Summerfest Tech Announces Expanded Programming and Pitch Competition Finalists

MILWAUKEE, WI (May 4, 2023) – Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. (MWF) is excited to announce additional programming details for the sixth annual Summerfest Tech, which will take place over three days, June 27, 28, and 29, 2023. The event will remain free of charge and accessible virtually. All Summerfest Tech in-person programming will be held at Potawatomi Hotel and Casino.

The popular Summerfest Tech Pitch Competition, produced by Young Enterprising Society and sponsored by Molson Coors, returns with a wide array of finalists “pitching” for the opportunity to win a portion of the $50,000 cash prize, $5,000 of which will be awarded to a “Hometown Winner” from the greater Milwaukee area. The competition received a record 70% growth in applications, from over 12 states and 20 countries. The 8 finalists are:

1. Wellacy Health, Milwaukee WI
2. Cookie Langs, Inc, – New York City, NY
3. AppEase LLC – Green Bay, WI
4. Leantime – Charlotte, NC
5. CrossKudi – Wauwatosa, WI
6. RedFox AI – Madison, WI
7. Lavini Inc – Atlanta, GA
8. AfroTech – Milwaukee, WI

To learn more about these startup finalists and their product, visit Summerfest-Tech.com. The following Summerfest Tech programming, which builds on previously announced sessions, will feature trending topics including:

• Customer Experience Technology – Exact Sciences will walk through the full scope of the Customer Experience (CX) strategy, including the technology, outside-of-the-box thinking required to create assets for both an organization and a customer, and the variety of team members it takes to build this technology.
• Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability Strategy – In this session led by Northwestern Mutual, with support from Generac and Aurora Health Care, attendees will hear from various businesses on how their company is prioritizing “doing the right thing” through sustainability, technology education and community connections, including how that investment will shape the future of the Midwest tech landscape. Together, the panel will explore the shared responsibility of continued investment in socially sustainable practices.
• Investment Panel – BMO will lead a panel featuring an angel investor, venture capitalist, traditional financial institution and regulated crowdfunding organization through a discussion on how startups and small businesses can access money and the changing landscape over the next five years.
• Machine Learning and Data Exploration with Google Cloud– During this interactive session, attendees will learn how to analyze and visualize data through attractive, dynamic, and interactive reports.  There will also be an opportunity to build BI dashboards with Looker, explore data in BigQuery and experiment with BigQuery Machine Learning models. Earn points by completing the steps in the lab and compete for the highest score.
• Planning for a Sustainable Future – KPMG and Johnson Controls have teamed up globally to help businesses effectively tackle sustainability priority areas leveraging business process transformation and leading-edge technology solutions. In this discussion, learn how technology is helping to transform real estate by creating the healthy and sustainable building of the future, new and old.
• Solutions Story with UScellular Business, Rockwell Automation, and UW-Milwaukee – UScellular will present this solutions strategy story, with University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Rockwell Automation, focusing on creating a private network for manufacturing that has the security and control needed to protect enterprise data, so IOT and Edge Computing do not falter while onsite.
• Tech Talks: Meet the Experts – New this year – the Summerfest Tech “Tech Talks: Meet the Experts,” in partnership with the MKE Tech Hub. Hear from experts in the industry on a variety of emerging technology topics, followed by group discussions. Topics include:
•        AI, IoT, RPA
•        Agile/DevOps/Cloud/UI/UX
•        CIO/Leadership
•        Cybersecurity
•        DEI
•        Software Development (frontend, backend, mobile)
•        Women in Tech (WIT)

The full agenda, with registration can be found at Summerfest-Tech.com
The 2023 edition of Summerfest Tech includes an onsite exhibit hall at Potawatomi Hotel & Casino on June 27 and 28 with over 50 partners and sponsors showcasing their organization’s content.

New this year, ValorTech will be unveiling the “Tech on Tap Cybersecurity Village” that will feature exhibits from cybersecurity leaders including PKWARE and TierPoint. The Tech on Tap Cybersecurity Village will also feature mini cybersecurity technical sessions each day from 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. during exhibit hall hours.

Summerfest Tech is supported by Generac Power Systems*, Molson Coors Beverage Company*, Valor Tech, Wipfli LLP*, American Family Insurance*, BMO, GE HealthCare, Johnson Controls Inc., KPMG, Northwestern Mutual, RingCentral, UScellular Business*,  AE Business Solutions, Brooksource, Checkpoint, Concurrency Inc.*, Formlabs, Husch Blackwell, InBalance, Marquette University*,  Michael Best*, Milwaukee Tool, MKE Tech Hub Coalition*, OFFSITE*, Optiv, Qumulo, SenitnelOne, United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County*, University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee School of Information Studies*, Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation*, Xorbix, Zscaler*, Alverno College*, Carroll University, CU Ventures, i.c.stars*, Milwaukee Area Technical College, The Greater Milwaukee Committee, University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee School of Continuing Education, Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, Women in Technology, and the Wisconsin Tech Association. Media support provided by Experience Milwaukee* and production support comes from Majic Productions, Inc. *indicates a returning partner.

All Summerfest Tech attendees will receive FREE entrance to a networking luncheon at Summerfest on Thursday, June 29, along with free admission to Summerfest beginning June 29 through July 1, 2023.  Visit Summerfest-Tech.com to register and for more information.

About Summerfest Tech
Summerfest Tech began in 2018 with the goal of leveraging the Summerfest brand to showcase technology and provide a forum for attendees from the tech and business community to network, educate, and celebrate the evolution of technology. Summerfest Tech continues to champion the regional business community, while shining the spotlight on Wisconsin’s growing reputation as a tech hub, highlighting the growth and opportunity in the region. Programming from local, regional, and national speakers, as well as a cash-prize pitch competition, connects the tech community around relevant topics. Summerfest Tech will be held June 27-29, 2023, free of charge, in-person and available virtually. For more details, visit  Summerfest-Tech.com

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.