Microsoft demonstrated a high interest in advancing technology through Rural Development in a partnership with Green Bay Packers. This will bring in world-class technology toTitletown District. The Green Bay Packers and Microsoft Corp. announced the launch of Titletown tech on Thursday. This is a partnership aimed at boosting economic expansion in Wisconsin’s Fox River Valley and its surroundings.
The state-of-the-art digital workspace is aimed at bringing innovation and expertise that will enable existing and emerging businesses in the region to build more digital products, and improve their operations.
This business move by Microsoft is in connection with the trend by tech companies to connect with the US Midwest, and also manifests their ambition to use television broadcasting to connect two million rural Americans with internet Broadband in five years.
Brad Smith, the tech company’s president said to Reuters, "We are probably not going to find the technology breakthrough for the future of farming in downtown San Francisco...We're much more likely to find it in Green Bay, Wisconsin."
What the Titletown tech wants to achieve
The partnership will invest in startups from Wisconsin and the surroundings as part of the Microsoft initiative called TechSpark which was set up to form similar initiatives in places like North Dakota, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming.
The funds for this investment in TechSpark will be from a contribution of $5 million each by Packers and Microsoft. The project is a long-term strategy by Microsoft which will generate more customers, new employees and benefit all Americans. The emergence of TechSpark is a sequel to the election of Trump on November 8, 2016, when Smith posted a blog that said: "promote inclusive economic growth that helps everyone move forward."
A Titletown Tech Venture Capital Fund has been set up to invest in new companies that intend to take part in the TitletownTech Accelerator.
Packer and Microsoft are the first to contribute funds to this venture, though there are still opportunities for more investors to commit their funds. The partnership has also set up a Titletown Labs to allow existing businesses to enroll employees for an 18-week developmental program in new digital technology products and services.
The employee team will work with Titletown Tech’s advisors and mentors and there will also be new opportunities for local firms from other economic sectors to develop innovative technology solutions that can boost their businesses.
Challenges facing Titletown tech
The digital space may face housing challenges. The building that will house the digital work is still yet to be set up but there is an expectation that the building will be ready by next fall. The partners are still deliberating on the best design for the facility, that will showcase this latest technological advancement. Three basic things needed to kickstart the operation of this technological advancement are effective and inspiring space, access to technology and mentors, which will be provided by Titletown Tech.
Speaking at the meeting of northeast Wisconsin entrepreneurs and innovators, Smith said, “"We're trying to encourage more of those connections so it’s not everybody doing their own things. That will be critical to attracting the talent and the capital to encourage what we’re seeing," he said. "It's a growing recognition of the importance of a network, of cooperation, so it’s not just Green Bay versus Oshkosh versus Appleton."
