk Technologist in Residence for Microsoft at TitletownTech

Michelle Schuler Microsoft TechSpark Wisconsin Manager