10-Minute Tech Talks: Business Insights and Growth Hacks for Time-Crunched Entrepreneurs

The Robotics Manufacturing Hub helps small and medium-sized manufacturers in the Southwestern Pennsylvania region:

• Evaluate their operations
• Explore if robotics will improve productivity
• Prototype solutions without a commitment to installation
• Select solutions that offer the highest return on investment
• Understand how robotics can augment workforce gaps
• Manage the impact of robotics on their workforce

The Robotics Manufacturing Hub leverages the ARM Institute’s Mill 19 facility in Pittsburgh’s Hazelwood neighborhood to prototype solutions and demonstrate proofs-of-concept at no-cost for small and medium sized manufacturers.

ARM's Tasha Miller gives us more details on how the hub is a robotics "petting zoo" for manufacturers to get to know more about robotics and how they can help their operations, growth and bottom line.

Also through the Southwestern Pennsylvania Region’s Build Back Better Challenge grant, the ARM Institute is managing and has awarded $6M in funding to four regional Innovation Accelerators, formerly called Makerspaces. These are:

• Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) – CCAC’s Entrepreneurial Labs and Makerspace
• The Digital Foundry at New Kensington (DFNK) – Penn State New Kensington
• IUP STEAMSHOP – Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP)
• MAKERSPACE District – Westmoreland County Community College

This funding helps to build upon existing capabilities within the Innovation Accelerators, enhance their equipment and offerings, and make their services more readily available. The services offered through each Accelerator are unique. Through the grant, the ARM Institute will advise the Innovation Accelerators and help to expand the scope of their services to benefit small and medium-sized manufacturers and manufacturing entrepreneurs.

Learn more at: https://arminstitute.org/our-work/swpa-bbb/.

This is a podcast for tech and manufacturing  entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.

Despite national fundraising declining nearly 30% year-over-year in 2023, Pittsburgh bucked the trend and saw the second-highest year on record for investment in its tech economy, according to a new report released by Ernst & Young and Innovation Works.

Tune in to TechVibe Radio this Sunday (3/31) to learn more about Pittsburgh's investment numbers from EY's Darrell Smalley and IW's Ven Raju. The 12th annual report found nearly every indicator related to local fundraising increased in Pittsburgh in 2023, resulting in $3.12 billion in aggregate funding, a 203.3% jump over 2022.

Plus, hear from Comcast's Aaron Mimran ​about key tech trends impacting businesses in 2024. Tune in and get super geeky with us!

This is a podcast for tech and manufacturing  entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.

In celebration of Women’s History Month, we’re talking with two members of the Keystone Region’s Comcast Business team about their careers.

Ann Masland, Senior Manager and Angi Mullenax, Manager have a combined 20 years with Comcast and hold critically important roles supporting small, medium, and enterprise businesses.

With a culture centered on entrepreneurialism, acting with integrity, respect, and giving back, we’ll uncover what makes Comcast a great place to work, walk through Ann and Angi’s career journeys, and hear what keeps them engaged every day.

This is a podcast for tech and manufacturing  entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.

Established in 1995, GDC IT Solutions (GDC) is a Premier IT Service Provider. With offices in the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest Regions of the United States, GDC empowers businesses to increase employee productivity, maximize investments and improve operational efficiencies.

GDC's Keith Faulkner steps up to the One Mic Stand to detail the essentials of an effective service desk to ensure clients' IT is always up and running.

With experienced and certified professionals, GDC delivers services in the areas of application development, data center, 24/7 multilingual service desk, managed IT services, desktop lifecycle management, project management, and business process consulting.

This is a podcast for tech and manufacturing  entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.

Vet Jobs partners with employers interested in hiring, retaining and upskilling qualified military affiliated talent in order to strengthen and diversify their workforce and our community.

Crystal McFadden steps up to the One Mic Stand to talk about ways tech employers can access this important and often-forgotten talent pool.

Over the past 19 years, Vet Jobs has placed over 97,000 veterans, transitioning military members, National Guard and Reserves, and military spouses, into industry leading & high-earning careers.  Its hiring numbers are verified by a third-party review by Deloitte, via the Call of Duty Endowment.  63,000+ of Vet Jobs candidates have taken and completed our training courses. 

This is a podcast for tech and manufacturing  entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.

Everyone is talking about artificial intelligence (AI) and leveraging it for their business. But where do you start? How can make it operational? How can you ensure success?

Tune in to TechVibe Radio this Sunday as we welcome Rob Boros and James Mitchell of Itero Group to provide their insights on effective steps to implement AI into your operations.

Itero Group empowers its clients to become more optimized, digitally enabled and data-driven. Itero's collective experience across industries helps its private sector clients adopt a mission-focused approach, and helps its Federal partners operate with the efficiency of a private company.

Tune in and geek out on making AI operational!

This is a podcast for tech and manufacturing  entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.

In 2024, it’s crucial for businesses to utilize technology as a key to success in the face of uncertainty. From tech advancements to shifts in consumer and employee demand, businesses will continue to be tested in 2024. Aaron Mimran, Vice President of Comcast Business in the Keystone Region, steps up to the One Mic Stand to tell us more about essential technology trends in the year ahead including:

· The benefits businesses can experience – such as efficient operations, seamless communication, and scalable expansion – with the right technology infrastructure

· The pivotal role technology plays in delivering digital customer experiences

· The vital tech solutions to support business growth

· And more!

To learn more about how Comcast Business can provide businesses with the robust network needed to reinforce their critical technological investments, visit comcastbusiness.com.

This is a podcast for tech and manufacturing  entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.

Everyone is talking about artificial intelligence (AI) and leveraging it for their business. But where do you start? How can make it operational? How can you ensure success?

Rob Boros and James Mitchell of Itero Group step up to the One Mic Stand to provide their insights on effective steps to implement AI into your operations.

Itero Group empowers its clients to become more optimized, digitally enabled and data-driven. Itero's collective experience across industries helps its private sector clients adopt a mission-focused approach, and helps its Federal partners operate with the efficiency of a private company.

This is a podcast for tech and manufacturing  entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.

The name may be new, but the company has long been a Pittsburgh staple – as of 2023, GrapeCity is now MESCIUS!

The Tech Council’s Jonathan Kersting recently spoke with Joe Lininger, Head of Global Marketing at MESCIUS, about the story behind the new name, keeping up with product trends, and potential changes in the Pittsburgh tech industry.

Joe says MESIUS is basically the same company; the name change is because of a capital investment that happened in early 2023. Because of that, it's looking forward to some big growth. He expalins that MESCIUS decided to reboot and through that, also rename itself. MESCIUS comes from two Latin words – one meaning harvest and the other meaning social – basically, getting the most out of a social connection.

MESCIUS builds components for developers, and we’re hoping to build that network and grow our community.

This is a podcast for tech and manufacturing  entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.

Geek out this Sunday morning with TechVibe Radio as we explore the University of Pittsburgh’s Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business Super Analytics Challenge

Started in the heart of the COVID pandemic, the Super Analytics Challenge was a novel way to connect graduate school students and the corporate community to solve society's biggest issues with data analytics. Over the last three years, the challenge has addressed homelessness, food insecurity and access to mental health. 

This year, the Challenge expanded to include more schools with 10 teams of five students looking to address the workforce shortage in southwestern Pennsylvania’s advanced manufacturing industry. 

This is a podcast for tech and manufacturing  entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.